The Inga: information requested
Kevin McHello, I'm looking for information about a ship called the Inga. I know the Following:- The Inga was an 1100 ton iron barque. She was built in 1877 by Osbourne and Graham and Co. of Sunderland as the Gwynedd. At the time of the Storm she was owned by Acties Inga and registered under the Norwegian flag at Kristiansund. She sailed from Port Wakefield in Australia loaded with grain and called at Falmouth for orders. This voyage of about 15,000 sea miles would have taken her between 90 and 140 days ( 3 - 41/2 months ) and the men would have been away from home for anything between nine months and a year. She was sent to the Tyne to unload, and having made this epic voyage was within a mile of safe harbour when the sixty mile an hour winds drove her ashore in the dark of that November early morning at 4.30am. As she struck the rocks at the north end of the Long Sands she heeled over and all aboard her were thrown into the sea which was running "exceedingly high ". Of the 16 hands and two boys aboard the ship only one man, Andres Barklund, survived. Wearing a lifebelt he was washed ashore near the Tynemouth Palace ( later known as the Plaza ). The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade attempted to help the sailors but the wind was blowing so strongly onshore that a rocket could not be got aboard her. In a curious touch next day on the beach was found a brown paper parcel containing two photographs, one of the Inga herself and one of the crew on the deck. These are now held by Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade. Iron Bark, Built in 2 months in 1877 by Osbourne and Graham + co. of Sunderland as the Gwynedd. 204.6'x 34.6'x 21.2' moulded depth 22'7" - Poop deck 45', Forecastle 17' bar keel 8" depth. 1101 gross registered tons, 1007 t under deck, 1012 t net. 1 deck two tiers of beams. 1 bulkhead cemented. Vessel was 100 A1 at time of survey, she was built under special survey well and efficiently equipped. Signal letters JDNB Captain T.A. Olsen employed by current owner in 1896, became captain of this ship in 1899. Owners Acties Inga (T.B. Heistein) registered at Xiansand (Kristiansand) under Norwegian Flag. Can anyone assist me in finding out more about the ship, her owners, or her crew? would there be records in a museum? and would that be in Christiansund? or Trondheim? or elsewhere? Any help at all, even if just tips onwhere else to look, would be vey much appreciated. Thanks Kevin Mc Dermott
BorgeHi Kevin I need to get a few things sorted out here. 1) What year did this accident happen? 2) Do you mean Kristiansund or Kristiansand? These two towns have almost similar names, but are far from each other geographically. Kristiansand is in the far south of Norway, while Kristiansund is the one close to Trondheim. Børge Solem
jwiborgLooks to be "The Great Storm of 1901"... [url="http://www.lhi.org.uk/projects_directory/projects_by_region/north_east/north_tyneside/the_great_storm_of_1901/great_storm_edit.html"]Click here[/url] ...and we're probably talking about Kristiansand. The owner of the ship lives [url="http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f01001.wc2&variabel=0&postnr=9681&fulle=true&spraak=n"] here[/url]. Jan Edited by - jwiborg on 08/06/2003 22:29:25
BorgeI looks like you got it right Jan. The best sources to look for information should be the local newspapers for the Kristiansand area, and there will probably be some material about the crew in the registers of seamen. Anyone out there with access to the Kristainsand newspapers following 11th of November 1901. Børge Solem
jwiborgJust a few words about the owner, T.B. Heistein. His profession was "dispasjør" (english: "claims/average adjuster"). He was also a [url="http://www.norgeslexi.com/politikk/storting/representant/1903-06.html"]member[/url] of the Norwegian Parlament ("Stortinget") 1903-1906, so he was probably an acknowledged man in the hometown. [url="http://www.riksarkivet.no/kristiansand/kilder/mikrofilm.html"]Statsarkivet i Kristiansand[/url] (The National Archives, Kristiansand branch) have a local microfilm called "Mønstringsvesenet 1860-1948". Mønstringsvesenet was the enrolling office for seamen, and could provide you with names of mariners onboard "Inga". The local newspaper to search for would be "Fædrelandsvennen", founded 1875. I'm not aware if older issues are microfilmed, but they "should" be... [url="http://www.fedrelandsvennen.no/"]Here[/url] is their online edition (norwegian only). Jan Edited by - jwiborg on 09/06/2003 00:58:55
Kevin McThank you very much for this helpful information. Particular thanks to Jan. I apologise for not saying that the Inga was wrecked on the north east coast of England in November 1901. We have found and are diving the wreck and hope to do a proper archaeological survey. At present we only have the names of the master and one crew member, but you help should make it possible to find the others. All of this is very useful indeed. If anyone has any more then please continue to post but what you have given me so far is wonderful! Thanks again Kevin Mc Dermott