Duke of Westminster

Fog was so thick, so one could understand how the ship had ran aground in such conditions, that it took the lifeboat two hours to locate the Duke of Westminster, a superb steel steamer of 3726 tonnes registration travelling from Brisbane to London.

The ship was refloated by kedge anchors, but its damaged propeller left her dead in the water, and she ran aground again. Even when tugs showed up, their hawsers snapped, rendering them useless.

The Brighstone Lifeboat picked up the passengers and brought them to Brighstone Grange. The local Islanders were of course thrilled to see oranges and coconuts thrown throughout the beach when shore parties were sent to offload the goods. On January 3rd, the Brighstone Grange Lifeboats saved 21 people, and on January 5th, they saved another 52 after the weather started to get bad and many feared for their safety, a second turn-out was called for.

The ship was finally towed to Southampton for repairs, and latterly became a familiar sight on the Channel for many years.

• http://backofthewight.co.uk/duke_of_westminster.htm

• Back of the Wight – Fred Mew
• Shipwrecks of the Wight – J.C.Medland
• Shipwrecks of The Isle of Wight – Ken Phillips
• The Lifeboats of Brighstone Bay – Christopher J. Willis and Edward H. Roberts