Bryon Darnton: Boiler Reef, Sanda Island, Firth Of Clyde
Liberty Ship (20th Century), Steamship (20th Century)
Site Name Bryon Darnton: Boiler Reef, Sanda Island, Firth Of Clyde
Classification Liberty Ship (20th Century), Steamship (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Byron Darnton; North Channel; Outer Clyde Estuary; Irish Sea; Outer Clyde Estuary
Canmore ID 114911
Site Number NR70SW 8001
NGR NR 72335 03672
NGR Description NR c. 725 037
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/114911
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Maritime - Argyll And Bute
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NR70SW 8001 c. 725 037
N55 16.5 W5 34.9
NLO: Sanda Island [name: NR 735 045].
For wreck of associated salvage vessel (MV Wilmere), see NR70SW 8014.
Formerly entered as Site no's 8011, 9150 and 9160 at cited locations NR 7245 0380 [N 55 16.4167 W 5 35.1167] and NR 7240 0360 [N55 16.29 W5 35.26]. Location also formerly entered as NR c. 72 04 [N55 17 W5 35].
Steamship BYRON DARNTON, 7,000 ton gross, of Baltimore, master King. Bound from Copenhagen to Clyde. Lost 16 Mar 1946, 10.45pm. Sanda, 150 yards from Sanda Lighthouse. Light seen & recognised by crew. Weather strong breeze, south east, force 6, haze. Cause of wreck, unknown. Crew 54, all saved. Vessel in ballast.
[Contemporary] source: John Bain, Principal Lightkeeper, Sanda Lighthouse.
(Classified as steel steamship, in ballast: date of loss cited as 16 March 1946). Bryan Darnton: this vessel was wrecked on Sanda [Island] below the lighthouse. Capt. King.
Registration: American. Built 1943. 7176grt. Length: 127m. Built: 17m.
(Location of loss cited as N55 16.42 W5 35.02).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):
A3260 1 porthole: from seabed.
NMRS, MS/829/35.
The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative. Boiler Reef is not noted as such on the 1997 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map, but Sanda Lighthouse (NR70SW 4) is at NR 72549 03715.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 13 June 2002.
Loss (16 March 1946)
Steamship BYRON DARNTON, 7,000 ton gross, of Baltimore, master King. Bound from Copenhagen to Clyde. Lost 16 Mar 1946, 10.45pm. Sanda, 150 yards from Sanda Lighthouse. Light seen & recognised by crew. Weather strong breeze, south east, force 6, haze. Cause of wreck, unknown. Crew 54, all saved. Vessel in ballast.
[Contemporary] source: John Bain, Principal Lightkeeper, Sanda Lighthouse.
(Classified as steel steamship, in ballast: date of loss cited as 16 March 1946). Bryan Darnton: this vessel was wrecked on Sanda [Island] below the lighthouse. Capt. King.
Registration: American. Built 1943. 7176grt. Length: 127m. Built: 17m.
(Location of loss cited as N55 16.42 W5 35.02).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Evidence Of Loss (8 June 2001)
Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):
A3260 1 porthole: from seabed.
NMRS, MS/829/35.
Note (13 June 2002)
The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative. Boiler Reef is not noted as such on the 1997 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map, but Sanda Lighthouse (NR70SW 4) is at NR 72549 03715.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 13 June 2002.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 778
Name : BYRON DARNTON
Latitude : 551625
Longitude : 53501
Date Built : 1943
Registration : AMERICAN
Type : SS (STEEL)
Tonnage : 7176
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 127
Beam : 17
Draught : 11m
Position : Exact Position
Loss Day : 16
Loss Month : 3
Loss Year : 1946
Comment : Wrecked on Sanda below the lighthouse. Capt. King
Cargo : BALLAST
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 003864
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Wreck showing any portion of hull or superstructure
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 55.27444,-5.58472
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 55.27444,-5.58578
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Previous Position : 55.27362,-5.58362
Position Method : HI-FIX 6 Parabolic
Position Quality : Surveyed
Position Accuracy : 25.0
Height : 1.0
Depth Quality : Least depth known
Water Depth : 3
Water Level Effect : Always dry
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : BYRON DARNTON
Type : SS
Flag : AMERICAN
Length : 134.7
Beam : 17.4
Draught : 8.2
Orientation : 75.0
Tonnage : 7176
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : IN BALLAST
Date Sunk : 16/03/1946
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : None reported
Last Sensor : Video Sensor
Original Detection Year : 1952
Last Detection Year : 1985
Original Source : Survey Vessel
Last Source : Survey Vessel
Circumstances of Loss : **RAN AGROUND WHILST EN ROUTE COPENHAGEN FOR USA. BROKE IN TWO. SCRAPPED IN SITU IN 1953.
Desk Based Assessment (27 November 2014)
The Byron Darnton is recorded to have been built in 1943 by Bethlehem-Fairfields, Baltimore, USA (Moir and Crawford 1997: 24).
Information from Sally Evans (Cotswold Archaeology), 27/11/2014.
Project (October 2014 - April 2015)
The maritime archaeology of the Clyde has been identified as a focus for a major study of human interaction with the river through time by the RCAHMS following on from recommendations by the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF). Source to
Sea has been developed as the long-term research programme, of which the research into human connections with the River Clyde forms part. This project has comprised a study of the surviving shipwreck heritage of Clyde-built vessels lost within the Clyde estuary and Firth of Clyde.
This project has collated information from a range of sources and has enhanced knowledge of Clyde-built wrecks within the Clyde. In particular information from recreational divers has proved invaluable and has been the source of detailed information about the current condition of many Clyde-built wrecks, useful for on-going management. A number of wrecks previously recorded as of unknown identity in the RCAHMS database were positively identified during the project and more accurate positional information was established for a number of other wrecks. Additionally, the project identified a potentially significant wreck (Margaret Niven) the remains of which were not previously recorded. This project has also identified a number of other potentially significant wrecks within the Clyde, which reflect both its unique contributions to world-wide shipbuilding and local connections. These wrecks include paddle steamers (Lapwing and Princess of Wales), Clyde Puffers (e.g. Margaret Niven), steam-yachts with military connections (HMS Breda), a dredger (Greenock) and an 18th-century West Indiaman (Lady Margaret). Numerous other wrecks have been identified by this project, and all display some degree of significance.
Information from Sally Evans (Cotswold Archaeology) April 2015