Memorial to the 12 of the 18 crewmen of the barque Lizzie Bell, wrecked at Ōeo on 24th July 1901. Only six bodies (Jones, Olley, Simmons, Perry, Lang & Chappel) were recovered in time for the Coroner's inquest and initial burial. Two more of the crew (Mulligan & Renier) were later found and buried here. It is suspected the remaining four (Frederickson, Partland, Guy & Bryce) were either not recovered or are also buried in the cemetery but in unmarked graves.
The anchor was recovered from the wreck in the early 1960s and for many years was owned by J. R. Blake of Hawera before being obtained by Mrs C. Patterson who gifted it to the cemetery trustees. It was mounted by the memorial in 1974. The shipwreck and loss of life has been commemorated regularly by the local community, including in 2001, 2019, and by the local Oeo School. In 1988 the last living survivor of the shipwreck, 106-year-old Charles Milton, recalled his memories of the tragedy here.
Ballad of Lizzie Bell
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