On Thursday the 7th of August 1862 one of Rees Jones' ferry boats was returning from Porthmadog to Harlech with nine passengers and two half barrels of porter. The wind had risen quite roughly from the south-west direction but no one thought there was any danger. . . . . .
Towards the middle of the trip the wind picked up even stronger creating large waves and it became impossible to handle the boat. Soon the boat filled with water and capsized throwing everyone into the water.
Another ferry boat was approaching from not far away and was sailing as fast as they could hoping to save the unfortunate passengers. The crew of that ferry described that they could see the people on the surface of the water for a few minutes with their arms flailing and screaming in terror. Only two were saved, namely Rees Jones, the owner of the ferry and Ann Lewis, Llechwedd, Harlech. The other eight had to surrender to the depths. On Friday morning seven bodies were found on the beach.
On Monday the 11th, an inquest was held before Griffith Williams (coroner), a jury with Edmwnd Edwards, Plas Uchaf, chief juror. The verdict was - 'accidentally drowned'.
Those who lost their lives were - John and Rees Jones, two sailors and sons of Robert Jones, Felin y Brenin, Dyffryn Ardudwy; Arthur Jones, grandson of Rees Jones, ferry keeper; Dorothy, wife of Evan Lloyd, Llechwedd; Griffith and John Edwards, sons of William Edwards, Cwrt Rasus; Ann Williams, Llanllyfni and Jane Parry, Yr Ynys whose body was not found.
Ieuan of Eifion sang a long ballad about the disaster and here are some verses:
Ar unwaith Gymru annwyl
Yn suful cydnesewch,
Rhyw destun prudd alarnad
Ar ganiad yma gewch.
Am ddyfroedd mawr y canaf
Fel gallaf yn ddi-gudd;
Brynhawn dydd Iau bu'n galed
Sef Awst y seithfed dydd.
Roedd deg mewn cwch yn croesi
Mewn fferi, y Traeth Mawr,
A'u bwriad oedd yn union
Am Feirion wiwlon wawr.
Hwy aent iír cwch yn llawen
Gan feddwl cyrraedd tir,
Ond wyth o'r deg fu foddi
O'r fath galedi clir.
Y cwch pryd hyn ddymchwelodd
Gan nerth y gwyntoedd mawr,
A'i donnau gwyllt aflonydd
Anedwydd oedd yr awr.
'Rolygfa oedd dorid calon
I ddynion mae'n ddiau
Gweld deg heb obaith bywyd,
Er hynny achubwyd dau;
Rees Jones a gwraig mae'n hysbys
Yn ol ewyllys Duw,
Un Robert Parry ddarfu
Eu codi i fyny'n fyw.
Dau fab o Forfa Harlech
A dau o'r Dyffryn draw,
Ac wyr Rees Jones y fferi
Hwn oedd o'r lle gerllaw;
Y wraig o ardal Harlech
Jane Parry o'r Ty Gwyn
Merch arall o Lanllyfni
Maent oll dan gloau'r glyn.
Jane Parry's Body Found Following Ferry Tragedy
North Wales Chronicle, (Oct 4th 1862) A translation of what appeared in the paper.
PORTMADOC.
BODY FOUND. - Our readers will remember the dire disaster that happened a few weeks ago to the Porthmadog Ferry, when eight people were swept away without thought or preparation. All the bodies were found except one, that of Jane Parry, a hatter, who lived in Tygwyn, on the Meirionnydd side of the river. This girl's case was sad and hurtful to the extreme. She was the main helper of her mother who was a widow, and she was very highly respected by everyone and was looked upon as a wise and good young woman. She was about to be married to a ship’s captain and the purpose of her trip to Porthmadog was to buy a wedding dress etc., dreaming of the groom who was waiting for her. Last Friday, an old man called Griffith Morris, a small farmer living in Morfa Bychan, was collecting seaweed along the seashore when he found the body of the deceased lying on the beach, and as it happened he recognized it. He picked up the body and placed it in the cart, and immediately headed for Porthmadog to inform the police of the circumstances. Many people came to surround the cart, and a feeling of sadness was felt by all at such an untimely death. The body was taken to Ynyscynhaearn Parish Church, to await an inquest from the coroner, before H. Hunter Hughes, Esq., which took place last Saturday where a verdict of 'Had Drowned' was given.