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Fanny Shipwreck

near Alpha Islet, Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1994/01/20

Fanny Shipwreck; Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia, 2007
Cannon
Fanny Shipwreck; Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia, 2007
Stern Post
Fanny Shipwreck; Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia, 2007
Anchor

Other Name(s)

n/a

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1856/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2013/01/11

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Fanny Shipwreck provincial heritage site consists of the remains of the Fanny, a wooden sailing ship built in Quebec in 1856. The vessel foundered off the east side of Discovery Island, immediately east of Victoria, British Columbia, on March 19, 1868. The Fanny is broken into three distinct sections: the bow lies in 12 meters of water at the entrance to the channel between Chatham and Discovery Islands, while the stern and midship sections are found within the bay to the west.

Heritage Value

The Fanny is one of the most fascinating and archaeologically significant shipwrecks in British Columbia. Unknown to local divers until 1988, this shipwreck comprises one of the province's most important underwater collections of nineteenth-century marine artifacts. It is significant as a heritage site because many of the ship's artifacts remain on site and include: brass fasteners, rigging material, the best bower anchor, and the windlass, as well as one of only three cannons ever found on shipwrecks on Canada's west coast.

Additional artifacts, such as yellow metal, iron deck knees, drift bolts and buried hull material are important because they are the only remains which reflect the Eastern Canadian shipbuilding techniques used in Quebec in 1856.

It is notable that although the ship's cargo of coal and its major artifacts were salvaged soon after its loss at Discovery Island near Victoria in 1868, much of the material used in the hull construction remains on site.

Source: Province of British Columbia, Heritage Branch files

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Fanny Shipwreck include:

- The shipwreck's location as a relatively undisturbed, underwater heritage site lying in close proximity to the city of Victoria
- The remains of the vessel and associated marine artifacts, such as fasteners, rigging material, bower anchor and windlass
- The small cannon found on site
- The remaining evidence of the vessel's Eastern Canadian construction, especially the White Oak used in her hull, and the iron knees and yellow metal

Recognition

Jurisdiction

British Columbia

Recognition Authority

Province of British Columbia

Recognition Statute

Heritage Conservation Act, s.9, s.13(1)(a)

Recognition Type

Provincial Heritage Site (Designated)

Recognition Date

1994/01/20

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

1868/01/01 to 1868/01/01
1988/01/01 to 1988/01/01

Theme - Category and Type

Developing Economies
Technology and Engineering
Developing Economies
Communications and Transportation

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Transport-Water
Vessel

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Province of British Columbia, Heritage Branch files

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

DcRt-99

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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