The wrecks of HM Frigates Assurance (1753) and Pomone (1811) : including the fascinating naval career of Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Barrie, KCB, KCH (1774-1841) / edited by John Bingeman, Paul Simpson, and David Tomalin.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Bingeman, John, editor.

Simpson, Paul W., editor.

Tomalin, David, editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Shipwrecks--England--Isle of Wight.

Shipwrecks.

Underwater archaeology--England--Isle of Wight.

Underwater archaeology.

Treasure troves--England--Isle of Wight.

Treasure troves.

Barrie, Robert.

Williams, Derek.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiv, 142 pages) : illustrations

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Oxford, England : Oxbow Books, [2021]

Summary:

With the thought of treasure, Isle of Wight islander, Derek Williams researched ancient local wreck records. Top of his extensive wreck list was the 40-gun frigate Assurance lost in 1753 while returning from Jamaica with Governor Trelawny on board, whose story possibly inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write Treasure Island. Derek's first dive at the western point of the Isle of Wight called "The Needles" put him on top of cannons, various wreckage and Spanish-American "Pieces of Eight", all scattered at the foot of the rock face. He reported this astonishing discovery to the authorities which resulted in the site being designated the 6th British historic protected wreck site. 0When the authorities decided that further professional help was needed, author and diver John Bingeman supplied his Portsmouth Royal Naval diving team, and together with David Tomalin, County Archaeologist, developed the full potential of this important site. Over the next nine years John Bingeman's team conducted annual visits to excavate the site; they successfully recovered 3,471 artefacts including cannon weighing 11/2 tons. Some of these cannon post-dated the Assurance, leading to the identification of a second 38-gun frigate, the Pomone, lost in 1811. Her Captain, Robert Barrie's extensive correspondence was discovered by Paul Simpson to have been archived by Duke University, North Carolina. It features Pomone's continuous actions during the French Napoleonic wars, followed by his appointment to the 74-gun Dragon when he saw action in Chesapeake Bay during the 1812-15 war with the USA. Returning to North America as Senior Naval Officer Canada, Commodore Barrie made quite a name for himself improving the political relationship between the USA and Canada; he is remembered by the Canadian City named Barrie.

Contents:

Cover

Book Title

Copyright

Contents

The authors

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Introduction

Part 1 Investigating the wrecks of the Assurance and Pomone

1 The Needles wreck site: the 44-gun Assurance (1753)

The Needles wreck site and the lighthouse today

Discovery and designation

The wrecking of the Assurance and its aftermath

An alternate explanation to the disaster

Artefact display at the Royal Naval Museum

Artefacts, archaeology and a hostile seabed environment

1753 Salvage operations

2 The 38-gun Pomone (1811)

Distinguishing the presence of other wrecked craft off the Needles

Recognising the wreck of Pomone

The last voyage of the frigate Pomone

Witness and testimony

The Leda Class heavy frigates

Ordnance and ship fittings from the wreck site

Reviewing the archaeological significance of the wreck of the Pomone

Artefacts from the wreck site

3 The hull structure of the Pomone in Alum Bay

Investigation of the hull remains

Dendrochronolog

Analysis of copper bolts and sheathing Generated by AI.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

Part of the metadata in this record was created by AI, based on the text of the resource.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (EBook Central, viewed June 10, 2025).

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9781789256406

1789256402

9781789256383

1789256380

OCLC:

1492943273