History
The Lakenman was outward bound to the East. However, she wrecked near the Castle after she broke loose in a north-westerly gale on the night of 16/17 June. By dawn she had been washed up high and dry on Woodstock beach and one man was found to be missing.
The gale of 17 June 1722 saw 10 vessels being wrecked during a severe north-westerly gale in Table Bay, with 8 of these vessels belonging to Dutch authorities. This event saw one of the highest losses of life in the history of the Cape in a single event, with 660 casualties. Over £250,000 of goods were lost, which is a vast amount in today’s figures!
Description
| Skipper | Herman Branus |
|---|---|
| People on board | 150 |
| Length | 129.9 feet (39.6 m) |
| Tonnage | 600 ton (300 last) |
Status
The Lakenman's specie is known to have been salvaged but it is likely that a lot more of the vessel was salvaged since it was grounded on the beach.
References
- NL-HaNA_1.11.06.18_72_0093 Daggregister Zuid Afrika.
- Generale missiven Deel 8, 166.
- Lesa la Grange, Martijn Manders, Briege Williams, John Gribble and Leon Derksen (2024).
Dutch Shipwrecks in South African Waters: A Brief History of Sites, Stories and Archives [Unpublished]. - SAHRA Database.