Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mary Ann Lydon
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner
- Year Built: 1874
- Builder: W. Yewell at Pontine shipyard
- Dimensions: Approx. 121 ft × 26 ft × 10 ft (36.9 m × 7.9 m × 3.0 m); ~245 gross tons
- Registered Tonnage: 245 gross tons
- Location: South shore of Lake Ontario near Grand View Beach
- Official Number: C71162
- Original Owners: John Syden, J. Leydon, J. Lydon, J.F. Sowards
- Number of Masts: Two (some sources mention three)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-to-late 19th-century two-masted wooden schooner primarily used for regional cargo trade on Lake Ontario.
Description
Built with sturdy wooden construction and two masts, the Mary Ann Lydon had a single deck and held nearly 245 tons gross. She was capable of carrying general bulk cargoes such as lumber or grain.
History
- 1874: Launched and enrolled in Port Hope, Ontario.
- 1878–1879: Ownership continued under J. Leydon and J. Lydon in Port Hope.
- 1883: Lost the topmast head at Oswego, but underwent major repairs in 1884.
- 1884: Aground at Weller’s Bay, Lake Ontario, but successfully refloated after repairs.
- 1908: Went ashore about 4 miles west of Charlotte, NY; refloated with assistance in the spring of 1909.
- Post-1910: Converted to schooner-barge operations under new U.S. owner J.F. Sowards (Kingston).
Significant Incidents
- Grounded in 1908 and underwent repairs.
- Converted to a schooner-barge after 1910.
Final Disposition
On 14 October 1912, during a severe autumn storm, the Mary Ann Lydon was driven ashore on Lake Ontario’s south shore near Grand View Beach (Charlotte, NY vicinity). She broke apart in heavy surf and was declared a total loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No recorded discovery or archaeological assessment; likely remains in shallow beach zones, heavily fragmented and inaccessible.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mary-ann-lydon-c-71162″ title=”References & Links”]
The Mary Ann Lydon, a 19th-century schooner-turned-barge, endured multiple groundings, repairs, and a conversion before her final wreck in a fall storm in 1912. Her career reflects common patterns of vessel reuse and adaptation, ultimately ending amid Lake Ontario’s unpredictable autumn weather. Physical remnants are likely nonexistent today, but her operational history enriches the maritime timeline of the region.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mary Ann Lydon
- Official number: C71162 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Year built: 1874, Port Burwell, Ontario by W. Yewell at Pontine shipyard (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner, two-masted (some sources mention three, but registry records list two) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Dimensions: Approx. 121 ft × 26 ft × 10 ft (36.9 m × 7.9 m × 3.0 m); ~245 gross tons
- Decks: 1
- Original owner: John Syden (registered in Port Hope, Ontario)
- Date lost: 14 October 1912
- Location: South shore of Lake Ontario (Gudrances report suggests near Charlotte, NY area/Grand View Beach) (navalmarinearchive.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Loss type: Driven ashore and wrecked in a storm
- Cargo & casualties: Cargo not recorded; loss-of-life information unavailable (likely none)
Vessel Type
A mid‑to‑late 19th-century two-masted wooden schooner primarily used for regional cargo trade on Lake Ontario.
Description
Built with sturdy wooden construction and two masts, the Mary Ann Lydon had a single deck and held nearly 245 tons gross. She was capable of carrying general bulk cargoes such as lumber or grain.
History & Chronology
- 1874: Launched and enrolled in Port Hope, Ontario.
- 1878–1879: Ownership continued under J. Leydon and J. Lydon in Port Hope.
- 1883: Lost the topmast head at Oswego, but underwent major repairs in 1884.
- 1884: Aground at Weller’s Bay, Lake Ontario, but successfully refloated after repairs.
- 1908: Went ashore about 4 miles west of Charlotte, NY; refloated with assistance in the spring of 1909 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, navalmarinearchive.com).
- Post-1910: Converted to schooner-barge operations under new U.S. owner J.F. Sowards (Kingston) (navalmarinearchive.com).
Final Disposition
On 14 October 1912, during a severe autumn storm, the Mary Ann Lydon was driven ashore on Lake Ontario’s south shore near Grand View Beach (Charlotte, NY vicinity). She broke apart in heavy surf and was declared a total loss .
Located By & Date Found
No recorded discovery or archaeological assessment; likely remains in shallow beach zones, heavily fragmented and inaccessible.
Notmar & Advisories
There are no specific Notices to Mariners for this wreck. However, Lake Ontario’s south shore is known for strong seasonal storms and shallow shoals. Mariners should heed standard autumn storm advisories.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – “Mary Ann Lydon” entry, detailing build, ownership lineage, and wreck events (navalmarinearchive.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Naval Marine Archive, which notes incidents of grounding in 1908 and subsequent barge conversion (navalmarinearchive.com)
Conclusion
The Mary Ann Lydon, a 19th-century schooner-turned-barge, endured multiple groundings, repairs, and a conversion before her final wreck in a fall storm in 1912. Her career reflects common patterns of vessel reuse and adaptation, ultimately ending amid Lake Ontario’s unpredictable autumn weather. Physical remnants are likely nonexistent today, but her operational history enriches the maritime timeline of the region.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Keywords: schooner‑barge, Port Burwell build, Grand View Beach wreck, Lake Ontario storm
- Categories: Wooden cargo schooners, early 20th-century wrecks, autumn weather losses
- Glossary:
- Schooner-barge: A sailing vessel converted to tow service.
- Grounded: Driven ashore or onto submerged terrain by wind or wave.
- Notmar: Notice to Mariners, official navigational safety communication.