This is the news – 19^th Century style (1809)

A perfect example of how shipwrecks, sinking’s and loss of life were reported in the early 19^th century can be summed up from the following single paragraph from the “Aberdeen Journal” in December 1809. The fact that a vessel sank at Portlethen, probably with the loss of life, only warranted fifteen words of news in the initial report! 

“The brig, Hawke Grant, of and for this place, with coals from Shields, was driven ashore near Bervie; crew saved; and a vessel, it is strongly reported, was seen to founder about noon off Portlethen. A number of vessels were known to be on the coast, for whose safety considerable apprehension is entertained”. 

In defence of the Press in those early days, it should be said that information was hard to obtain and any information that had been gathered was due to eyewitness accounts. Occasionally there were few or no eyewitnesses to report on ships sinking and in these instances details would have been sparse indeed. The following week the “Journal” had managed to pad out a bit more news about the sinking of the vessel at Portlethen which read as follows: 

“The report of a vessel having foundered off Portlethen is unhappily confirmed by several people who were spectators of the distressing scene. The vessel, which seemed to be a sloop, was seen for some time apparently in great distress, with only a small jib set, and being quite unmanageable, shipped one or two heavy seas; immediately after which she disappeared, within half a mile of the shore. No part of the wreck has been found, whereby to ascertain the name of the unfortunate vessel.”