Marine Historical Society, for access to two of his more than 300 paintings of Great Lakes ships. As well, I must also acknowledge William Nieuwland, an artist acquaintance and Friend of the Wexford, from nearby Grand Bend. These artists have created spectacular images of the Wexford in her final moments that convey that unholy wedlock of beauty and terror on the storm-swept seas with dramatic intensity. These renderings truly speak a thousand words.
From the Friends of the Wexford in Grand Bend, I must also acknowledge the interest and support of wreck-finder Don Chalmers and activist/writer David Bannister, who has allowed me to use his own summary of the events in those early days as an appendix in this book.
From the diving community, Doug Taleski, Steve Wilke, Jim and Pat Stayer, Dan Thomas, Paul Schaus, and Jim Clarey, along with those mentioned in the text of the manuscript, provided information or pointed me in the right direction on matters related to the wreck itself. Dr. Peter McLean Millar has offered encouragement and additional insights. Paul Padfield, a local diver, warrants commendation for his diligence in the creation of visual survey records for the Wexford. Paul and his son, with help from some divers from Deep 3 Scuba, London, completed the first underwater maps or plans of the wreck, and identified key areas that required further detailed study. Paul’s work has been meticulous. And, of course, Bob Carey, longtime Wexford hunter, must be acknowledged for his diligent persistence and his unbridled enthusiasm for the whole project, as holder of the official survey licence for the wreck documentation.
Mike and Georgann Wachter, of Erie Wrecks fame, the best-known divers on Lake Erie, and guests of one of our Goderich Marine Heritage Festivals held a few years ago, offered insight into the state of the Wexford as she sits today, and provided access to a series of wonderful still photographs of the wreck, as well as some underwater video that I have consulted during my research.
Lawrence Brander, Les Begarnie, and Mike Hughes, all of whom consented to be interviewed about the widely proclaimed Bill Humphries Wexford discovery of the 1970s, must also be recognized.
Brian Prince, current president of Save Ontario Shipwrecks (SOS), has been unselfish in sharing thoughts about shipwreck preservation efforts, the involvement of the SOS (of which I am a member) in the evolution of legislation, and its partnership with government agencies in protecting our underwater heritage and educating the diving public about low-impact diving.
My good friend and sailing colleague, Don Bamford, with whom I have interrupted this Wexford quest to co-author two books, has also been a helpful inspiration as I complete this current project. Other friends, including Ron Lee, Jay Poulter, Robin Wilson, and Mike Scott, have responded to a number of oddball enquiries for help on short notice, back in the days when I was active with the local side-scanning group and still pulling my basic research files together. A sailing acquaintance, Mike Earle, has taken time to complete a sophisticated mathematical analysis of the flotation capacities of ice-encrusted metal.
A neighbour, Captain Laird Fulford, offered a few wise comments that he has probably long forgotten; retired mariner Doug Graham offered insights into the numerous area Mac/McDonald clans; and acquaintance Phil Gemeinhardt, a collector of shipwreck memorabilia and member of the Bayfield Historical Society, shared important information about Wexford artifacts and his own search for materials washed up along the shoreline after the Great Storm.
The editing and publishing process requires diligent attention to detail. Once again it is necessary to acknowledge the guidance of publisher Barry Penhale from the wonderful publishing house, Natural Heritage Books, a member of the Dundurn Group, and his partner, Jane Gibson, whose penchant for detail in the editing process is remarkable. They are both masters of their art. My copy editor, Allison Hirst, has also offered her amazing talent for ensuring coherence and consistency throughout the text. Her powers of observation and co-relation are astounding. Her work has certainly strengthened the text. Captain Robinson, marine historian Ron Beaupre, and Mel Wilson, a retired engineer and toolmaker from the British Mercantile Service, were also kind enough to read the manuscript at its final stages; Bud and Ron for technical aspects related to marine terminology and Mel for accuracy of the language of the sea and lexicon.
The Wexford under repair in Collingwood Harbour, recorded as being there in the “late season, 1903.” Note the old-style fisherman-type anchors slung over the bow and four lifeboat stations, two of which were removed in this refitting. This photograph is from the Huron Institute Collection and is the second earliest photo of the newly arrived ship at the time of her refitting at the Collingwood Shipyards. The image shows important details about her early structure before changes made in 1904.
Courtesy of Collingwood Museum, X974-731-1.
As the final editing process began, I decided that we should have one more look, in the United Kingdom, for any additional records that might shed new light on the Wexford’s appearance or shipping history. I had already exhausted the possibility of finding new photographic records in Sunderland, where she was built, but hired a researcher, Merilyn HywelJones, through my good friend Jocelyn Wingfield, both of whom helped me with research for the book Four Years on the Great Lakes: The Journal of Lieutenant David Wingfield, RN. (Merilyn dug up Wingfield’s actual naval service record for me and my co-author, Don Bamford.) While it was apparent that the collection at the National Maritime Museum did not hold any records related to our Wexford, it was still possible that the London Guildhall Library might hold a surprise or two. She found references noting that the Wexford was registered at Liverpool, rather than London, from 1890-1900, and that the period during which the Wexford was sold to a French company (in 1900), she was registered as the Elise in Dunquerque (Dunkirk). There were no photographs or pictorial records from this era. A further search by Jeremy Smith, assistant librarian at the London Metropolitan Archives, also revealed no new information. A last ditch effort has been undertaken at Liverpool. I am awaiting information from the Merseyside Maritime Museum at Liverpool to see if their archives contain any additional relevant information.
There are others whose names I have surely missed. There was such a flurry of helpful activity after the announcement of the wreck of the Wexford being found. One enthusiastic Canadian diver, for example, sent me exceptional underwater photos to be used in any way I saw fit, but his name, for whatever reason, does not appear in my records anywhere. In the mass of material I have collected, I have been able to document sources, including page numbers, where available, for most citations. In a few cases, news clippings have been given to me without the name of the source newspaper, or without a page number. In these cases, I have used the information, but indicated in a note that the data is unsourced. If I have inadvertently left out a necessary credit, please contact me or the publisher to have the omission rectified in the event that there are future reprints of this book.
Finally, I wish to acknowledge the support of the Corporation of the County of Huron Heritage Fund, the Corporation of the Town of Goderich, and the Huron County Historical Society for their generous financial support, which has made the inclusion of the colour plates section of this book possible.
For all of this support, I am truly grateful.
My late uncle, Captain Albert Roy Munday (1919–2008) was a dedicated seaman. He knew the waters of the Great Lakes well, having plied their full extent over many years. He also knew the temperament of the oceans, salty channels, and the adjacent seas — gleaned from the war years, when he served in the Royal Canadian Navy, from 1939 through the mid-1940s.
A British citizen, he had come to Canada with his parents, Bertram Roy Munday and Daisy May Whitehouse,
