The name of the Danish schooner wrecked in the morning was the Johanna, of Newcoven, and was bound from Rochester to Middlesbro'. She left Rochester on Monday, and was in ballast. The vessel was in command of Capt. Plough. The mate, whose name has not transpired, was the only survivor of the Danish galliot Johanna, which was wrecked in entering the Tyne this morning. The poor fellow had a most miraculous escape. He speaks very little English, but from his statement some idea of the violence of the tempest may be gathered. It appears that before daybreak the captain sent him aloft to look for Tynemouth Light. He saw what he believed to the light at Tynemouth Castle, and called the captain to come up and verify it. He, however, got no answer, and upon returning deck found that his three shipmates had all been washed overboard and drowned. He then took charge of the vessel, and navigated her for the harbour with the result already described. Upon the vessel capsizing he again narrowly escaped with his life. The lifeboat Northumberland, from North Shields, was approaching the wreck, when the man was seen clinging to her bottom. A rope was thrown to him from the lifeboat, and he managed to seize hold of it. Having made it fast round his waist, be jumped into the water, and was dragged on board the lifeboat, amid the cheers of the crew. He was taken ashore to the house of Mr John Blagburn, the New Dolphin Inn, Low Lights, North Shields, where he was provided with a warm breakfast and dry clothing. He said this was the third time he had been shipwrecked, and he was alone on board the Johanna for three hours. After recovering from his exhaustion, the mate went to Newcastle. The Johanna was from Rochester for Middlesbrough, in ballast.
THE LIFEBOATMEN
The following is a list of the crew of the lifeboat Northumberland, who went off to the wreck of the Johanna:—Henry Appleby, captain; Thomas Reed, R. Boyle, T. Wilson, John Sadler, James Sadler, Magnus Armour, S. Stuart, S. Chamberlain, R. Hardy, S. Hardy, J. Hadaway, Thomas Drew, R. Hall, W. Rennison, S. Henderson, J. Smith, W. Forster, A. Emmerson, J. Brown, W. Walker R. Brat, James Smith, and W. Baker.
Source: Shields Daily Gazette 28 October 1880
During the night of the 28th and while the storm was at its height the piles and the greater part of the superstructure of the three outer bays of the staging were carried away as well as three piles of the remaining staging. This damage appears to have been done by a wreck either of an unknown vessel or of a position of the “Johanna” (wrecked in the morning and carried out to sea by the Ebb tide) as a sail, some broken spars etc. were found hanging to some of the standing piles which bore evidence of having been struck by something hard and heavy.
With reference to the casualties, I may explain that the two Trawlers foundered outside or barely within the ends of the piers before any shelter could possibly be obtained from them whilst the three sailing vessels (as shown by the depositions of the survivors) all became disabled and unmanageable at Sea before reaching the entrance and it was a providential accident that the wreck of one of them “The Johanna” was driven within the piers so as to enable the solitary survivor of the crew to be rescued by the lifeboat.
Source: Piers Committee 17 November 1880