A century ago tomorrow a sailing ship capsized in a storm in the Duddon Estuary leaving five people dead.

The schooner Coniston rose from its watery grave for a few weeks 30 years ago, leaving the broken hull briefly proud of the shifting sands between Millom pier and Hodbarrow.

Coniston was built at the Ulverston yard of William and John White and launched on Saturday, January 17, in 1874 for the Hodbarrow iron ore trade.

Its wooden walls were constructed for strength, as it would be called on the lay on the sands during low tide at Millom pier.

It was owned by the Hodbarrow Mining Company and was 84ft 9in long.

A painting of the Coniston, by Joseph Semple, once belonged to the family of Millom pilot William Fairclough, the first captain of the schooner.

The painting was last seen in South Cumbria when it was sold at auction in the Victory Hall, Broughton in the 1980s.

In 1917 the Coniston was on the way back to Millom from Wicklow in Ireland with a cargo of pit props for Hodbarrow mines when it was buffeted by strong winds on Sunday, September 2 in 1917.

Those killed were all from the Summerhill district of County Wicklow.

They were Captain Joseph Dunne, aged 70; his son and the ship’s master William Dunne, 24; Kathleen Dunne, 22, the daughter of Joseph; James Redmond, 18, a nephew of Joseph; and able seaman Joseph O’Toole, 30.

The body of Redmond was never found. The other three men were washed up between Hodbarrow and Haverigg and Kathleen was found on Walney.

An article in the Millom News on September 8 noted: “When she entered the Duddon Channel she was in a helpless condition.

“Preparations were being made to send help but when the schooner reached Haverigg, about 10 o’clock, she suddenly sank and disappeared from view.

“A heavy sea was running and it was the highest tide that has been experienced for a long time.

“A sharp look out was kept for the sign of any survivors but no one was observed.”

As the tide started to retreat, the schooner was found on a sand bank and attempts failed to salvage it.

An inquest into three of the deaths was held by Millom coroner Mr W. T. Lawrence at the Harbour Hotel.

Captain Edmondson, master of the Hodbarrow tug boat, said that the 145-ton Coniston had sought shelter from bad weather in Ramsey, on the Isle of Man, before attempting the last leg of its journey to Millom.

The report of his evidence noted: “It was an old boat but well found in every respect and would withstand any ordinary storm, having been repaired recently.

There was nothing to prove beyond doubt if those on the Coniston had drowned or had been killed by the capsizing of the vessel. Verdicts of “found dead” were returned by the jury.