Disappearance of The Thetis, 1901
Thetis was launched at Dumbarton, Scotland in 1893, a steel barquentine commissioned for the Falkland Islands Company Ltd. She was specially built for the ‘peculiar features of Falkland Islands navigation in a very stormy region’. She was 305 tons and 130 feet long, with the newest and most improved features of the time and was launched with much pomp, with the Cobbs, representatives of the Falkland Islands Company present. She reached Stanley at the end of 1893 and joined the local fleet of coastal vessels in 1894 carrying cargos to and from outlying settlements and islands for the next eight years without mishap.
Under the command of Captain Thomas Thetis left Stanley sailing northwards on her fateful voyage on Saturday 27 July 1901 loaded with 170 tons of ballast and cargo including a large iron sheep dip for San Salvador lashed to her mast. The dip on the deck, 45 feet long, caused much concern and speculation, many believed it affected the stability of the vessel. Captain Thomas sailed thus laden and over loaded against his better judgement having registered a Protest but having been threatened with being relieved of his command. He forbade his wife who often travelled with him to go on this journey. Thetis passed another vessel, the Fair Rosamund who noticed that she was making heavy going and last saw her about 14 miles off McBride’s Head and making for Salvador, at that point the weather was fair and Thetis should have made San Salvador. Nothing else was ever heard or seen of her.
The 3rd August brought one of the worst gales in memory to the Falklands. Opinions seemed to favour that the Thetis was lost before the gale, the gale afterwards smashing her completely, others thought that running before the gale she tried to clear the Islands and ran on the East or West Jason Cays. Large amounts of wreckage were found on Elephant Jason by sealers. Shearers found pieces of yard arm and top mast and other wreckage on Grand Jason. Carcass Island found wool and wreckage on their beaches and bits of wood appearing to come from a sheep dip. West Point, Roy Cove, Keppel Island and Pebble Island also reported much wreckage washing up including portions of ship and boats (Thetis had two boats) and fleeces of wool. Part of a ship’s wheel and wheel box washed up on a north East Falkland beach with the letters ‘THE’ on it. If this belonged to the Thetis there is a further mystery of how wreckage appears to have been scattered on islands over a hundred miles away.
Although declared seaworthy at the enquiry, one witness, a Mr L Berntsen who had sailed in Thetis the previous year heading for San Carlos, stated that the vessel made an abonormal amount of leeway and had, on that occassion ended up in the Jasons instead.
The Hornet and Richard Williams searched the islands including the Jasons but no trace was found of Thetis or any of the crew. Mrs Margaret Betts of Pebble lost both her twin sons Edwin and George aged only 30 years who were travelling back home to Pebble Island on the ill-fated voyage. Captain Thomas, 35 years old when he died, left a widow and an infant daughter (named Thetis) also a mother and grandmother, all of whom he was the sole supporter.
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