Ship details, history submitted by Ted Finch & lists of passengers and crew submitted by Tony Dalton

Loss of the ship Northfleet January 22nd 1873 (passengers & crew, lost and saved)

The sailing ship Northfleet 951 tons was built 1853 by Pitcher & Co and owned by John Patton & Co. On 22nd Jan.1873 she was lying at anchor off Dungeness. There were 379 persons on board, most of whom were railway workers on passage to Tasmania to construct the Tasmanian railway. Her cargo was mainly railway iron. Her lights were burning brightly and the night was clear. At about 10.30pm, the Spanish steamer Murillo, 300 tons, Capt. Berrute collided at speed with the anchored ship, most of the passengers being asleep below. The Northfleet was struck amidships and cut down to the waterline, the Murillo without waiting to ascertain the extent of the damage made off in the darkness. There was considerable panic and Capt.Knowles fought, revolver in hand to keep back the crowd and save the women and children. Meanwhile the tug City of London, the lugger Mary, the Princess and a pilot cutter took off a number of people. There were many ships in the vicinity, but with the exception of these vessels they rendered no aid. The clipper Corona was lying at anchor only 300 yards away but was unaware of the tragedy as the night watchman was asleep. Two other circumstances delayed rescue - firstly Capt. Knowles did not realise the extent of the damage and did not send up distress signals until 15 minutes after the collision. Secondly, the signal gun could not be fired owing to the touch hole being blocked. Of those on board, 320 were drowned including the Captain. The Murillo was arrested off Dover on 22nd Sept., eight months after the collision. A Court of Admiralty condemned her to be sold and severely censured her officers. [Dictionary of Disasters at Sea by C. Hocking]
Link to off-site picture of Northfleet at http://www.printsellers.com/sailingships/details_northfleetsailingship.htm

Passenger and crew names extracted from:—"The Loss of the ship Northfleet—a Complete Account of all connected with the Sad Disaster. The entire proceeds of the sale to be devoted to raising a National Memorial to Captain Knowles, Mr. Brand, and others who perished in the Northfleet." Published in London by Waterlow and Sons, 1873, price half-a-guinea.

passengers saved | lost A-F | lost G-K | lost L-R | lost S-Y | crew saved | crew lost | summary

Bodies continued to be washed up for a long time afterwards, boatmen being rewarded with a small bounty for every one delivered to the shore.

Those bodies that were recovered were interred at the churches in New Romney, Capel-le-Ferne, St. Margaret's-at-Cliff (near Dover) and Worth. The majority were unrecognisable and shared a common grave beneath a simple plaque recording the tragedy.

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