There are a few accounts of Ships wrecked near Llansantffraed one of the earliest was a ship carrying salt in November of 1744.
The following account is taken from a handwritten account found in the Cardiganshire Quarter Sessions Records, of that date. There were fierce storms in Cardigan Bay and over a period of a few days a number of local ships came to grief.
Griffith David of New Quay master of the open boat called the Hopeful burthen of ten tons or there about and Henry Davies now a prisoner in in the county goal of Cardigan , came this day into court and made oath that on the 1st of September last there was put on board the Hopeful from the salt works in Liverpool 300 bushels of white salt refined from rock for transportation to Newquay which was to be used for curing fish for export to foreign markets.
The vessel set sail from Liverpool on the 15th day of September they met with a violent gale from the North West which drove them onto the shore at Llansantffraed in the County of Cardigan. Two hundred bushels of salt were lost, the remaining 100 bushels which was contained in barrels was washed up on the shore at Llansantffraed and vigilent excise men were detailed to rescue it.
These accounts were faithfully recorded as salt was subject to a considerable duty.
The 157 ton Albion of Llansantffraed sailed from Cardiff to Demerara in August 1867 and arrived safely, one sailor was left in hospital there, the ship left for home. En route on 10th January 1868 the crew spotted a dismasted vessel, the Zero of Newfoundland on voyage to Nova Scotia. The Albion launched her boat and brought the crew of nine to safety these together with the crew of eight already aboard must have made conditions very difficult for the next two weeks. On the 28th Jan the Albion herself had to be abandoned. The men were however rescued by the American ship Bombay, bound for Newark N.J. There the Albion’s crew split up, some returning to Briton, the others sailing to New Orleans.
NB From the time a ship was lost the pay for the crew stopped, to return home they had to wait until they could find a ship to work their passage, the only crew member for which the owner was responsible for getting home was an apprentice.
An Inquiry On June 23rd 1875 Into the Loss Of The Majestic On The Coast Of Brazil
Found The Master In Default For Both Negligence And Drunkenness His Certificate was Cancelled and he was discharged in Brazil.
The schooner Aretas set sail from Portmadoc to Hamburg went ashore on Tershelling Island. a total wreck. Five men were drowned and only the mate was saved. The Captain, Mr William Thomas, brother to Mr Thomas, painter, Great Darkgate St, Aberystwyth and three of her crew are from Aberystwyth .
The Captain had his little boy with him, and he also drowned.
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