Ann Harvey, Heroine
Brig "Despatch" Shipwreck at Isle aux Morts, Newfoundland
The people of Newfoundland adapted to severe conditions and challenges they encountered on the rugged ocean shores. Their survival depended upon co-operation and bountiful fish catches. They witnessed countless shipping catastrophes.
Ann Harvey, Heroine Born at Port aux Morts, Newfoundland
Ann Harvey, born 1811, was the eldest child in the large family of George and Jane Harvey who were from the Jersey Isles. They lived near the Newfoundland rocky shore at Port aux Morts. George was a fisherman, seaman whose skills allowed him and his family to handle many dangerous situations.
Despatch Shipwreck at Isle aux Morts, Newfoundland
The Scottish brig Despatch set sail for Quebec from Londonderry, Ireland on May 28, 1828. On board were Master William Lancaster, ten crew members, and two hundred passengers. Most of the passengers were Irish immigrants seeking better lives in Canada.
In early July the ship encountered a heavy storm. As ice and heavy fog developed, the Despatch sailed around the southern tip of Newfoundland. The ship sailed northwest with only sporadic land sightings.
During the evening of July 10 the brig struck submerged rock and dangerous shoals. It broke up on the formation now known as Wreck Rock. Some passengers in a longboat reached shore while others scrambled onto the partially submerged rock. There were crew members and passengers clinging to the severely damaged ship and others who used broken rigging to help them reach shore. The ship’s master and several passengers died.
Rescue Efforts by Crew and Harvey Family
- July 11 the storm waves’ fierceness prevented further attempts to rescue people.
- July 12 efforts to leave the floundering ship continued. Crew members helped several people to safety on rocks or on the island.
- July 13 Ann, her father George, younger brother Tom, and their Newfoundland dog “Hairy Man”, travelled in their twelve-foot fishing boat through pounding surf for two hours.
They were unable to land. Hairy Man swam out to fetch a rope tied to a piece of wood that was tossed into the water. He clenched it in his teeth and swam back to the Harvey dory.
Survivors grasped the lifeline and followed it to the dory. They were pulled aboard and rowed to shore through extremely rough waters. The valiant rescue efforts continued for three days and nights. Neighbours constructed lean-to shelters. Ann and George Harvey notified authorities, then helped with provision of nursing, feeding, and clothing for the survivors.
HMS Tyne Captain Records Wreckage, Rescue, and Loss
The British warship HMS Tyne arrived about a week later at Port aux Basques where many survivors were located. Captain R. Grant sent boats to Port aux Morts to transport the remaining survivors. Grant replenished food supplies of people who gave meals during the rescue activities.
Captain Grant’s record of the occurrence shows that there were two hundred passengers and eleven crewmen. At least thirty-six people drowned. Four men and ten children died on the rock from starvation, five on the beach, four men in the woods. A woman and her boy died during the trip on The Tyne. A comment made by Newfoundlanders during that period was, "We saved those we could, and buried those we couldn't". It still holds true.
Ann Harvey and Family Rewarded and Honoured
The Harvey family was given one hundred Pounds for their courageous actions. Ann was presented with a commemorative medal from the Royal Humane Society.
Ten years later, Ann and George rescued all crewmen from their wrecked Scottish merchant ship Rankin.
Ann Harvey married Charles Gillam and gave birth to eight children. They relocated to Blanche Rouge west of Port aux Morts. Ann died at age forty-nine in 1860 and was buried near Port aux Basques.
The Canadian Coast Guard ship Ann Harvey that patrols the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador was commissioned in 1987. The Harvey Trail, designated in 1999 to honor Ann and her family, is located at Isle aux Morts.
Sources:
100 Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces by Merna Forster, Dundurn Press Ltd., 2004
The Ships List Website List of Passengers
As Near to Heaven by Sea: A History of Newfoundland and Labrador by Kevin Major,
Penguin Books 2001
Newfoundand Rocky Shore
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