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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2018}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:Normandy obelisk jersey.JPG|300px]]
| Ship image = Normandy obelisk jersey.JPG
|Ship caption=Monument to Captain Harvey at La Collette, [[Saint Helier]]
| Ship caption = Monument to Captain Harvey at La Collette, [[Saint Helier]]
}}
}}
{{Infobox ship career
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
| Hide header =
|Ship country=[[United Kingdom|UK]]
| Ship country = [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]]
|Ship flag=
| Ship flag =
|Ship name= PS ''Normandy''
| Ship name = PS ''Normandy''
|Ship owner=
| Ship owner =
|Ship operator= [[London and North Eastern Railway]];<ref name="Bennett">Alfred Rosling Bennett, [http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications5/londoners-37.htm London and Londoners in the Eighteen-Fifties and Sixties], Chapter 37 - 1865 (continued) - Excursions and Alarums</ref>
| Ship operator = [[London and South Western Railway]];<ref name="Bennett">Alfred Rosling Bennett, [http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications5/londoners-37.htm London and Londoners in the Eighteen-Fifties and Sixties], Chapter 37 - 1865 (continued) - Excursions and Alarums</ref>
|Ship route=[[Southampton]] - [[Guernsey]] - [[Jersey]]
| Ship route = [[Southampton]] - [[Guernsey]] - [[Jersey]]
|Ship ordered=
| Ship ordered =
|Ship builder=
| Ship builder =
|Ship yard number=
| Ship yard number =
|Ship way number=
| Ship way number =
|Ship laid down=
| Ship laid down =
|Ship launched=? ("built in 1863")<ref name="Victor Hugo">Victor Hugo, [[:s:fr:Ce que c’est que l’exil|Ce que c'est que l'exil]], IX, in Actes et Paroles: Pendant l'exil, 1875, p.19</ref>
| Ship launched = ? ("built in 1863")<ref name="Victor Hugo">Victor Hugo, [[:s:fr:Ce que c’est que l’exil|Ce que c'est que l'exil]], IX, in Actes et Paroles: Pendant l'exil, 1875, p.19</ref>
|Ship maiden voyage=
| Ship maiden voyage =
|Ship christened=
| Ship christened =
|Ship acquired=
| Ship acquired =
|Ship in service=
| Ship in service =
|Ship out of service=1870
| Ship out of service = 1870
|Ship registry=
| Ship registry =
|Ship fate=Foundered on 17 March 1870
| Ship fate = Foundered on 17 March 1870
|Ship identification=
| Ship identification =
|Ship status=
| Ship cost =
|Ship cost=
| Ship notes =
|Ship notes=
}}
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
| Hide header =
|Header caption=
| Header caption =
|Ship class=paddle-wheel mail-steamer
| Ship class = paddle-wheel mail-steamer
|Ship tonnage= 252 register; 425 full <ref name="Register"/>
| Ship tonnage = 252 register; 425 full <ref name="Register"/>
|Ship displacement=
| Ship displacement =
|Ship length={{convert|220|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} s<ref name="Victor Hugo"/>
| Ship length = {{convert|220|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} s<ref name="Victor Hugo"/>
|Ship beam={{convert|25|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} s<ref name="Victor Hugo"/>
| Ship beam = {{convert|25|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} s<ref name="Victor Hugo"/>
|Ship height=
| Ship height =
|Ship draught=
| Ship draught =
|Ship draft=
| Ship draft =
|Ship depth=
| Ship depth =
|Ship decks=
| Ship decks =
|Ship power=238 [[Horsepower#Indicated_horsepower|ihp]]<ref name="Register"/>
| Ship power = 238 [[Horsepower#Indicated horsepower|ihp]]<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship propulsion=34 revolutions per minute<ref name="Bennett"/>
| Ship propulsion = 34 revolutions per minute<ref name="Bennett"/>
|Ship speed= 14 - 75 knots<ref name="Bennett"/>
| Ship speed = 14.75 knots<ref name="Bennett"/>
|Ship capacity=
| Ship capacity =
|Ship crew=
| Ship crew =
|Ship notes=
| Ship notes =
}}
}}
|}
|}


'''PS ''Normandy''''' was a British [[paddle steamer|paddle-wheel]] [[mail steamer]] operating on the [[Southampton]] - [[Guernsey]] - [[Jersey]] route, which sank 20 miles from [[The Needles]] in the [[English Channel]] in the night of 17 March 1870 after colliding at around 03:30 with steamship ''Mary'', a propeller steamer carrying 500 tons of maize from [[Odessa]] to [[London]].<ref name="Register">Annual Register [http://books.google.com/books?id=MWldAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA26 March 1870, XVII Fatal accident to a Channel Islands Steamer], Dodsley, 1871, p. 26-29</ref>
'''PS ''Normandy''''' was a British [[paddle steamer|paddle-wheel]] [[mail steamer]] operating on the [[Southampton]] - [[Guernsey]] - [[Jersey]] route which, on a night of dense fog, sank 20 miles from [[The Needles]] in the [[English Channel]] in the early morning of 17 March 1870 after colliding at around 03:30 with steamship ''Mary'', a propeller steamer carrying 500 tons of maize from [[Odessa]] to [[London]] via [[Gibraltar]].<ref name="Register">Annual Register [https://books.google.com/books?id=MWldAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA26 March 1870, XVII Fatal accident to a Channel Islands Steamer], Dodsley, 1871, p. 26-29</ref>

The PS ''Normandy,'' built in 1863, was operated by the [https://www.steam-packet.com/ Steam Packet Company], at the time a subsidiary of the London and South-West Railway Co. On the night of 16 March 1870, she left Southampton for St. Peter Port, Guernsey, and then onwards to Jersey, being due there within twelve hours. The ship was operating under an agreement between the Steam Packet Company and the British government for the carriage of Her Majesty’s mail to the Channel Isles. The agreement stated that vessels undertaking this duty were to make ‘the best of their way’ on the run and stop only for ‘the saving of life’. Late arrival was penalised by a charge £50 an hour. Until the night of 16 – 17 March 1870, the PS ''Normandy'' had never defaulted on its contractual obligations.

On the bridge of the ''Mary'' at the time of the collision, were Mr Griggs, the first mate and the captain of the vessel, Captain Stranach, together with the helmsman.


==Incident summary==
==Incident summary==
It carried Captain Harvey with 28 crewmen, including [[first mate|chief mate]] J.Ockleford, one stewardess, and 31 passengers, among which 12 were women.<ref name="Victor Hugo"/> The Normandy could launch only the two portside lifeboats, the large starboard lifeboat having been damaged by the collision.<ref name="Nautical">Nautical magazine, Volume 39, [http://books.google.com/books?id=JIYEAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA215 Nautical topics of the day], Brown, Son and Ferguson, 1870 p.215-217</ref> One lifeboat was launched from Steamer Mary, without reaching the Normandy.<ref name="Register"/>
''Normandy'' was captained by Captain Henry Beckford Harvey and carried 28 crewmen, including [[first mate|chief mate]] J. Ockleford, an experienced officer with more than 16 years in the employ of the Company, the stewardess, Mary Charlotte Wilson and 31 passengers, of which 12 were women.<ref name="Victor Hugo"/>


The principal cause of the collision was that the ''Mary'' was covered by the edge of a dense bank of [[fog]] and was hidden from the view of the officers on the bridge of the ''Normandy'' which was, until the moment of the collision, under a clear sky. ''Mary'' was moving at less than 2 knots and was sounding her fog-horns, her crew conscious of the precariousness of the situation.
The heroism of the Captain, who died after having ensured that the passengers would be first to abandon the ship, was praised by [[Victor Hugo]],<ref name="Victor Hugo"/> who also recommended that [[London and North Eastern Railway]] should equip its ships with watertight [[bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]]s, with sufficient [[life jacket]]s, and floating lights.<ref>Letter to the editor of the ''Star'', 5 avril 1870, in [[:s:fr:Page:Hugo - Actes et paroles - volume 4.djvu/263|Actes et Paroles vol.4 p.262-263]]</ref>


Just after 0339, the officers on both ships became aware of each other’s presence. It was, however, too late to change course and, despite the rapid and almost simultaneous orders issued by Mr Ockleford on the ''Normandy'' and Captain Stranach on the ''Mary'', the ''Normandy'' passed in front of the ''Mary'' which connected with her side just astern of her starboard paddle wheel causing extensive damage and carrying off the starboard lifeboat. As the momentum of the two ships was lost, the ''Normandy'' immediately began to take on water.
==Court ruling==
The [[Greenwich Police Court]] judged on 11 April that the Normandy was responsible for "a breach of the [[International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea|Regulations for Preventing Disasters at Sea]]" and blamed the [[second mate]] of the Mary for returning to the Mary with the lifeboat without reaching the Normandy.<ref name="Register"/>


After the collision, Captain Harvey ordered the two remaining portside lifeboats to be launched<ref name="Nautical">Nautical magazine, Volume 39, [https://books.google.com/books?id=JIYEAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA215 Nautical topics of the day], Brown, Son and Ferguson, 1870 p.215-217</ref> and ensured that all the women were placed on board first. There was no more room for those who remained onboard the ''Normandy''.
== Monument in St. Helier ==
The inscription on the monument reads:


One of the rescued passengers was later to comment, ‘The Captain behaved with the greatest coolness and judgement under such trying circumstances.  All the gentlemen stood back and made no attempt to get into the boats until the ladies were in them. During the whole occurrence extraordinary order and quietness prevailed, and the greatest fortitude was shown. I last saw Captain Harvey on the bridge, giving orders for the management of the boats and engines.’<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MWldAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA26|title=Annual Register|date=1871|publisher=J. Dodsley.|language=en}}</ref>
Harvey
To noble heroism


One lifeboat was launched from the ''Mary'' but did not reach the ''Normandy'' as Mr Andrews, the second mate of the ''Mary'' who was in command of the lifeboat sent to search for those left on the ''Normandy'', did not continue for fear that the ''Mary'' herself was in danger of sinking.<ref name="Register" />
Normandy
lost by collision in Channel in a fog


Although the ruling of the official enquiry was that the ''Normand''y was at fault, the actions and the heroism of Captain Harvey, who died after having ensured that the passengers would be first to abandon the ship, was strenuously defended and praised by [[Victor Hugo]],<ref name="Victor Hugo"/> who also recommended that [[London and South Western Railway]] equip its ships with watertight [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]]s, sufficient [[life jacket]]s, and floating lights.<ref>Letter to the editor of the ''Star'', 5 avril 1870, in [[:s:fr:Page:Hugo - Actes et paroles - volume 4.djvu/263|Actes et Paroles vol.4 p.262-263]]</ref>
* H.B. Harvey-Commander
* J. Ockleford-Chief Mate
*R. Cocks C. Marsham-Engineers
*P. Richardson-Carpenter
*J. Coleman H.-Hoskins
*J. Wadmore-Seamen
*A. Clement-Boy
*J. Allen G. Cadick J.-Head
*W. Stairs H. Waller-Firemen
*G. Rolp W. Rolp-Trimmers
*Giving up boats to passengers stood by their sinking ship and sank with her at early morn March 17.1870


==Court ruling==
*Erected by the
The [[Greenwich Police Court]] judged on 11 April 1870 that ''Normandy'' was found to have infringed Articles 14 and 15 of the [[International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea|Regulations for Preventing Disasters at Sea]] and "noted with dissatisfaction" the conduct of the [[second mate]] of ''Mary'' for returning to ''Mary'' with a lifeboat without reaching ''Normandy''.<ref name="Register"/>
**[[Ancient Order of Foresters|Foresters]]<ref>According to the Nautical Magazine, Captain Harvey was a member of the **[[Ancient Order of Foresters]]</ref> of Jersey

== Monument in St. Helier ==
A monument to the crew of ''Normandy'' stands at [[Saint Helier]] on [[Jersey]]. The inscription on the monument reads:
<poem>
Harvey

To noble heroism
Normandy
Lost by collision in Channel in a fog

H. B. Harvey - Commander
J. Ockleford - Chief Mate
R. Cocks C. Marsham - Engineers
P. Richardson - Carpenter
J. Coleman H. Hoskins
J. Wadmore - Seamen
A. Clement - Boy
J. Allen G. Cadick J. Head
W. Stairs H. Waller - Firemen
G. Rolp W. Rolp - Trimmers
Giving up boats to passengers
stood by their sinking ship and
sank with her at early morn
March 17.1870
Erected by the
[[Ancient Order of Foresters|Foresters]] of Jersey<ref>According to the Nautical Magazine, Captain Harvey was a member of the **[[Ancient Order of Foresters]]</ref>
</poem>


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
<references/>
<references/>


{{1870 shipwrecks}}
{{coord missing|United Kingdom}}

{{coord missing|Isle of Wight}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Normandy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Normandy}}
[[Category:Paddle steamers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Paddle steamers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1863 ships]]
[[Category:1863 ships]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Vessels]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:History of Guernsey]]
[[Category:History of Guernsey]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the English Channel]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the English Channel]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in March 1870]]


{{ChannelIslands-stub}}
{{Ship-stub}}

Latest revision as of 14:34, 8 September 2023

Monument to Captain Harvey at La Collette, Saint Helier
History
United Kingdom
NamePS Normandy
OperatorLondon and South Western Railway;[1]
RouteSouthampton - Guernsey - Jersey
Launched? ("built in 1863")[2]
Out of service1870
FateFoundered on 17 March 1870
General characteristics
Class and typepaddle-wheel mail-steamer
Tonnage252 register; 425 full [3]
Length220 ft 0 in (67.06 m) s[2]
Beam25 ft 0 in (7.62 m) s[2]
Installed power238 ihp[3]
Propulsion34 revolutions per minute[1]
Speed14.75 knots[1]

PS Normandy was a British paddle-wheel mail steamer operating on the Southampton - Guernsey - Jersey route which, on a night of dense fog, sank 20 miles from The Needles in the English Channel in the early morning of 17 March 1870 after colliding at around 03:30 with steamship Mary, a propeller steamer carrying 500 tons of maize from Odessa to London via Gibraltar.[3]

The PS Normandy, built in 1863, was operated by the Steam Packet Company, at the time a subsidiary of the London and South-West Railway Co. On the night of 16 March 1870, she left Southampton for St. Peter Port, Guernsey, and then onwards to Jersey, being due there within twelve hours. The ship was operating under an agreement between the Steam Packet Company and the British government for the carriage of Her Majesty’s mail to the Channel Isles. The agreement stated that vessels undertaking this duty were to make ‘the best of their way’ on the run and stop only for ‘the saving of life’. Late arrival was penalised by a charge £50 an hour. Until the night of 16 – 17 March 1870, the PS Normandy had never defaulted on its contractual obligations.

On the bridge of the Mary at the time of the collision, were Mr Griggs, the first mate and the captain of the vessel, Captain Stranach, together with the helmsman.

Incident summary

[edit]

Normandy was captained by Captain Henry Beckford Harvey and carried 28 crewmen, including chief mate J. Ockleford, an experienced officer with more than 16 years in the employ of the Company, the stewardess, Mary Charlotte Wilson and 31 passengers, of which 12 were women.[2]

The principal cause of the collision was that the Mary was covered by the edge of a dense bank of fog and was hidden from the view of the officers on the bridge of the Normandy which was, until the moment of the collision, under a clear sky. Mary was moving at less than 2 knots and was sounding her fog-horns, her crew conscious of the precariousness of the situation.

Just after 0339, the officers on both ships became aware of each other’s presence. It was, however, too late to change course and, despite the rapid and almost simultaneous orders issued by Mr Ockleford on the Normandy and Captain Stranach on the Mary, the Normandy passed in front of the Mary which connected with her side just astern of her starboard paddle wheel causing extensive damage and carrying off the starboard lifeboat. As the momentum of the two ships was lost, the Normandy immediately began to take on water.

After the collision, Captain Harvey ordered the two remaining portside lifeboats to be launched[4] and ensured that all the women were placed on board first. There was no more room for those who remained onboard the Normandy.

One of the rescued passengers was later to comment, ‘The Captain behaved with the greatest coolness and judgement under such trying circumstances.  All the gentlemen stood back and made no attempt to get into the boats until the ladies were in them. During the whole occurrence extraordinary order and quietness prevailed, and the greatest fortitude was shown. I last saw Captain Harvey on the bridge, giving orders for the management of the boats and engines.’[5]

One lifeboat was launched from the Mary but did not reach the Normandy as Mr Andrews, the second mate of the Mary who was in command of the lifeboat sent to search for those left on the Normandy, did not continue for fear that the Mary herself was in danger of sinking.[3]

Although the ruling of the official enquiry was that the Normandy was at fault, the actions and the heroism of Captain Harvey, who died after having ensured that the passengers would be first to abandon the ship, was strenuously defended and praised by Victor Hugo,[2] who also recommended that London and South Western Railway equip its ships with watertight bulkheads, sufficient life jackets, and floating lights.[6]

Court ruling

[edit]

The Greenwich Police Court judged on 11 April 1870 that Normandy was found to have infringed Articles 14 and 15 of the Regulations for Preventing Disasters at Sea and "noted with dissatisfaction" the conduct of the second mate of Mary for returning to Mary with a lifeboat without reaching Normandy.[3]

Monument in St. Helier

[edit]

A monument to the crew of Normandy stands at Saint Helier on Jersey. The inscription on the monument reads:

           Harvey

     To noble heroism
          Normandy
Lost by collision in Channel in a fog

  H. B. Harvey - Commander
  J. Ockleford - Chief Mate
  R. Cocks C. Marsham - Engineers
  P. Richardson - Carpenter
  J. Coleman H. Hoskins
  J. Wadmore - Seamen
  A. Clement - Boy
  J. Allen G. Cadick J. Head
  W. Stairs H. Waller - Firemen
  G. Rolp W. Rolp - Trimmers
 Giving up boats to passengers
 stood by their sinking ship and
   sank with her at early morn
       March 17.1870
       Erected by the
   Foresters of Jersey[7]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Alfred Rosling Bennett, London and Londoners in the Eighteen-Fifties and Sixties, Chapter 37 - 1865 (continued) - Excursions and Alarums
  2. ^ a b c d e Victor Hugo, Ce que c'est que l'exil, IX, in Actes et Paroles: Pendant l'exil, 1875, p.19
  3. ^ a b c d e Annual Register March 1870, XVII Fatal accident to a Channel Islands Steamer, Dodsley, 1871, p. 26-29
  4. ^ Nautical magazine, Volume 39, Nautical topics of the day, Brown, Son and Ferguson, 1870 p.215-217
  5. ^ Annual Register. J. Dodsley. 1871.
  6. ^ Letter to the editor of the Star, 5 avril 1870, in Actes et Paroles vol.4 p.262-263
  7. ^ According to the Nautical Magazine, Captain Harvey was a member of the **Ancient Order of Foresters