Hi,

Wolfgang and Bert:
1811 wasn't all that dangerous a storm, I think: the direct cause of the diaster was a stubborn captain insisting in bringing his damaged vessel home despite the bad weather, resulting in the loss of nearly hands on board both his ship and the ship towing it, as well as of the ships themselves.

Peter: Thanks for the link, but as as far as I can see, it's the same information that is on Mudcat too, in the links above, and in some cases it's even a direct quote.

theleveller: I think you may have more success looking for "1889", rather than "1899". But having thought it over: I think the three score and ten of 1871 were the lives lost all along the coast and at sea. Three Score And Ten speaks of three score and ten lost for Grimsby alone. One of the reasons the Great Gale of 1871 was documented better might have been the loss of a lifeboat crew - the everpresent dread in any harbour community that those who go out to save the lives of others may lose their own instead. But you're right: The Great Gale ran the ships ashore, which is much more impressive than all these smallcraft battling throught the night unseen.

Smacks, fishing smacks, trawled as well. They were in fact known to come trawling on the Lowlands coasts, as the sandy sea bed here was easier on the nets. I don't know if those came from as far away as Hull, but it does suggest they could well have left the land behind. I don't know about the "many hundreds". I guess it would depend on the number of harbours on the coast. Of course, Grimsby need not have been the place that was hit hardest - it's not like there was an empty chair in every home, after all - it just happened to be the writers home town.
                                                                Mysha