Thanks to Claire for sharing on behalf of the project this fascinating news with OnTheWight readers. In her own words. Ed
Jane Maddocks, Underwater Heritage Advisor for the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), is hoping to unravel the secrets of SS Faith, which sunk in heavy seas in the English Channel, 12 miles south of the Isle of Wight, on December 30, 1855.
Only one fatality
The cargo ship, which was built in a Birkenhead ship yard, belonged to the Turkish government and was on a delivery voyage to Constantinople when it floundered in stormy seas at the height of the Crimean War almost 160 years ago.
All of the crew were saved apart from one who sadly returned to his berth feeling unwell and wasn’t missed until it was unfortunately too late.
Grant makes study possible
The wreck of the Faith now lies 39 metres down and marine archaeologist and BSAC First Class Diver and National Instructor, Jane Maddocks, is set to lead a project, backed by a £2,000 British Sub Aqua Jubilee Trust grant, which will plot what Jane believes is an important wreck historically.
BSAC is the national governing body for scuba diving and is made up of 120 dive centres and 1,000 plus family friendly and sociable clubs, run by volunteers, up and down the country and abroad.
It represents more than 30,000 scuba divers and snorkellers and welcomes new members from complete beginners upwards including those who have trained with other agencies.
A fascinating wreck
Jane, 66, said the SS Faith is an unusual ship and a very early example of a steam powered ship that was also rigged out with full sails too.
She said:
“It’s a fascinating wreck and I’m really looking forward to the project. She actually belonged to the Turkish government when she floundered in heavy seas and went down.
“Her bell was raised a few years ago and is in the Isle of Wight’s Shipwreck Museum. And although she lies in the English Channel, she is crucially in English waters. She was carrying a pretty ordinary cargo and on her way to Turkey when she sank.
“She was built in 1852 by Laird and Sons of Birkenhead and although built of iron and a steamship she had full sails too.”
Used as a troop ship
Jane added:
“She was built right on the cusp of the time when steam was replacing sail power. But because she had both, and was propeller driven, she had flexibility.
“And although primarily a cargo ship she had been used as a troop ship taking soldiers to the Crimean War which is something we want to further research.”
Other divers welcome
Jane, who is a member of a number of BSAC affiliated clubs including Gosport Sub Aqua Club and Solent Archaeological Divers, said the diving expedition to map the wreck of the SS Faith has been made possible thanks to the £2,000 BSAC Jubilee Trust grant.
She said:
“It is an important and rarely visited wreck. I have a core team of around 10 archeologically trained divers but there are up to 24 places available for BSAC divers to join us for two of the dives, on Thursday, July 3rd and Friday, July 4th.
“I really want sport divers to see that they can dive on important wrecks and contribute to archaeological projects without being highly trained or qualified.
“There are so many things we want to do and need good underwater photographers for example as well as engineers who know what they are looking at when it comes to engine parts for instance.”
Get involved
She added:
“Diving on wrecks at this depth might not be for everyone, it is pretty dark to be honest. The wreck of the SS Faith is pretty spread out and damaged by nature and the fact she has been submerged for almost 160 years.
“BSAC divers wanting to join us and get involved need to be able to dive using nitrox and be qualified to at least Dive Leader or a Sports Diver qualified to Accelerated Decompression Procedure (ADP) level or any diver qualified to use rebreathers.
“What is more important is that we get ordinary divers involved and appreciating important wrecks, such as the SS Faith, and ensuring we learn as much as possible about them.”
Mary Tetley, BSAC Chief Executive, said:
“Being a BSAC diver opens so many opportunities to get involved in fascinating underwater projects such as Jane’s and it will be fascinating to learn what her study uncovers.
“BSAC divers not only feel passionately about their sport but are motivated to also play their part in conservation projects to protect the underwater environment and historical studies such as this one which records important information for future generations to learn from.”
Dave Wendes, who will skipper the dive boat, Wight Spirit, for the project said he has researched the SS Faith which he describes as a fascinating vessel.
He said:
“She is a very early example of a ‘screw’ (propeller driven) steamship and she was built just nine years after Brunel’s famous steamship SS Great Britain.
“She was kitted out with full sails. The problem being that steam engines, at that time, were pretty inefficient and the ship simply couldn’t carry sufficient coal to enable the ship to reach its destination port.
“And it needed sails in case the engine broke down, and they frequently did at this time. And she was made out of iron, again this was a time when iron was beginning to replace wooden ships.
“Interestingly all the riveting would have been done by hand too and that may have contributed to her loss. Apparently she had been at anchor in pretty rough weather a few days before she was lost and the chances are one or two of her seams opened up allowing her to take on water.
“After she set sail for Constantinople it seems bad weather returned and she quickly went down, nose first, with the loss of one life.”
He added:
“It seems the crew all abandoned ship save one man who had gone to his berth feeling unwell. He was only missed when the crew, of around 20, did a head count and realised he was missing.”
An intriguing project
Dave, who is the author of a book ‘South Coast Ship Wrecks off East Dorset and Wight’, says dives are planned on the SS Faith during June, July, August and September.
He said:
“The wreck is pretty spread out on the seabed but there is plenty still to see and to be recorded. There are no builders’ plans left for the Faith so we want to look at what remains of the engine and its unusual square boiler. The cargo she carried was pretty ordinary and she was on her first voyage under new ownership after just having been sold to the Turkish government.
“It’s certainly an interesting wreck and I think the fact she was used as a Crimean War troop carrier adds quite a lot to her story. It is going to be an intriguing project.”
