2520) Isle of Man Shipwrecks: A set of six stamps issued by the Isle of Man Post (IOMP) featuring the wrecks - Patache Sancta Catalina (1588), HMS Brig Racehorse (14.12.1822), Brig Lily (27.12.1852), Barque Thorne - (25.01.1890), Steamship Clan MacMaster (30.09.1923), Steam Trawler Cevic (26.06.1927): Date of Stamp set issue: 12.10.2022:
This post reminded me of a similar shipwreck (to the story of Barque Thorne - 1890 given below) off the coast of Port Blair, Andaman Islands, India.
When I was posted at the State Bank of India Branch at Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh India, a retired Principal of a College at Port Blair, who hailed from Pratapgarh and was now settled here, came to open an account with our State Bank branch. I helped him to open his Savings Bank account and he became a good friend.
One day he brought a carton of Dunhill cigarettes foor me as a gift. I told him I did not smoke. Then he shared that there was a shipwreck off the coast of Port Blair. Several whisky/wine cartons floated out to the shore among other flotsam which was "retrieved" by the locals. Alas, all his two boys could get a hold of was several cartons of cigarettes and none of them smoked!!!!
The Header/Banner shows the set of six stamps featuring famous shipwrecks off the coast of Isle of Man against a background representation of Brig Lily - Kitterland, whose gunpowder/magazine caught fire causing the ship to founder/wreck in the Calf Sound on 27.12.1852.
Many hundreds of ships have met their final fate around the coast of the Isle of Man and this set of six stamps aims to capture the stories behind six of them.
The Island’s central location in the Irish Sea and proximity to major shipping routes have been factors in centuries of losses.
This is a set of six stamps which beautifully capture the stories of the most notorious and significant shipwrecks in the waters off the Isle of Man over a period of almost five-hundred years.
The six shipwrecks featured on this set have been selected by Maritime historian Adrian Corkill for their historical importance and significance, dramatic imagery, and fascinating local backstories. Adrian has been researching shipwrecks in the seas around the Isle of Man for over thirty years.
The artwork has been commissioned and produced by Paul Parker who has worked closely alongside Adrian to create historical depictions of each wreck.
This is of particular note with the Racehorse, Sancta Catalina and Brig Lily paintings, which are the first interpretations of their kind.
The artworks depict the shipwrecks in situ as they are wrecked, picturing the dramatic weather, coastlines and waves next to which the ships were wrecked, informed by local eyewitness and historical accounts.
The shipwrecks features are:
HMS Brig Racehorse - The Skerranes, Langness (14th December 1822)
Brig Lily - Kitterland in the Calf Sound (27th December 1852)
Barque Thorne - Port Jack, Onchan 25th January 1890
Steamship Clan MacMaster - The Calf Sound 30th September 1923
Steam Trawler Cevic - Ballure, Ramsey 26th June 1927.
This six-stamp collection, tells the story of six iconic shipwrecks of the Isle of Man. Four stamps feature archival imagery courtesy of Manx National Heritage, with the older Shipwrecks (The Racehorse and Sancta Catalina), being represented through original artworks by local artist Paul Parker.
Patache Sancta Catalina - The Spanish Head Armada Wreck 1588:
Folk tradition says a Spanish Armada galleon was wrecked in the South of the Island at Spanish Head. People native to Rushen parish are said to have certain Spanish features after survivors married local women, and even today the term ‘Spaniard’ is often heard as a colloquial term for a Manx person from Rushen.
HMS Brig Racehorse - The Skerranes, Langness 14th December 1822:
Brig Lily - Kitterland in the Calf Sound 27th December 1852:
The Lily, bound for Southwest Africa, with a general cargo, including 61 tons of gunpowder, was caught off the Calf of Man in a storm and driven ashore on Kitterland in the Calf Sound killing five of her crew. Early the next day a salvage party observed smoke coming from the wreck. Carpenters cut a hole in the deck to extinguish the fire. As soon as air entered the hold there was a huge explosion which killed 29 men.
Barque Thorne - Port Jack, Onchan 25th January 1890:
The Manx version of Whisky Galore! Heavy seas burst open the ship’s main hatch, and cargo, including whisky and brandy in casks, floated out. The police and customs officials were at hand to try and prevent pilfering, but many individuals still managed to obtain large quantities of spirits, leading to amazing scenes of public drunkenness.
Steamship Clan MacMaster - The Calf Sound 30th September 1923:
During dense fog the Clan MacMaster struck the Thousla Rock in the Calf Sound whilst on a voyage from Glasgow for the Far East via Liverpool. She was carrying a general cargo consisting mainly of motorcars, sewing machines, machinery, coal and cotton. She is the largest ship to have been wrecked on the Manx coast. Many homes in the south of the Isle of Man proudly owned a brand new Singer sewing machine after the wreck!
Steam Trawler Cevic - Ballure, Ramsey 26th June 1927:
At 3.00 am the second engineer got into the small boat moored alongside the Cevic, to row ashore to collect four men. The rope attaching it to the trawler snapped, and he was cast adrift. His crew mates feared that he would be in great danger in the rough seas. They weighed anchor and attempted to reach the small boat but failed and the Cevic ran aground on rocks below Ballure on Ramsey South Beach.
Presentation Pack:
The Front Cover of this four-page, glossy presentation pack features original artwork of the Brig Lily - Kitterland in the Calf Sound on 27.12.1852.
Isle of Man Shipwrecks First Day Cover (FDC)
This beautifully detailed First Day Cover (FDC) deluxe envelope features a full set of all six Isle of Man Shipwrecks stamps, cancelled with a specially designed, nautical inspired first day of issue postmark which bears the cancellation date - "12.10.2022".
The FDC is accompanied by a text card with fascinating history about each of the Shipwrecks featured, along with biographical information about text issue writer Adrian Corkill and illustrator Paul Parker.
Six Sheetlets issued in the set having 20 stamps each
Technical Information:
Date of Stamp set issue: 12.10.2022
Issuer: Isle of Man Post (IOMP)
Illustrations: Paul Parker
Text: Adrian Corkill
Printer: bpost
Process: Offset lithography
Colours: 4
Paper: PVA gummed 110 gms
Perforations: 11.5 per 2.00 cms
Stamp Size: 40.00 mm x 24.00 mm
Format: Sheets of 20
Stamp Set: 6
Date of Issue: 12th October 2022
Limited Editions:
Presentation Pack: 1100 sets
First Day Cover (FDC): 1500 pieces
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