List of shipwrecks in 1881

The list of shipwrecks in 1881 includes all ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1881.

January

Eleanor ( United Kingdom): Ran aground at Leestone Point, Kilkeel, Ireland. Ship a complete wreck.^[1]
Telegraph ( United Kingdom): Ran aground at Cooley Point, Ireland. Salvaged but beyond economical repair and scrapped.^[1]

HMS Doterel, ( Royal Navy): Sank at anchor off Punta Arenas after an explosion with the loss of 143 lives. There were 12 survivors.

Tararua ( United Kingdom): A passenger steamer struck the reef off Waipapa Point in the Catlins, New Zealand on 29 April 1881, and sank the next day, in the worst civilian shipping disaster in New Zealand's history. There were 131 deaths, with only 20 of the 151 passengers and crew surviving.

Princess Victoria ( United Kingdom): A passenger steamer capsized and sank from overloading in the Thames River, near London, Ontario. Around 182 people drowned, of the 600 onboard.^[2]

Alexandre Smyers ( Belgium): Foundered off Hanstholm, Denmark. Crew rescued by Orlando.^[3]

Henry Edye ( Belgium): Passed the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom, no further trace. Believed to have foundered in the Atlantic Ocean on or about 27 November.^[4]

Barque Barbara ( United Kingdom): Dragged her anchor and drifted onto rocks at Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire. Although her captain drowned, the other 15 crew were rescued.^[5]

Archiduc Rodolphe ( Belgium): Sank in river Scheldt after collision with SS Stephenson. Wreck raised in 1898 and scrapped.^[6]

^ ^a ^b Patton, Brian (2007). Irish Sea Shipping. Kettering: Silver Link Publications. pp. 178–84. ISBN 978 1 85794 271 2.
^ Looker, Janet (2000). "A Victorian Capsizal". Disaster Canada. Lynx Images. pp. 8–12. ISBN 1-894073-13-4.
^ "Belgian Merchant P-Z". Belgische Koopvaardij. http://www.belgischekoopvaardij.net/belgian%20Merchant%20%20P-Z.pdf. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
^ "Belgian Merchant H-O". Belgische Koopvaardij. http://www.belgischekoopvaardij.net/belgian%20merchant%20H-O%2024.5.04.pdf. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
^ Hughes, John (August 2009). "Time and tide". Pembrokeshire Life (Newcastle Emlyn: Swan House Publishing): 21.
^ "Belgian Merchant A-G". Belgische Koopvaardij. http://www.belgischekoopvaardij.net/belgian%20merchant%20A-G%2023.5.04.pdf. Retrieved 1 October 2010.