History
The Goede Hoop was deployed during the Dutch Republic’s Nine Years’ War with France (1688-1697) and regularly carried soldiers and weapons in the early 1690s.
Description
On her final journey, the Goede Hoop was on a return journey from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to Patria with a cargo worth 858,260 guilders – a high sum even compared to the cargo of most of her contemporaries.
Among the most precious cargo listed were Persian pearls, tea, pepper, cinnamon and textiles as well as copper, tin and spelter. On this return voyage, the Goede Hoop was accompanied by the Spierdijk, Mijdrecht and ‘s Lands Welvaren. The fleet's combined cargo was valued at a jaw-dropping 2,890,566 guilders.
In the night of 4 to 5 June, the Goede Hoop and another VOC vessel named the Hogergeest encountered stormy weather. Both vessels were pushed to shore near the Cape of Good Hope, where the Goede Hoop was wrecked. Of the 142 people on board, only 10 survived.
| Skipper | Anthonie Pronk |
|---|---|
| People on board | 142 |
Status
The cargo was eventually saved the following year, on 3 April 1693. A group of men, under orders of Cape Governor Simon van der Stel, set sail on the Zwarte Leeuw to find both wrecks and file a damage report. Among them was Anthonie Pronk, captain of the Goede Hoop, who managed to survive the shipwreck.
When the salvage team arrived, the wrecks were likely still above water level. Of the Goede Hoop, the main mast, the foremast, as well as the bowsprit were broken off, planking on both sides had come loose and vital support beams were shattered.
The cargo hold was inaccessible as it was below the water level which meant that the goods could not easily be salvaged. The cargo was salvaged later that year and considering the men’s recommendations to reuse the ship’s remains for scrap, it is likely that the upper decks would have been broken up to reach the cargo holds.
Because most of the cargo was salvaged and the vessel was most likely stripped for parts, this vessel probably has limited archaeological potential.
References
- Dam van, Pieter.
Beschrijvinge van de Oostindische Compagnie 1639-1701. Deel I.1.1 483. - NL-HaNA_1.11.06.18_42_0202 e.v.
- NL-HaNA_1.04.02_1491 690: ladinglijst.
- Generale missiven Deel 5, 508.
- La Grange, L., Williams, B.L., Gribble, J. Manders, M.R., Derksen, L.F., Brouwers, W.F.G.J. (2024). (2024).
Dutch Shipwrecks in South African Waters: A Brief History of Sites, Stores and Archives [Unpublished].
Cape Town: South African Heritage Resources Agency.