This document is a page from a notebook kept by Dr. John Sharp. Dr. Sharp was one of the Trustees of the Lord Crewe’s Charity. He set up a charity to support shipwreck survivors by allowing them to stay at Bamburgh Castle for no cost for up to seven days after being shipwrecked.

The notebook records information about wreckage washed ashore. The wreckage was collected and put in a store room in Bamburgh Castle for up to a year and a day. It was hoped that the wreckage would be claimed by the owner. At the bottom of the page we learn that in 1762 half a boat was brought to Bamburgh Castle. 

An Account of such pieces of  

Wreck of different kinds drove ashore on 

the Manor of Bambrough, as also 

of Things taken up at sea near 

the said shore, which are liable 

to be claimed by the owners, & 

are therefore deposited in  

the Wreck Room & Store-room 

of Bambrough, to be kept for  

a year & a day, if not sooner  

claimed. together with an 

attested acct of the several times  

when they were respectively brought 

to the Castle. 

No. 1. Half a Boat brought to the Castle  

on or before the [blank] day of [blank] 

1762 

Witness 

The Charity also paid for the burial of bodies of shipwrecked sailors. A local carpenter built the coffins and the bodies were buried in Bamburgh Parish Church. The notebook records the money spent on arranging these burials.  

Octr. 1763  Acct. of Mariner’s  

buried at Bambrough. 

4 Octr. Tues. No. 1. 

A Mariner sent from Budle 

by Mr. Banjamin Grieve and buried 

at his Expence, Coffin & c. found & 

fees paid. A remarkable [   ] Man, 

His Name Matthew Wake, mate of the Nicholas. 

Octr. 5 Wed. No. 2.    X 

Two mariners buried this afternoon 

By whom) 

     Found) 

 Cloathes) 

disposed) 

1. of)

                                                                               £ 

Expences) To Mary Bironel (?) a shirt                0-1-6  

To Barbara Morton a sheet 0-2-6  

To Robt.  Jno. Winlow a Shirt, Sheet, Cap)       0-2-6 

 & Neckcloth) 

To Barty Y[oun]ghusb[an]d. a coffin                 0-4-0 

                                                                               0-10-0