- Type of Memorial
- Board / Plaque / Tablet
- WMR Reference Number
- 11670
- Description
- In the Nave, North Aisle, two brass wall panels with incised memorial inscriptions, rolls of names and maritime images. On the first panel, (west side of bay) is a tripartite design at the top, with an image of a three-masted sailing ship and setting sun in the centre and Greek letters in shell roundels at the sides; the panel has an outer frame represented in the form of a rope punctuated with geometrical bosses . The second panel, east side of bay, has a design at the top centre of two angels bearing an inscribed scroll and other decoration as above.
- Inscription
- 1st plaque: IN MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS, SEAMEN, MARINES & BOYS WHO DIED ON SEPTR 7TH/1870 WHEN H.M.S. CAPTAIN FOUNDERED OFF CAPE FINISTERRE/OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE DISASTER/THE COURT DO FIND THAT HER MAJESTY'S SHIP 'CAPTAIN' WAS CAPSIZED IN THE MORNING OF THE 7TH/SEPTEMBER 1870- BY PRESSURE OF SAIL ASSISTED BY THE HEAVE OF THE SEA AND THAT THE /SAIL CARRIED AT THE TIME OF HER LOSS (REGARD BEING HAD TO THE FORCE OF THE WIND AND/THE STATE OF THE SEA) WAS INSUFFICIENT TO HAVE ENDANGERED A SHIP ENDUED WITH A PROPER/AMOUNT OF STABILITY/THE COURT BEFORE SEPARATING FIND IT THEIR DUTY TO RECORD THE CONVICTION THEY ENTERTAIN/THAT 'CAPTAIN' WAS BUILT IN DEFERENCE TO PUBLIC OPINION EXPRESSED IN PARLIAMENT; AND/THROUGH OTHER CHANNELS AND IN OPPOSITION TO THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS OF THE CONTROLLER/AND HIS DEPARTMENT AND THE EVIDENCE ALL TENDS TO SHOW THAT THEY GENERALLY DIS-/APPROVED OF HER CONSTRUCTION./IT FURTHER APPEARED IN EVIDENCE THAT BEFORE THE 'CAPTAIN' WAS RECEIVED FROM THE CONTRACTORS/A GRAVE DEPARTURE FROM HER ORIGINAL DESIGN HAD BEEN COMMITTED, WHEREBY HER DRAUGHT/OF WATER WAS INCREASED ABOUT 2 FEET,/AND HER FREEBOARD WAS DIMINISHED TO A CORRESPOND/ING EXTENT, AND THAT HER STABILITY PROVED TO BE DANGEROUSLY SMALL/COMBINED WITH AN AREA OF SAIL UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES EXCESSIVE/: THE COURT DEEPLY REGRET THAT IF THESE/FACTS WERE DULY KNOWN AND APPRECIATED/THEY WERE NOT COMMUNICATED TO THE OFFICER IN/COMMAND OF THE SHIP, OR THAT, IF OTHERWISE, THE SHIP WAS ALLOWED TO BE EMPLOYED/IN THE REGULAR SERVICE OF THE FLEET BEFORE THEY HAD BEEN SUFFICIENTLY ASCERTAINED BY CALCU-/LATION AND EXPERIMENT/LIST OF OFFICERS/ (Names)
2nd plaque: THE SEA GAVE UP THE DEAD/ LIST OF SEAMEN, MARINES & BOYS, WHO DIED ON THE 7TH SEPTR 1870/ WHEN H.M.S "CAPTAIN" FOUNDERED OFF CAPE FINISTERRE/ SEAMEN ARTICIFERS &c/ (Names)/ ROYAL MARINE ARTILLERY & ROYAL MARINES/ (Names)/ BOYS/ (Names)