Site Identification & Information

•Vessel Name: PRIMROSE

•Location: Off Point Petre, Lake Ontario

•Coordinates: Not specified

•Depth: Not specified

•Date Discovered: November 1844

•Discovered By: Not applicable

Vessel Type Description

The PRIMROSE was a wooden-hulled Schooner built in 1844 in Athol, Ontario, Canada. It was a small vessel, measuring 51 feet in length, 14.6 feet in beam, and 5.4 feet in depth, with a Gross Tonnage of 47 and a Net Tonnage of 29. The Schooner featured two masts and was designed for cargo transport across Lake Ontario. Registered in Picton, Ontario, the vessel was owned by John Stanton and others from Athol.

History

The PRIMROSE had an exceptionally brief service life. Constructed and lost within the same year, 1844, it had undergone modifications or repairs in Oswego, New York, suggesting that it may have experienced issues requiring attention even in its infancy.

The Tragic Sinking

In November 1844, the Schooner encountered severe weather while navigating off Point Petre in Lake Ontario. The precise cause of its sinking is unknown, but the event was catastrophic, resulting in the loss of all hands aboard.

Victims:

•Henry Stanton (Master)

•William Burlingham

•John Trumpour

•James Bailey – A recent immigrant from Ballywalter, County Down, Ireland.

Wreckage believed to be from the PRIMROSE was later found washed ashore near Wellington, providing grim confirmation of the Schooner’s fate. Reports of the sinking appeared in local newspapers, including the Picton Sun and The News (Kingston), documenting the human cost of this disaster.

Final Disposition

The wreck of the PRIMROSE remains unlocated, lying somewhere off Point Petre. Its exact position and condition are unknown due to a lack of precise records and the significant passage of time.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Given the Schooner’s age and the harsh underwater environment of Lake Ontario, it is likely that little remains of the PRIMROSE today. The wreck site, if found, would be of considerable interest to maritime historians and archaeologists seeking to understand the design and operation of mid-19th-century Great Lakes schooners.

Resources & Links

•Maritime History of the Great Lakes: Detailed records and historical accounts of Great Lakes shipwrecks.

•Wikipedia – Great Lakes Ships: General information on maritime activity and shipwrecks in the Great Lakes.

•Great Lakes Wrecks Database: A resource for records on various shipwrecks in the region.

Tags

•Type: Schooner

•Location: Lake Ontario, Point Petre

•Year Built: 1844

•Year Sunk: 1844

•Purpose: Cargo transport

•Construction: Wooden, two-masted

Analysis

The loss of the PRIMROSE is a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by early Great Lakes mariners. Built and lost within the same year, the vessel’s brief history highlights the fragility of wooden ships against the unpredictable forces of nature.

The Schooner’s story is further humanized by the accounts of the crew, particularly James Bailey, a young immigrant who perished so shortly after arriving in Canada. The subsequent discovery of wreckage near Wellington brought tangible evidence of the tragedy, emphasizing the Schooner’s ultimate sacrifice to the Great Lakes’ formidable waters.

Though largely forgotten today, the PRIMROSE is a small but significant part of Lake Ontario’s maritime history, serving as a symbol of both the ambition and peril of 19th-century trade and transport.

Conclusion

The PRIMROSE illustrates the perils of maritime navigation during the mid-19th century on Lake Ontario. Its brief existence and tragic end offer insight into the challenges faced by schooners and their crews. As a historical artifact, the PRIMROSE continues to captivate historians and serve as a somber reminder of the risks inherent in Great Lakes shipping during its formative years.