Tuesday, 9 August 2022

L&ASNC ROYAL CHARTER

 

The steamship Royal Charter

Was returning to Liverpool

In late October 1859

Laden with gold

And Nuevo riche prospectors

From the Australian goldfields.

 

It was recommended to

Thomas Taylor, Captain

To put into Holyhead harbour

To wait out the storm

But having thus far

Made good time from Melbourne

He wanted to press on to Liverpool

 

As she rounded Anglesey’s

North-western tip

The barometer dropped

The squall quickly grew

And reached Storm force 10

On the Beaufort scale

The Royal Charter tried,

Off Point Lynas,

To pick up the Liverpool pilot

To guide them to safety

But the wind had risen

To Hurricane force 12

And was driving her

Towards the Anglesey coast

The Captain dropped anchor

But within two hours

Both anchor chains had snapped

And on 26 October 1859

The steam clipper Royal Charter

Broke up on the rocks near Moelfre

 

Despite the heroic efforts

From the people of Anglesey

Less than 40 survived

From the 450 passengers and crew

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