A life less than ordinary: The schooner ‘Ocean’ (1821-1865)

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Ship Construction and Shipwrecks: A Journey into Engineering Successes and Failures (General Sessions)" , at the 2021 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The East Winner Bank shipwreck takes its name from the Southern sandbank on Hayling Island near Portsmouth. Examination of the wreck, its fastenings, and framing technology; indicate a 19th Century carvel-built vessel. The sandbank is an active environment, meaning the wreck is rarely exposed to its full extent. This presentation concerns work done on the site before and during the social distancing restrictions imposed by Covid-19. Utilising documentary sources and previous detailed surveys it has been possible to suggest an identification for the wreck. The site appears to be a rare example of an everyday 19th Century coastal trading vessel, with potential to contribute to discussions of the maritime technologies and maritime cultural landscape of regular folk. The investigation represents an excellent example of combining historical and archaeological datasets to further the interpretation of both sources; revealing detail about the ship and its lasting impact on this stretch of coastline.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Ship Construction and Shipwrecks: A Journey into Engineering Successes and Failures (General Sessions)   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2021

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology