Liverpool Echo, Jan 14th, 1907
Lost Liverpool Ship
Name of crew
The Liverpool Underwriters Association received the following report from Cuxhaven yesterday
Ship Pengwern ashore at Schaarhoere
Vessel and cargo lost, crew drowned, entire rigging went overboard before lifeboats arrived
The names of the crew,
Samuel JONES, captain, Newborough, Anglesley
John H. SHEILDS, Liverpool, 1st officer
Thomas PIERCE, 2nd officer
Thomas WILLIAMS, Anglesley, 3rd officer
John P. JONES, Chwilog, steward
William HUGHES, Pwllheli, cook
W. DAUNT, of Cork, sailmaker
D. HARKNESS, Able seaman
Albert ANDERSON, Able seaman
J. WALTERS, Able seaman
D. ALPHONSE, Able seaman
J. MOORE. Able seaman
Guillaume WILLENS, Able seaman
William JONES, Able seaman.
J. MATTHEWS, Able seaman
Alfred W. DAWES, Mossley Hill Rd, Garston, apprentice
L. Marmaduke BANNISTER, Preston, apprentice
Philip H. CRITCHLEY, Ilkley, apprentice
Harold D. GRIFFITHS, Higher Openshaw, Manchester, apprentice
Wilhelm JOHNSEN, Ordinary seaman
Henry ABBOTT, Ordinary seaman
In addition a Channel pilot, name unknown, missing.
Liverpool Mercury, January 19th, 1907
Liverpool Ship Wrecked
Cuxhaven, Sunday
The Liverpool ship PENGWERN has gone ashore near Scharhoern, only the top of the mizzenmast is visible. The crew are drowned.
The PENGWERN was laden with salt petre from Taltal, Chile.
The tug VULKAN went to her assistance off Scharhoern and passed close by her. The crew of the PENGWERN threw a living dog and a bundle of clothes into the tug. A handkerchief marked G. N. DAVIES was found in the clothes.
The crew of the stranded vessel disregarded an appeal by the crew of the VULKAN to jump overboard so they might be rescued, whereupon the crew of the VULKAN again steamed past the PENGWERN, and the skipper announced he would fetch the lifeboat from the 2nd Elbe Lightship.
When the VULKAN had covered about half the distance to the lightship a heavy sea broke over the PENGWERN, which disappeared from view.
The crew of the PENGWERN crowded in the afterpart of the vessel where drowned. It is stated a British Pilot was also aboard the PENGWERN.
The PENGWERN was an iron screw steamer of 1,492 tons, net, built in 1882 by RUSSELL and Co, of Greenock, and owned by Messers W. THOMAS and Sons, and Co, Ltd, of 14 Water St, Liverpool.
Hamburg Monday,
Capt GIESEGH of the tug VULKAN gives the following account of the sinking of the PENGWERN near Cuzhaven :-
The VULKAN put out to sea at daybreak, we noticed that the sailing ship PENGWERN, which had already passed the 1st Elbe Lightship, was steering a totally wrong course, heading straight for the Scharhoern Reef. Fully realising the danger the PENGWERN was running, we steamed after the PENGWERN, but before we could reach her the disaster had occurred, and the ship had struck the reef. The breakers whipped up by the Westerly gale and the strongly running tide, soon threw the vessel on her beam ends.
In spite of the request of the crew of the VULKAN that the men on board should jump overboard in the hope of rescue, no one did so. An apprentice wished to take off his coat and jump overboard, but was prevented by his comrades and held back.
Instead of saving their own lives the crew threw the ship’s dog over into the tug, wrapped in blankets and a bundle of clothes. The tug was then obliged to stand away in order to avoid being dashed to pieces against the stranded vessel.
With indescribable difficulty we succeeded in passing a hawser to the PENGWERN, and it was made fast, on board. The crew could have crossed over the hawser, but they did not. The VULKAN then steamed to the 2nd Elbe lightship to bring its lifeboat.
When we returned towing the lifeboat the disaster had occurred, the PENGWERN had broken up, the entire crew engulfed in the waves.
Crew.
Samuel JONES, Captain, Newborough, Anglesey
John H. SHIELDS, 1st Officer
Thomas PIERCE, 2nd Officer
Thomas WILLIAMS, 3rd Officer, Anglesey
John P. JONES, Steward, Chwilog
Thomas JONES, Carpenter
William HUGHES, Cook, Pwllheli
W. DAUNT, Sailmaker, Cork
D. HARKNESS, Able Seaman
Albert ANDERSON, Able Seaman
J. WALTERS, Able Seaman
D. ALPHONSE, Able Seaman
J. MOORE, Able Seaman
Guillaume WILLENE, Able Seaman
William JONES, Able Seaman
J. MATHEWS, Able Seaman
Alfred W. DAVIES, Apprentice, Mossley Hill Rd, Garston
L. Marmaduke BANNISTER, Apprentice, Preston
Philip H. CRITCHLEY, Apprentice, Ilkley
Harold D. GRIFFITHS, Apprentice, Higher Openshaw, Manchester
Wilhelm JOHNSON, Ordinary Seaman
Henry ABBOTT, Ordinary Seaman
A Channel Pilot, name unknown, missing
The crew signed in at Port Talbot on the outward bound voyage, afterwards the vessel called at Taltal – where it is assumed several changes in the crew took place – it was on the return journey from Taltal to Hamburg she foundered off the German coast.