Gartcraig bricks found on a shipwreck on Coventry Reef, Western Australia

11/06/1899 – The night of the 11th June 1899 marked one of the greatest maritime tragedies off the port of Fremantle since the beginning of the Swan River Colony. A fierce gale blew from the northwest through the night wrecking two ships simultaneously with a horrendous loss of life. On the north coast of Rottnest Island, the City of York was lost resulting in the death of the Captain and 10 crew, on Coventry Reef off Safety Bay, the Carlisle Castle was smashed against the reef and was a total loss with no survivours. 25 crew lost their lives on the Carlisle Castle and only one body was recovered, washed ashore in the area surrounding Warnbro Sound.

Below – The following details are from a publication entitled “Archaeology of the Iron Barque Sepia – An investigation of assemblages. Corioli Souter, Centre of Archaeology, University of Western Australia. August 2007.

Below – ‘Gartcraig’ – Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. Found on the shipwreck of the ‘Carlisle Castle’.

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