The Storm
The lull in the storm was only of temporary duration, and on Saturday night the wind backed into the south east, when boisterous weather again set in. On Saturday the sea continued very rough, although the wind had quite abated. Many vessels made for, and entered the Tyne in safety, although some had narrow escapes in crossing the bar. On Sunday, the Spanish battery, at Tynemouth, and the North and South Piers were thronged with people, who watched the progress of the vessels with the greatest anxiety as they plunged through the breakers in crossing the bar. Since Saturday night there have been frequent showers of hail and snow, and the atmosphere has been much colder than during the prevalence of the former part of the storm. About twelve o’clock on Saturday night the alarm guns once more startled the ears of the inhabitants of North and. South Shields with the painful intelligence that yet another vessel had been cast ashore, and awakened fears that another fatal calamity was going on at the harbour’s mouth. This vessel was German screw-steamer Herman Sauber, Captain Kroger, bound from Hamburg for Sunderland, and she had taken the ground on the south side the South Pier, about fifty yards astern of the steamer’s Claremont and Fenella. The South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade quickly got their apparatus to work, and fired several rockets over the vessel, but the crew either did not understand the working of the lines, or they got fouled, and this attempt to rescue them was unavailing. The South Shields, lifeboat William Wouldhave was then launched from the new house on the sands, and was, with much difficulty, got alongside the vessel. this means the whole of the crew, numbering twenty men, were safely brought ashore, taken to the Brigade Watch House, where they were supplied with dry clothing and refreshments. During the launching of the lifeboat an accident occurred, whereby Jacob Harrison, pilot, had one his legs broken. He was conveyed to the Brigade House, where the Iimb was set, and was afterwards taken to the Ingham Infirmary. The captain of the Herman Sauber reports having passage across the North Sea. He arrived off the Tyne last Tuesday but was unable to enter in consequence of the heavy sea and increasing gale. From that night up to the time of his again trying to effect an entrance on Saturday night, the vessel had been buffeted about upon the coast, and on one occasion narrowly escaped going ashore at the Farne Islands. Running short of coals and provisions, he was obliged to attempt to make the port, but in doing so the vessel was carried to the south of the Pier, and grounded upon the sands, just clear of the stones.
Source: Shields Gazette 26 December 1876
Herman Sauber
About Midnight on Friday the lights of a steamer were observed off the mouth of the river, and it was soon evident that the vessel was making for the harbour. The approach of the steamer was watched both from Tynemouth and South Shields with keen anxiety, and after the lapse of some minutes it was seen that instead of the vessel having a good course for the river entrance, she was rapidly advancing upon the rocks behind the South Shields Pier. A line was thrown over the steamer, but unfortunately, owing either to the ignorance of the crew as to the use of the apparatus or from the difficulty of securing a line thus thrown on board a steamer, a dangerous delay took place. Other four lines were thrown with fruitless results. While these attempts-upon which all the experienced skill of the brigade was employed-were being in vain made to establish a communication between the steamer and the pier, the lifeboat, William Wouldhave, was launched from its station on the sands near the Brigade House, and being gallantly manned, was rowed out through the surf and waves, in perilous proximity to the rocks. They quickly reached the steamer, and succeeded in rescuing the captain and the whole of his crew, numbering nineteen. The rescue was, we regret to say, attended by a rather serious injury to one of the crew of the lifeboat, Jacob Harrison, a pilot, who-it is not stated how-fractured his leg. Having been safely landed on the beach by the lifeboat, the captain and crew were taken to the Brigade House, where they were, of course, treated with kindness. The steamer, it was then learned, is the Hermann Sauber, from Hamburg for Sunderland, under the command of Captain Kroger. She has been a regular trader between Hamburg and the Tyne, although on this occasion her destination was the Wear port.
Source Newcastle Courant 29th December 1876
The Stranding of the Screw-Steamer Herman Sauber
Sir, —Will you allow me, through the medium of your valuable paper, to tender to the pilots who manned the lifeboat upon in the occasion of the stranding of my vessel, on Sunday morning, and to the officers and members of the South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade, the best thanks of myself and crew for their noble and successful efforts in saving our lives. The kindness and attention we received open being taken to the Watch House I cannot speak too highly of. —Yours, &c.
H. Viroga,
Master s.s. Hermann Sauber,
Golden Lion Hotel, Dec. 27, 1876.
Source: Shields Gazette 28 December 1876
Floating of Two Stranded Vessels at South Shields.
Two of the stranded vessels at South Shields, namely, the screw-steamer Fenella, of London, and brig Marys, of Whitby, were successfully floated and taken, into Shields harbour, at an early hour, this morning. An attempt was also made to get the steamship Herman Sauber off, but this proved futile. The weather yesterday had so far moderated that the sea was quite smooth and the westerly breeze had swelled the neap tides very considerably, both circumstances favourable to the floating of the vessels. A tug steamer got hold of the brig, which lay on the Herd Sand, near the Fish Pier, and about ten minutes after midnight she floated off. This vessel went ashore at half-past three o’clock on Christmas morning, and was the last that came to grief in entering the Tyne during the prevalence of the storm. Before twelve o’clock three powerful tugs got towlines away from the stern of the Fenella, which lay on the south side of the South Pier, near the Claremont and Herman Sauber, and the windlass was attached to a chain fastened to an anchor east of the steamer. In addition to these appliances the steamer's propeller was put in motion to drive the vessel astern, and by means of the combined power, she commenced about half-past twelve to move slightly seaward. Every now and again she was shifted in this direction, until quarter past one o'clock, when she was finally afloat, amid the hearty cheers of the large number of men employed in the operation. The attempt to float the Herman Sauber will be renewed this afternoon, and it is stated that the same will be done with the Claremont. This morning, a number of salvors were at work picking up the anchors, chains, &tc., left by the Fenella. The sea is still placid, and a large fleet of sailing vessels left the Tyne this forenoon.
Source: Shields Gazette 29 December 1876
The Wrecks at South Shields. - Yesterday afternoon, between one and two o’ clock the German screw-steamer Herman Sauber which stranded near the South Pier, at midnight, last Saturday, was successfully floated and towed into Shields harbour by three steam-tugs. The steamer had a strong list to port. She was bound for Sunderland, but will be repaired in the Tyne. The wreck of the West Hartlepool steamer Blenheim, lying at the end of the South Pier, was offered to public competition yesterday by Messrs. Glover and Son, auctioneers, and was purchased by Mr Clasper for the sum of £150. The stores were sold separately.
Source: Shields Gazette 30 December 1876