Gwladmena: Bressay Sound
Craft (20th Century), Steamship (Period Unknown)
Site Name Gwladmena: Bressay Sound
Classification Craft (20th Century), Steamship (Period Unknown)
Alternative Name(s) G W Ladmena; Galdmena; Gwaldmeena; Mary Hough; Maggie Warrington; Brei Wick Bay; Kirkabister Light; North Sea; Gwladmena
Canmore ID 102902
Site Number HU43NE 8008
NGR HU 47622 39379
NGR Description HU c. 483 397
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102902
- Council Shetland Islands
- Parish Maritime - Shetland Islands
- Former Region Shetland Islands Area
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
HU43NE 8008 c. 483 397
N60 8.4 W1 7.8
NLO: Brei Wick [name centred HU 473 404]
Bressay [name centred HU 50 40]
Bressay Sound [name centred HU 485 415]
Lerwick [name: HU 475 415].
Formerly entered as HU44SE 8002 at cited location HU 4821 4059 [N60 8.4 W1 7.8].
See also NL82SW 8002.
Gwladmena: [max. date] 1918
928/539 tons, 136 h.p., 220' x 30' x 16'1". Built of [report received incomplete].
Run down and sunk by S.S. Flora of Esbjerg when in convoy. Crew saved.
Archive Ref: "Merchant Shipping 1/7/1914-31/12/1917 - Return of Shipping Casualties and Loss of Life
Source: Shetland Archive Service [undated]
MS/3025, no. 965.
Quality of fix = PA
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 45
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The GWLADMENA sank following a collision with Danish steamship FLORA.
Report by M Johnson.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
29 June 1988. The wreck sits upright, at approximately 60 08 24N, 001 07 48W, on a sandy bottom. The least depth was approximately 35 metres. The upperworks, mast and propeller have been removed. The vessel has a gun on the stern. The bell, with name MAGGIE WARRINGTON (vessel's original name), has been recovered.
Report by M Johnson.
Hydrographic Office 1995.
GWLADMENA or G W LADMENA, steamship of Liverpool (or possibly Cardiff ?). 928/539 tons, 136 h.p., 220' x 30' x 16'1". Built of iron, at West Hartlepool in 1878. Formerly MARY HOUGH and MAGGIE WARRINGTON. Run down and sunk by steamship FLORA of Esbjerg when in convoy off Kirkabister light, Bressay on 2 January 1918. Crew saved.
Archive Ref: Merchant Shipping 1/7/1914-31/12/1917 - Return of Shipping Casualties and Loss of Life HMSO London
Source: Shetland Archive Service [1998].
(Classified as iron steamship, with cargo of coal: former names cited as Mary Hough and Maggie Warrington, and date of loss as 2 January 1918). Gwladmena: this vessel was in collision and sank off Kirkabister Light (Flora).
Registration: Liverpool. Built 1878. 928grt. Length: 67m. Beam: 9m.
(Location of loss cited as N60 8.2 W1 7.77).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):
A428 1 lump of coal: from seabed.
[Name cited as Galdmena: no accurate location cited]
NMRS, MS/829/33.
Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):
A1043 1 pump valve: from seabed
A1692 1 filler cap, 1 part sextant, 3 bottles, 1 porthole: from seabed
A4093 1 ship's log (Little Cherub type, gauge end only): from seabed.
(Name cited as Gwaldmeena: no accurate location cited).
NMRS, MS/829/35.
The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative, no accurate location being apparently available.
Kirkabister Ness Lighthouse (HU43NE 8.00) is at HU 48923 37593.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 29 April 2003.
Geophysical Survey (23 September 2011 - 25 September 2011)
Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Historic Scotland to undertake geophysical survey over a number of wreck sites off the coast of Shetland; in total eight wrecks were surveyed in detail by side scan sonar. A further three sites were visited but unable to be surveyed due to bad weather.
Of the eight wreck surveys only one survey did not reveal any geophysical anomalies of archaeological interest, this was the Aith Voe Hull, a named location. Three wreck surveys identified definite archaeological anomalies and the remaining four wreck surveys identified numerous geophysical anomalies, some of them of archaeological potential. The surveys have informed upon the environment and condition of the wrecks and quantitative information has been added to the body of work already existing.
In addition multibeam bathymetry data were acquired from the UKHO (United Kingdom Hydrographic Office) and processed and interpreted by Wessex Archaeology. The multibeam bathymetry data analysis identified fine anomalies of potential archaeological interest and showed the presence of partially infilled palaeochannels, glimpsing the submerged prehistory of Shetland. The context for these palaeochannels is summarised and further work suggested to build on this.
Information from OASIS ID: waherita1-298431 (P Baggaley) 2011
Side Scan Sonar Survey (23 September 2011 - 25 September 2011)
Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Historic Scotland to undertake geophysical survey over a number of wreck sites off the coast of Shetland; in total eight wrecks were surveyed in detail by side scan sonar. A further three sites were visited but unable to be surveyed due to bad weather. Of the eight wreck surveys only one survey did not reveal any geophysical anomalies of archaeological interest, this was the Aith Voe Hull, a named location. Three wreck surveys identified definite archaeological anomalies and the remaining four wreck surveys identified numerous geophysical anomalies, some of them of archaeological potential. The surveys have informed upon the environment and condition of the wrecks and quantitative information has been added to the body of work already existing.
The eight wrecks include Wrangels Palais, Gwladmena, Glenisla, Drottingen af Swerige, HMS Cheerful and three unknown possibly including MTB 686.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 2638
Name : GWLADMENA (EX. MARY HOUGH, ...)
Latitude : 600812
Longitude : 10746
Date Built : 1878
Registration : LIVERPOOL
Type : SS (IRON)
Tonnage : 928
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 67
Beam : 9
Draught : 5m
Loss Day : 2
Loss Month : 1
Loss Year : 1918
Comment : Collision and sunk off Kirkabister Light (FLORA).
Cargo : COAL
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 000084
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Non-dangerous wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 60.13617,-1.14450
Horizontal Datum : ETRS 1989
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 60.13617,-1.14450
WGS84 Origin : Original
Previous Position : 60.14000,-1.13000
Position Quality : Precisely known
Depth : 30.0
Depth Method : Found by diver
Depth Quality : Depth known
Water Depth : 35
Water Level Effect : Always under water/submerged
Vertical Datum : Mean Low Water Springs
Name : GWLADMENA
Type : SS
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 67.1
Beam : 9.1
Draught : 4.9
Orientation : 0.0
Tonnage : 928
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : COAL
Date Sunk : 02/01/1918
Bottom Texture : Sand
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Last Sensor : Diver Sighting
Original Detection Year : 1918
Last Detection Year : 2007
Original Source : Other
Last Source : Divers
Circumstances of Loss : **EX-MARY HOUGH, EX-MAGGIE WARRINGTON. BUILT OF IRON IN 1876 BY R IRVINE & CO, WEST HARTLEPOOL. TWO BOILERS, COMPOUND EXPANSION ENGINE OF 136 HP BUILT BY BLAIR & CO, STOCKTON ON TEES, SINGLE SHAFT. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY STOUE & ROLFE OF LIVERPOOL. PASSAGE FROM METHIL FOR LERWICK. SANK AFTER COLLISION WITH DANISH SS FLORA. ALL CREW SAVED. (SIBI & SHIPWRECKS OF N SCOTLAND, BAIRD)
