Barque Ocean Monarch burns off the Great Orme (1848)

The American emigration barque Ocean Monarch caught fire off the Great Orme, North Wales, on 24 August 1848, resulting in the loss of 178 lives, primarily emigrants. The vessel had departed Liverpool for Boston but was witnessed raising a distress flag near Llandudno before sinking.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Ocean Monarch was an American emigration barque built by Donald McKay in East Boston in 1847. She departed Liverpool on the morning of 24 August 1848, carrying passengers to Boston in the United States. The Great Orme is a limestone headland on the north coast of Wales, north-west of Llandudno, a location significant for maritime monitoring.

The Incident. At around noon on 24 August 1848, near Abergele Bay and Great Orme's Head off Llandudno, the Ocean Monarch was witnessed putting up its helm as if to return to port. A flag of distress was raised, indicating a catastrophic event. The ship subsequently sank near Liverpool, resulting in the loss of 178 lives, chiefly emigrants.

Aftermath. The Ocean Monarch went down at her anchored point on 25 August 1848 to a depth of roughly 14 fathoms. Parish registers for Warton, located north of the wreck site, record burials on 9 September 1848 of three people found dead on the shore, presumed to be passengers from the destroyed ship.

People involved

Sources

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