Boa Vista Experience

GarthpoolWreck1929 · Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Posts: 10 Location: UK

Hello,

I wonder if anyone can help me with my research. I posted the story of the Garthpool on the forum back in 2008 and I am now refreshing my enquiry for any further information regarding the story, as I am now working on a first draft of a book telling the full story of the ship's last voyage and the last crew who sailed on her.

The Garthpool was a four masted square rigged barque, built by WB Thompson and Co at Dundee in 1891, that carried jute, oil and lastly wheat in it's time; originally called Juteopolis, it's name was changed by it's last owner, Sir William Garthwaite in 1921.

It's last Captain was David Thomson (1866-1949) of Anstruther, Fife, Scotland, who was her captain from 1926-1929.

There were 34 crew members on the last voyage of the Garthpool, which included my great grandfather, Christopher Bedford Steel (1907-1943) who was on board as a passenger/apprentice fr the experience of the voyage, and he was nick named 'Scuppers' by the crew.

The voyage began on Octber the 23rd 1929; the ship left Hull in the morning and was bound for Adelaide, Australia. (for shanty man Stan Hugill's diary, google 'Garthpool and Stan Hugill', or see link on my old postings.)

She neared the Cape Verde Islands in early November, just before Armistice day. On Armistice morning the crew held a 2 minutes silence and pictures were taken then the life aboard ship continued as normal, but 12 hours later, she met her fate.

A combination of factors sealed the Garthpool's fate including faulty navigation, sighting a steamer and thinking it was sailing and it was safe to pass but later realising too late it was an old wreck and the like.

After a great effort to save her from her fate, the Garthpool eventually struck the reefs (Ponta Reef; where is that exactly? Thanks)) and began taking in water and reluctantly the order came to abandon ship.

The crew slept in their lifeboats over night and in the morning the natives came to help them to Cantao (or Cantow?) beach, Boavista.

After a few rough days, including, as there was no clean water, some heavy drinking of Champagne Cider and the like (looted from the wrecked steamer by the locals) they eventually were taken on to Sal Rei and then on to Mindelo, Sao Vincente, where they stayed at John Oliveira's London Bar (which I have found was there until 1946, and maybe later; other version of owners name, Jao Baptista Oliveira) were looked after/wined and dined by the British Consulate, Wilsons Oil Co. and Western Telegraph co, until they were eventually shipped home to the UK as 'distressed British Seamen'.

I would love to learn what records or local knowledge there is at Boavista and Sao Vincente; I know many details about the voyage but I'd love to discover further details, anecdotes and the like and details of their time at Mindelo, that I only know a few detals about.

Also, if the wreck's location is known and if the figurehead has been preserved, as I know it washed up at Boavista and was worshipped at a sacred idol in 1932.

Any help, advice and information would be most appreciated,

I look forward to hearing from anyone who can help,

Thanks,

Take Care,

Bye for now,

Jessica S. Fox

P.S. You can also email me at family.tree.researcher@googlemail.com. Thank you
_________________
The Garthpool Wreck 1929

jak · Senior Member Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 912

Hi Jessica,

first of all congratulations on the fantastic research you done into this ship wreck, hopefully I may be able to give you a few more clues.

From the description and location names I am guessing the ship foundered on one of the many reefs off the North-east coast of Boa Vista, unfortunately nearly every headland is called Ponta so it is difficult to know exactley where. Below is a map of the North-east corner of Boa Vista:

If you enlarge the image and look closely you will see "Cha de Canto", this is a stretch of beach about 3km long. Below is a rather poor picture I took of Canto Beach early in the morning after spending the night patrolling the beach with the Turtle Foundation.

Canto beach is reached by a track from the town of Fundo das Figuieras (this is the village to the bottom left of the map):

I would guess that this is where the villagers would have taken the crew initially.

I hope this helps and good luck with your continued investigations.

John

GarthpoolWreck1929 · Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Posts: 10 Location: UK

Dear Jak,

Thank you so much for your reply; I only just found it today. I usually hope to get an email alert about replies to my postings but clearly it wasn't available or filtered or something from this forum.

I haven't got time to write much more right now but thank you very much; funnily enough I was searching for just this information and I came across my old posting!

Well, I wonder if you ould also email the pictures to my inbox js dot fox42 at gmail dot com, I think I'll be able to enlarge them better that way.

Thanks again

Bye for now

Jess

PS My research continues to be fascinating and I'll write more soon. Thanks bye
_________________
The Garthpool Wreck 1929

WorWilly · Joined: 17 Jul 2010 Posts: 24

Hi I found your story fascinating, so I done a bit playing about and can up with this; there’s too many co instances to be another, but the dates don't match up !! Spooky

http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?139830

hope this helps

WorWilly · Joined: 17 Jul 2010 Posts: 24

Awwww, just noticed, jessica Fox on the wreck info.