Despatch

The Despatch was wrecked on the 12th July 1828 near Isle aux Morts, on the South coast of Newfoundland. Ann Harvey, a seventeen year old local girl, together with her father and her twelve year old brother (and a dog !), rescued one hundred and sixty people from the wreck over the following three days. Ann Harvey became known as the 'Grace Darling' of Newfoundland and the British Government later awarded her and her family a medal and a sum of money for their heroic efforts.

The loss of the brig on the 10th July 1828, on a rock 18 miles east of Cape Ray. The brig had sailed from Londonderry on the 29th May, bound for Quebec with Irish emigrants, under the command of Captain William Lancaster. The wreck resulted in the loss of about 29 passengers by drowning, and a further 20 subsequently died of exposure. Capt. Lancaster was drowned in the wreck but the other ten crew survived. The survivors were taken from Port aux Basque, Newfoundland, to Halifax, by HMS Tyne, two weeks after the wreck.

Name	Year Built	Gross Tons
Despatch	1801	187