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Isles of Scilly mark anniversary of shipwreck

David Dixon
BBC News, Cornwall
Scilly Arts and Heritage A Victorian era etching of a passenger - She has sails and a two funnels which are spewing smoke as she steams through the oceanScilly Arts and Heritage
Like many ships of her time, SS Schiller used a combination of sail and steam power

Ocean liner SS Schiller sank close to the Isles of Scilly on the night of 7 May 1875, with the loss of more than 300 lives including about 50 children.

The ship went down close to Bishop Rock in thick fog and heavy seas resulting in one of the worst disasters in British maritime history.

Rescuers tried to reach people, but only 15 survived and many of the bodies were recovered to the Isles of Scilly.

A series of events are taking place to mark the anniversary including a commemorative service at sea.

Rescue efforts

According to Visit Scilly, the luxury German liner was often referred to as the "Victorian Titanic".

Bound for Hamburg from New York, it struck the Retarrier Ledges near Bishop Rock Lighthouse, killing 311 people, which made it the second-worst shipwreck recorded in the islands' history.

Gig crews from Bryher and St Agnes joined the rescue efforts alongside luggers from Sennen Cove in Cornwall to try to save people.

Many of those who died in the tragedy were laid to rest in two mass graves at Old Town Church in St Mary's.

Scilly Arts and Heritage A Victorian era picture shows a group of men digging a large grave with pickaxes. It's in the St Mary's Old Town Church on The Isles of Scilly Scilly Arts and Heritage
Many of the bodies were recovered to the Isles of Scilly but because of the number who had died some were buried in a mass grave in Old Town Church on St Mary's in 1875

Lydia Bassett, director of Scilly Arts and Heritage which is putting on a series of events to mark the anniversary, said: "Estimates of the death toll vary from 301 up to 335 because although the ship had a manifest of passengers and crew some of the people on board were working passage - meaning they were working for a free trip across the ocean and some of these weren't documented.

"There also may have been some stowaways on board."

On Saturday a commemorative boat service will take place at sea to remember those who were lost and the courage of rescuers.

Held over the Western Rocks in collaboration with St Mary's Boatmen's Association, it will be led by Chaplain Elizabeth Burke and Bishop Hugh Nelson.

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