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The Life and Death of the Liverpool Barque Dryad (1874-91) by Henry Alexander
The Life and Death of the Liverpool Barque Dryad (1874-91) by Henry Alexander
Every diver, they say, has one book in him. Henry Alexander has just produced his, after putting 30 years of his life into one shipwreck.
A lecturer in zoology in London, Alexander started diving in the 1960s, became Chairman of Croydon Underwater Club, and ran diving courses for biologists in South Devon.
On one instructional shallow sea dive, he and his students found a few iron plates and a little brass padlock amid debris at the foot of the cliffs of Start Point. He wanted to know all about the ship, dived when he could and researched in museums and libraries. He closed in on the Great Blizzard of 1891, during which the steamer Marana and three big sailing ships were lost around Start Point.
Alexander says he will never forget 8 August, 1982. In his book he describes diving down to the wreck to find a sounding lead: 'I was getting low on air and a little chilly when I cast my eyes to the right... One of the stones looked too regular to be natural... I gave it a gentle tap with the hammer... pieces of concretion fell off and I could see the glint of a brassy object...
'My face creased with smiles, my mask began to leak... what I had in my hand after eight long years of searching was a steering-wheel boss, clearly engraved 'DRYAD LIVERPOOL'!'
The 1035 ton fully rigged iron barque Dryad had been built in 1874 and wrecked with the loss of all 21 hands. She hit Start Point during the blizzard on her way from the Tyne to Valparaiso, carrying coal, coke and mining equipment.
Alexander's obsession drove him to track down the great-grand-daughter of the Dryad's builder. He studied the life of Captain William Thomas and even found his great-grand-daughter.
Over the years, Alexander raised hundred of items, including the captain's watch, revolver and spare magazine. Each year a long list of finds was sent to the Receiver of Wreck. There are 110 in all.
If the title The Life and Death of the Liverpool Barque Dryad (1874-91) sounds like an obituary, that is what it is: a wreck-diver's painstakingly researched, well-dived, heavily illustrated, well-written fond farewell to a ship which has become a large part of his own life. Wreck-diving could do with more books like it.
Kendall McDonald
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The Life and Death of the Liverpool Barque Dryad (1874-91) by Henry Alexander (Aunemouth Books, ISBN 09549022003). Softback, 140pp, £12.95.
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