Paddle steamer · 1888–1888 · Firth of Clyde, United Kingdom
Princess of Wales
Between fifty and sixty guests, workmen and crew were aboard the new paddle steamer Princess of Wales when she ran speed trials on the measured mile at Skelmorlie. Her pilot, James Barrie, altered course to match the Balmoral Castle, whose pilot James Parker kept edging further offshore, until the larger steamer sliced through her abaft the engine room.
The women reached Skelmorlie in her one undamaged lifeboat, and yachts and boats from the shore came alongside for most of the others. Her stern went down at once with three workmen; the Adela took the bow in tow, but it capsized and sank off Wemyss Bay Pier. Built in 1888 by Barclay Curle & Co Ltd and still in the builders' hands, she was written off.
The forepart was found in 1992 lying upside down on mud, and the stern has never been confirmed.
- Type
- Paddle steamer
- Year built
- 1888Barclay Curle & Co Ltd
- Lost
- 1888
- Tonnage
- 324 GRT
- Depth
- 62 m
- Location
- Firth of Clyde, United KingdomFirth of Clyde
Deeper than 161 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
History and LossLost 1888 · Firth of Clyde, United Kingdom.
Launched on 24 May 1888 for the Southampton and Isle of Wight Royal Mail Steam Packet Co, she left Glasgow on 16 June for speed trials. She had completed her first run and was returning at dead slow speed when the Balmoral Castle struck her. Around fifteen survivors were seriously injured.
The engine room bulkhead kept the forepart afloat until it sank in about thirty fathoms, a depth at which salvage was judged impractical.
Built 1888 by Barclay Curle & Co Ltd; 0 years in service. Lost 1888.
Condition of the WreckBroken.
Intactness
Found in 1992, the forward part of the hull, from the stem to a point beyond the engine room, rests upside down on mud in 62 metres, rising to 57 metres and aligned 165°/345°. Where the stern lies has never been confirmed.
Notable Features
- Bow section
- Stern section
Sea-Surface Temperature by Month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface temp | 8.2° | 7.2° | 7.1° | 8.1° | 10° | 12.1° | 14° | 14.6° | 13.8° | 12.4° | 11.2° | 9.6° |
Additional Details9 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Builder
- Barclay Curle & Co Ltd
- Loss date
- 1888
- Latitude
- 55.8758° N
- Longitude
- 4.9012° W
- Water body
- Firth of Clyde
- War grave
- Not recorded
- Protected
- No
- Permit required
- No
- Condition
- Broken
Sources and VerificationEvery fact on this page traces to a published source.
- Historic Environment Scotland (Canmore, NRHE)inspire.hes.scot · Official record5 facts
- UK Hydrographic Officedatahub.admiralty.co.uk · Official record2 facts
- NOAA / NASA JPL MUR SST v4.1coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov · Institution or archive1 fact
- Scottish Shipwrecksscottishshipwrecks.com · Secondary source11 facts
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Historic Environment Scotland.
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.
- JPL MUR MEaSUREs Project. GHRSST Level 4 MUR Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (v4.1). PO.DAAC. https://doi.org/10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04
A further 5 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.
Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Princess of Wales?
Princess of Wales is the wreck of a paddle steamer, off Firth of Clyde, United Kingdom, at 62 metres. Princess of Wales was lost in 1888.
How deep is the Princess of Wales?
Princess of Wales lies at approximately 62 metres, Firth of Clyde.
How did the Princess of Wales sink?
The cause of the loss of Princess of Wales is not recorded in the sources held; the loss is dated 1888.