Primrose (Schooner), sunk, 18 Oct 1844

A fearful storm passed over this town on Friday night, exceeding in violence any we have had to record for years, but fortunately effecting comparatively little damage. The wind changed from east to south about midnight, from which quarter it blew for a couple of hours with considerable force; it then changed to the south-west and west, and raged with great fury, on land un-roofing houses, levelling fences, tearing up trees, &c., and on water endangering every description of vessel. Some damage was done in and near Kingston, but nothing of a serious character. A number of small boats were either broken up or torn from their moorings by the sudden rise of water, which here increased it's height about four feet.
      The large boats would have shared the same fate, but for the promptitude and activity of the shippers, in getting out additional fastenings. The steamer KINGSTON moored in Navy Bay, went ashore and remains "high and dry. The schooner LADY BAGOT came in during the gale, and went ashore on Point Frederick, near the bridge, sustaining, however, no damage. The three-masted schooner INVINCIBLE, which left this port in the evening of Friday, was forced back with loss of fore-top masts and rigging. The LEXINGTON, an American schooner, came in at the same time with nearly a total loss of sails, having also had the greater part of her deck load washed off. The schooner PRIMROSE it is feared, has gone down with all hands. We learn from the Picton Sun that some pieces of a vessel, supposed to have belonged to the PRIMROSE, were picked up on the beach at Wellington. The steamers SOVEREIGN and CHIEF JUSTICE left this port on Friday evening, and the CITY OF TORONTO was on her passage from Toronto -- thus encountered the fury of the gale. The SOVEREIGN took shelter in South Bay, where she rode safely at anchor. The CITY came throughout, though in imminent danger, and the CHIEF JUSTICE ROBINSON, having battled the gale and sea for some time, was forced to return to Kingston. The LADY OF THE LAKE, we regret to hear, was driven on the "bar" at the entrance to Odgensburgh, from which we fear will be impossible to remove without taking out her engine, &c. The steamer TELEGRAPH, has taken the place of the LADY OF THE LAKE in the American Line, and passed downwards last evening. The ROCHESTER, which was reported, in Toronto to have been lost, passed upwards on Tuesday evening, all right. We shall doubtless hear of many more disasters on this lake.
      The News, Kingston
      Thursday, October 24, 1844

      . . . . .

      The PRIMROSE. -- We are sorry that our fears respecting the fate of this vessel were too well founded. She has sunk off Point Petre, and all hands have perished. The names of the unfortunate sufferers were Henry Stanton (master,) William Burlingham, John Trumpour, and James Bailey, the latter was a native of Ballywalter in the County of Down, Ireland, and had only been two and a half years in this country. -- Picton Sun.
      The News, Kingston
      Thursday, November 7, 1844