A memorial at West Bay on Vatersay commemorates the victims of the 'Annie Jane' shipwreck. FULL DETAILS IN DESCRIPTION.
The wreck of the 'Annie Jane', just off the west coast of Vatersay in 1853, was among the worst maritime disasters of all time. The ship was a brig sailing to Montreal from Liverpool with over 450 passengers travelling to work in Canada, some with families. The ship appears to have been hit by a storm and lost both her masts so that for three days she attempted to reach a safe port with only temporary sails. However, on 28 September 1853 a gale drove her onto rocks off Vatersay. The seas were such that it is believed about 100 people were swept into the sea by a single wave as they tried to release the lifeboats. A second wave collapsed the central deck area, killing people who had remained below decks. A few remaining people took refuge on the poop deck and were saved as it broke away from the rest of the ship and acted as a raft. In all there were 102 survivors including the captain, 28 crew members, 12 women and 1 child. 348 people died and bodies from the wreck continued to wash ashore for days afterwards. Because of a lack of wood for coffins on the islands, they were buried in a mass grave behind the shore - a spot still marked by a cairn and memorial above the West Bay on Vatersay.
Size: 4181px × 2776px
Location: West Bay, Vatersay, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
Photo credit: © Steven Sheppardson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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