Earl Of Carrick: Connel Narrows, Loch Etive

NM93SW 8003 9122 3449

N56 27.3833 W5 23.3167

NLO: North Connel [name: NM 908 348]

Connel [name: NM 912 342]

Falls of Lora [name: NM 912 345].

Formerly entered as NM93SW 9200.

29 September 1878, EARL OF CARRICK, 3 yrs old, of Maryport, Lloyd's 90 A 1, last survey 1.78, iron steamship, 161 tons, 10 crew, Master W. Holmes, Owner W. Hine, Maryport, departed Workington for Bonar, Argyllshire, carrying rails, wind SE2, stranded, total loss, Connel, Argyllshire.

Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1878 - 79 (1880 [C.2519] LXVI.47)

Oban, 30th Sept., 7 p.m., I [Lloyd's agent] have just returned from the EARL OF CARRICK (s): she is a most complete wreck: the after part of the ship lies on a rock about 45 yards or thereabouts from the South shore: the fore part of the ship is about 80 yards from the after part, towards the North shore, and in both cases, as far as could be made out, bottom up. From the very strong tide running there, I do not consider there is a chance of salvage of anything. [The [Record received incomplete].

NMRS, MS/829/69 (no. 2896).

Greenock, Feb. 16, VALENTIA - CARRICK CASTLE. The VALENTIA (s), while proceeding through the narrow channel at Connall, came in contact with portions of the sunken wreck of the CARRICK CASTLE, knocking a hole in her bottom, and she was run ashore, where she soon filled. A diver having been obtained from Glasgow, the damage was repaired, and the vessel proceeded to Oban 12th inst., where she lies for the present.

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 20,222, London, Tuesday February 18 1879.

Oban, March 22, 12.22 p.m., ROB ROY screw lighter, of Glasgow, struck the wreck of the CARRICK CASTLE, at Connel last night, and was run on shore damaged considerably, but can be repaired where she lies.

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 20,251, London, Monday March 24 1879.

Oban, March 22, ROB ROY screw lighter, has been beached at Connel, after striking a rock when endeavouring to clear the wreck of CARRICK CASTLE: [Record received incomplete].

NMRS, MS/829/70 (no. 4814).

Horizontal Datum = OGB

Circumstances of Loss Details

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24 January 1978. The EARL OF CARRICK hit a reef whilst engaged on ferrying railway building material around the year 1800 (?).

Surveying Details

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24 January 1978. The vessel was located 24 metres from the Connel Bridge on a bearing of 075 degrees. The stern part of the steel hull 35 feet (10.6 metres) long is inverted. The steel propellor is still in place. A large reciprocating engine lies 7.5 metres downstream from the hull. The wreck is in two pieces. The front half is missing. The site was dived on in 1970, despite hazardous tidal stream of 11 knots.

Report by Mr A V Gale, Scottish Marine Biological Association, letter dated 20 January 1978.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

(Classified as iron steamship, with cargo of steel rails: date of loss cited as 29 September 1878). Earl of Carrick: this vessel was wrecked on Connel Rocks. Capt. Holmes.

Registration: Maryport. Built 1875. 257grt. Length: 42m. Beam: 6m.

(Location of loss cited as N56 27.38 W5 23.32).

I G Whittaker 1998.

The loss of the Carrick Castle is not cited by I G Whittaker (1998); it is probably to be considered as an mis-naming of the Earl of Carrick.

Connel Rocks are not noted as such on the current edition of the OS 1:50,000 map.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 29 October 2004.