Title:
The Larchmont disaster
Author:
Carol W. Kimball
Subjects:
Larchmont (Steamer)
Collisions at sea
Harry Knowlton (Schooner)
Watch Hill (R.I.)
Collisions at sea
Harry Knowlton (Schooner)
Watch Hill (R.I.)
Object ID:
Kim11-072
Object Name:
Scrapbook
Category:
8: Communication Artifact
Subcategory:
Documentary Artifact
Publisher:
The Day
Publication Place:
New London, CT
Pubication Date:
02/11/2008
Collection:
Carol W. Kimball
Summary:
February 11, 1907 one of New England's worst maritime tragedies, the wooden side-wheel steamer Larchmont with a crew of 52 and 100 passangers, sank in icy waters off Watch Hill after a collision with the three-masted schooner Harry Knowlton commanded by Capt. Frank T. Haley and a crew of six. At day's end there was only 19 survivors, eight of the Larchmont's crew and eleven passengers. Survivors accused the Larchmont's captain of misconduct. One woman claimed the captain, 26 year old George W. McVay, roughly pushed her away from his lifeboat. McVay said the accident was due to untrained foreign crews. The official verdict on April 22 blamed the Larchmont's First Pilot John L. Anson for the collision. He was among those lost at sea and therefore unable to defend himself. McVay was not charged but criticized for cowardice. The old steamer was found by scuba divers on Aug. 25, 1964.
People:
Haley, Frank T. (Capt.)
McVay, George W.
Anson, John L. (First Pilot)
McVay, George W.
Anson, John L. (First Pilot)
Search Terms:
maritime tragedey
wooden side-wheel steamer Larchmont
three-masted schooner Harry Knowlton
criticized for cowardice
wooden side-wheel steamer Larchmont
three-masted schooner Harry Knowlton
criticized for cowardice