19th Century Lower Saint Lawrence Maritime History.

Navigating the Lower Saint Lawrence in the 19th Century.

The wreck of the Colborne.

	While the coast of the Chaleur Bay was bustling with shipping activity relating to the Colborne, neither the Quebec Gazette or Quebec Mercury newspapers carried anything until the 29th October, when the following several short articles appeared in the Gazette. "Captain Caldwell, of the schooner Pheonix arrived on Saturday, says that a ship is wrecked at the entrance of the Bay Chaleur, and it is feared that the master, mate, and the 43 of the crew and passengers are lost; nine only saved. The melancholy accident occured about twelve days since." "Captain Ray, of the schooner Albion, arrived this morning, reports that he heard that the ship lost at the entrance of Bay Chaleur is a new ship, from London, and that she was built in Montreal." "We are afraid that the above vessel is the *Colborne, Captain Kent, which sailed from London for Quebec on the 30th August, with a general cargo for Montreal, and the last from that place this season. The Colborne* was built in Montreal last winter." By Wednesday, October 31st, we had received confirmation from John McConnell, Lloyd's agent in the Chaleur Bay, of the devestating catastrophy, as it appeared in the Quebec Gazette. Quebec Gazette, October 31st, 1838. Extract of a letter, dated Point St. Peter, 20th October, 1838. On the night of the 15th instant, a large brig was driven on shore near Pointe Maquereau, and I regret to state that 43 persons drowned. I have sent a messenger to ascertain particulars, who has not yet returned. John McConnell, Agent for Lloyd's. By November 2nd, the trickle of information on the wreck of the bark Colborne had become a continous flow of many coroborating facts and details, including several letters to the editor. Due to the repetitious nature of newspaper articles that continue over a considerable period, I've added links to these articles, particularly for those diehard readers who like to be in the "know". #5334 November 2nd, 1838. #5336 November 7th, 1838. #5339 November 14, 1838. #5341 November 19, 1838. The Quebec Gazette of November 30th and January 4th, 1839, published letters to the editor from survivors of the wreck of the Colborne, giving a somewhat rare insight in shipwreck incidents of this nature. #5346 November 30, 1838. #5360 January 4th, 1839. I've included the last two artictles that appeared in the Gazette of February 1839, while not contributing anything new, demonstrates how the life of a shipwreck can continue on. #5374 February 6th, 1839. #5376 February 11, 1839. Finally, Martin Sheppard's notary deed #561 of Signification transferring authority from the two majestrates looking after the affairs of the bark Colborne to Joseph and Henry Cunard craves an answer. Was these two gentlemen connected with the Cunard Steamship Line, or was it purely coincidental that so many Cunards were working in the shipping industry around the same time? Unfortunately, there are two deeds of Power of Attorney or Letters of Substitution dated February 22nd, 1839 and May 1st, 1839 missing in my collection, which should turn up in the near future. However, the following document does clearly identify Joseph and Herny Cunard. #561 Microfilm roll M42/10 Pages 1492-95, June 8th, 1838. Quite surprisingly, there is a considerable quantity of items from the Colborne conserved by numerous individuals living along the coast. Among there are: Photo of Joseph Jones Acteson, surviving seaman who settled on the coast. Photo of Philip Acteson's house, the son of Joseph Jones Acteson. The flag from the Colborne. Photo of the Hudson's burial plots located at Paspebiac Anglican graveyard. The center of a wheel. Salvaged 150Kg church bell meant for a church in Lower Canada. Procelain dog, a souvenir of the Colborne. Table. Lamp. Keg of gunpowder. Small box. Several other documents exist, which I would like to identify in the coming weeks, particularly the several deeds of marriage between surviving seamen of the Colborne and the fairer sex living along the coast, and numerous documents of interment. In the following pages, extracts from the short story: "The wreck of the Colborne", a chapter from "Treasure Trove of Gaspé", we are not only enlightened on aspects not mentioned in either the Notary deeds or Quebec Gazette articles, but also hear the story as told by the local inhabitants. Thanks to Ken Annett, we are no longer deprived of the missing parts of that story photocopied from a damaged volume.

The wreck of the Colborne.

     While the coast of the Chaleur Bay was bustling with shipping activity relating to the Colborne, neither the Quebec Gazette or Quebec Mercury newspapers carried anything until the 29th October, when the following several short articles appeared in the Gazette.
     "Captain Caldwell, of the schooner Pheonix arrived on Saturday, says that a ship is wrecked at the entrance of the Bay Chaleur, and it is feared that the master, mate, and the 43 of the crew and passengers are lost; nine only saved. The melancholy accident occured about twelve days since."
     "Captain Ray, of the schooner Albion, arrived this morning, reports that he heard that the ship lost at the entrance of Bay Chaleur is a new ship, from London, and that she was built in Montreal."
     "We are afraid that the above vessel is the Colborne, Captain Kent, which sailed from London for Quebec on the 30th August, with a general cargo for Montreal, and the last from that place this season. The Colborne was built in Montreal last winter."
      By Wednesday, October 31st, we had received confirmation from John McConnell, Lloyd's agent in the Chaleur Bay, of the devestating catastrophy, as it appeared in the Quebec Gazette.
Quebec Gazette, October 31st, 1838.
Extract of a letter, dated Point St. Peter, 20th October, 1838.
     On the night of the 15th instant, a large brig was driven on shore near Pointe Maquereau, and I regret to state that 43 persons drowned. I have sent a messenger to ascertain particulars, who has not yet returned.                                    John McConnell,                                         Agent for Lloyd's.

     By November 2nd, the trickle of information on the wreck of the bark Colborne had become a continous flow of many coroborating facts and details, including several letters to the editor. Due to the repetitious nature of newspaper articles that continue over a considerable period, I've added links to these articles, particularly for those diehard readers who like to be in the "know".

#5334 November 2nd, 1838.

#5336 November 7th, 1838.

#5339 November 14, 1838.

#5341 November 19, 1838.

The Quebec Gazette of November 30th and January 4th, 1839, published letters to the editor from survivors of the wreck of the Colborne, giving a somewhat rare insight in shipwreck incidents of this nature.

#5346 November 30, 1838.

#5360 January 4th, 1839.

I've included the last two artictles that appeared in the Gazette of February 1839, while not contributing anything new, demonstrates how the life of a shipwreck can continue on.

#5374 February 6th, 1839.

#5376 February 11, 1839.

Finally, Martin Sheppard's notary deed #561 of Signification transferring authority from the two majestrates looking after the affairs of the bark Colborne to Joseph and Henry Cunard craves an answer. Was these two gentlemen connected with the Cunard Steamship Line, or was it purely coincidental that so many Cunards were working in the shipping industry around the same time? Unfortunately, there are two deeds of Power of Attorney or Letters of Substitution dated February 22nd, 1839 and May 1st, 1839 missing in my collection, which should turn up in the near future. However, the following document does clearly identify Joseph and Herny Cunard.

#561 Microfilm roll M42/10 Pages 1492-95, June 8th, 1838.

Quite surprisingly, there is a considerable quantity of items from the Colborne conserved by numerous individuals living along the coast. Among there are:

Photo of Joseph Jones Acteson, surviving seaman who settled on the coast.
Photo of Philip Acteson's house, the son of Joseph Jones Acteson.
The flag from the Colborne.
Photo of the Hudson's burial plots located at Paspebiac Anglican graveyard.
The center of a wheel.
Salvaged 150Kg church bell meant for a church in Lower Canada.
Procelain dog, a souvenir of the Colborne.
Table.
Lamp.
Keg of gunpowder.
Small box.

Several other documents exist, which I would like to identify in the coming weeks, particularly the several deeds of marriage between surviving seamen of the Colborne and the fairer sex living along the coast, and numerous documents of interment.

In the following pages, extracts from the short story:

"The wreck of the Colborne",

a chapter from "Treasure Trove of Gaspé", we are not only enlightened on aspects not mentioned in either the Notary deeds or Quebec Gazette articles, but also hear the story as told by the local inhabitants. Thanks to Ken Annett, we are no longer deprived of the missing parts of that story photocopied from a damaged volume.

Posted:
Nov. 1, 1998.

Updated:
July 15, 2003.