THE DIARY OF WILLIAM SELLERS

1,913
Jan 11^th. After a period of very mild weather the weather changed quickly. A heavy fall of snow accompanied by a South Easterly gale lasted over the week end. Much damage was done both on land & sea. On the Wolds scores of telegraph & telephone poles were blown down and on Sunday the 12^th Scarborough was left with only one wire in working order.
At Binnington 60 sheep were found dead in a snowdrift.
At sea matters were still worse, wrecks were all round the coast from Bridlington up to Scotland. The sailing ship ‘Kara’ from Monte Video, South America went ashore at Sewerby on Friday the 10^th, the crew of seven being rescued by the Brid. Lifeboat. On Sunday the 12^th the L.S.A. were called out at Speeton at ½ past 10 to search for a steamer drifting round from Flambro. On the first men arriving at the cliff the S. was seen just off Breckon Hole but within two or three minutes was seen to turn completely over. A good lookout was kept on the beach but nothing was seen of the crew and after waiting till 3 o’clock the L.S.A. returned to the station. The Flambro lifeboat was out for several hours but found no sign of the crew who had apparently left in t heir own lifeboat but have not up to the present (21^st) been heard of again. The steamer turned out to be t he Hawkwood of London, was coal laden from Leith, 235 feet long, 33 feet beam, 724 tons nett register and carried 17 hands. Hundreds of tons of the coal were washed up at Filey.
Jan 27^th. With the exception of one man whose body was found near Scarborough the crew of the Hawkwood are still unaccounted for.
A large steamer went ashore at Blurwick near Robin Hood’s Bay.
The crew of 34 reaching the shore safely unaided
Flamborough. Jan 18^th. The Rev. Albert Knight, vicar of Christchurch, Hunslet, Leeds, fell over the cliff near the North Landing while trying to take a flashlight photograph of the cliff. His wife was with him at the time. A reward of £10 was offered for the recovery of the body but up to the present (Jan 27^th.) it has not been recovered.