The ‘ghost ship’ Mary Celeste was discovered drifting in the Atlantic by Captain David Morehouse of the Dei Gratia on 4 December 1872. On board there were intact provisions, undisturbed cargo, no evidence of violence or theft… and zero crew.

Although some damage to the rigging and open hatches hinted at recent rough weather, nothing suggested a crisis severe enough to justify taking to the lifeboat. One pump had been dismantled and about a metre of water had collected in the hold, but this was neither unusual nor dangerous for a vessel of that size. Crucially, the ship’s papers and navigational instruments were missing, implying a deliberate and orderly departure. 

Nevertheless, no signs of fire, piracy, collision, or structural failure explained why Captain Benjamin Briggs, his wife, their two-year-old daughter, and seven experienced crewmen had deserted a floating refuge for a far riskier open boat.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly pore over the case that captured the Victorian imagination; explain how Arthur Conan-Doyle kickstarted some internet conspiracies; and consider some of the fruitier explanations for the mystery… 

Further Reading:

• ‘Mary Celeste, The 'Ghost Ship' Found Abandoned In The Atlantic’ (All That’s Interesting, 2022): https://allthatsinteresting.com/mary-celeste

• ‘From the Mary Celeste to the USS Cyclops: The ships which disappeared or were found abandoned’ (Daily Mail Online, 2023): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12218135/From-Mary-Celeste-USS-Cyclops-ships-disappeared-abandoned.html

• ‘The True Story of the Mary Celeste’ (Smithsonian, 2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTb54_gLd5Q

#Mystery #Victorian #Strange

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

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