HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-06-24, Page 45"Mahal wreck became bath house
"Where will we go swimming
today - at the Malta or at the
pier?"
That was the question often
asked in the first part of this
century, The -wreck of the Malta
bay jttst out from Mr. Esson's
property later owned by Dr. Wm.
Metcalf north of Delevan St.
Steps weri built down from that
street to the beach and it was a
popular spot in the summer. A
point of land had built up and
children were fond of wading out
in the shallow water while others,
more daring. jumped off the
Matta itself.
It was a wild night when the
Malta came ashore - November
24, 1882 - the wind carried part of
her canvas for blocks. The
Orangemen were _ having a
banquet in T. J. Marks' hall and
they and the local fishermen went
to the rescue. taking off the crew
of 10 (including one woman) and
a parrot by means ofa breeches
buoy attached to a tree from the
boat. And so this three -masted
schooner owned by Captain
Buckley of Chicago was left to
her fate.
The masts were made into
shingles by las. Donaldson; the
cabins which served as bathing -
houses gradually disappeared;
cooking utensils. crocks, lamps
and other furnishings appeared
in homes in the village.
In 1952 the hull floated and was
dashed up against the steps and
another storm took her out and
broke the hull in two a couple of
years later. Half could be seen
under the water a little farther
south.
Once the Malta disappeared so
did the point of land that had been
built up. And then the erosion
became more and more serious
to the north. especially along the
Metcalf and Dr. Smith proper-
ties, at Pioneer Park and even at
the end of Bayfield Terrace
where two full lots were eroded
away .by 1951.
Should we call for Captain
Buckley to return and beach
another ship?.
In the winter of 1974. Mike and
Wes Gozzard were walking along
the beach in Bayfield south of
Cameron Street. There was quite
a stiff off -shore wind that evening
and the Lake (Huron) had
dropped • about a foot. Behind a
massive rock the boys noticed a
wooden object that had become
wedged there. They tied a line on
it and ran excitedly home to tell
This Is the rudder off theill-fated schooner Malta which was
wrecked off of Bayfield. (photo by Milvena Erickson)
their father of their discovery.
Not knowing what had been
found, the boys' father, Ted, went
to see what had caused all the
excitement and on his reaching
the beach with the boys (a matter
of 20 minutes or so). they found
the water had risen back to
normal and had covered the
object. By the aid of a block and
tackle, they, managed to haul the
object onto the beach", and to their
complete and delightful surprise,
discovered that what the boys
had found was the complete 1,500
pound rudder off the -schooner
"Malta" which had gone down in
1882. and washed ashore some
distance north of the find below
Delevan St.
Several methods were tried to
bri :,q. i the rudder up the beach.
bu +y =11 were in vain. it seemed the
' rudder objected strenuously to
giving up its watery grave.
'Finally, with the aid of friends.
they managed to strap the rudder
to some drums. push it into the
lake aid with a boat, towed it into
the Bayfield harbour where it
was lifted out of the Bayfield
River by_.t.travel lift.
The Gozzards poured a cement
base for the rudder to stand in at
the gateway to their residence on
Tuyil Street and faced the rudder
to the south, as they felt that the
ill-fated Malta had been heading
south when she went aground.
Many eerie stories have been
told since the rudder has been
found and mounted, and on a
dark. stormy. windy. rainy night.
the Captain of the Malta has been
seen standing by his rudder.
facing " south with his hand
shading his eyes as though
searching for a port in the storm.
Those who have seen the Captain
believe he is quite satisfied that
part of his schooner is being
preserved.
Another story told by a
gentleman of the 'illage that the
Loyal Orange odge No. 24 of
Bayfield were " "great' for
"putting -on" oyster suppers; and
it is told that one such feast was
being enjoyed in the upper rooms
of what is now Graham's General
Store when the Malta heading
south was wrecked. It is told that
Best Wishes
BAYFIELD
on your
100th
from
TOM CASTLE
FISHERY
south ad* of the
BAYFIELD HARBOUR
"The Malta" was wrecked in 1882 just south of the Hayfield
Harbour. The wreck was used as dressing rooms for bathers
until It broke up.
the Captain of the Malta had seen
the light in the upper rooms and
thinking it to be the light on the
pier at the Port of Goderich.
headed his schooner towards it,
thus going aground and wrecking
- his ship off the foot of Delevan
Street.
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