Vulcan: Vows Rocks, Seafield, Firth Of Forth

NT28NE 8021 c. 482 990

N56 10.9 W2 50.1

NLO: East Vows [name: NT 283 889]

West Vows [name: NT 284 884]

Kirkcaldy [name: NT 281 913].

Formerly entered in error as NT49NE 8205 at cited location NT 4825 9910 (N56 10.9 W2 50), and as NT49NE 8007 at cited location NT c. 482 990 (N56 10.9 W2 50.1).

15 October 1882, VULCAN, 8yrs old, of Middlesbro', Lloyd's 90 A.1., last survey 4.82, iron S.S., 235 tons, 12 crew, Master R. Harvey, Owner E. Harris, Middlesbro', departed Middlesbro' for Grangemouth, carrying pig iron, 2 passengers, 5 lives lost (4 crew and 1 passenger), wind S10, stranded, total loss, Vows Rocks, Firth of Forth.

Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1882-83 (1884 [C.4154] LXXI.621).

VULCAN, of Middlesbro', Official No. 70,429, 235 net tons, built by R. Dixon & Co., Middlesbro'.

Table III: List of the 184 Steamers totally lost included in Table 1 of this Appendix, with the Builder's Name and Address in each case if known.

Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1882-83 (1884 [C.4154] LXXI.621).

VULCAN (s), of Middlesborough, is on shore two miles west of Kirkcaldy: six of the crew drowned. (Burntisland, Oct. 16).

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,362, London, Tuesday October 17 1882.

VULCAN (s), of Middlesborough, is ashore at Seafield Vows, near Kirkcaldy, a total wreck. Seven hands supposed lost. (Burntisland, Oct. 16, 8.15 a.m.).

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,362, London, Tuesday October 17 1882.

VULCAN (s), Harvey, from Middlesborough for Grangemouth, with pig-iron, struck on Voose Rocks, one mile west of this place, at 12 this morning (Oct. 16), and is a total wreck. The crew consisted of 12 hands, and there were two passengers. The master, mate, second engineer, and one seaman were drowned. The first engineer and the remainder of the crew and one passenger landed have landed here. (Kirkcaldy, Oct. 16, 10.45 a.m.).

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,362, London, Tuesday October 17 1882.

VULCAN (s) is breaking up, and wreckage washing ashore. The sea is very rough, and no boat can get out to the wreck, which lies between the two outer Voos Rocks, about two miles west of this place. (Kirkcaldy, Oct. 17).

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,364, London, Thursday October 19 1882.

VULCAN (s), wrecked near Kirkcaldy. Lloyd's Agent requires authority to take charge of hull and cargo. Otherwise the coastguard will be placed in charge. (Kirkcaldy, Oct. 24, 4.24 p.m.).

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,369, London, Wednesday October 25 1882.

VULCAN (s). Divers with all necessary appliances, arrived this morning. Moorings are now being laid down for lighters. Salvage of cargo, pig iron, will be commenced first favourable opportunity. Wind fresh from SE, with heavy sea on at Voos Rocks, which prevents further working today. (Kirkcaldy, Nov. 15).

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,389, London, Friday November 17 1882.

NMRS, MS/829/69 (no. 3317).

(Classified as iron steamship, with cargo of pig iron: date of loss cited as 15 October 1882). Vulcan: this vessel stranded on Vows Rock, Forth. Capt. Hervey. (South of Kirkcaldy or near Elie?).

Registration: Middlesborough. Built 1874. 235grt. Length: 43m. Beam: 7m.

(Location of loss cited as N56 5.25 W3 9.13).

I G Whittaker 1998.

The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative. The Vows Rock nor Rocks are not noted as such on the 1996 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 20 May 2005.

(Location amended to NT c. 284 887). The location assigned to this record is essentially arbitrary. The current edition (1996 and 1999) of the OS 1:50,000 map notes two pairs of Vows Rocks (each noted separately) off South Fife, off Tyrie or Seafield (S of Kirkcaldy, on map sheet NT28NE) and off Chapel Ness or Earlsferry (W of Elie, on map sheet NT49NE) respectively.

The reference to this vessel 'at Seafield Vows, near Kirkcaldy' places it within the Western pair.

Information from (Fife Archaeological Unit) and RCAHMS (RJCM), 29 June 2007.