Other Names #
- MARY TAYLOR – Rebuilt on
- ANNABELLA CHAMBERS
History #
The Ann Bell Chambers, also known as Annabella Chambers and previously built as Mary Taylor, was a wooden schooner. It had an official number “C” and had a tonnage of 40 tons. The exact date and location of its construction are unclear, but it is believed to have been built before 1850 in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
On October 30, 1873, the Ann Bell Chambers was caught in a storm near the edge of Toronto Bay on Lake Ontario. The schooner was carrying a cargo of cordwood and was bound from Frenchman’s Bay to Toronto. During the storm, the vessel lost some of its sails and went ashore near the lighthouse. Tragically, two of the four crew members on board lost their lives. One crew member was washed overboard, while a 15-year-old boy froze to death. The captain of the schooner, William Edwards, survived, but another crew member attempted to find a safe passage into the bay in a small boat.
The wreck of the Ann Bell Chambers was discovered by three men who were working on a steam dredge in the bay near the western point of the Toronto Island. They went to the stranded vessel’s aid and found the captain lashed to the rigging, holding his deceased son in his arms. The rescuers cut them loose and brought them ashore. The captain was taken to the Lighthouse keeper’s cottage, where he regained consciousness after receiving medical attention.
The exact cause of the schooner’s loss is unclear, but it is believed that the vessel was driven ashore due to the storm and the loss of some of its sails. The wreck of the Ann Bell Chambers was eventually broken up by the force of the waves.
The schooner was owned by Mr. Bell Chambers of Frenchman’s Bay, Ontario, and its master was Captain William Edwards.
