The Melancholy Shipwreck of the Gossamer by Tim Brooks 8 published on 2016-05-16T20:12:00Z In the Autumn of 1868 the Clipper Ship 'Gossamer' came second in the unofficial race to bring back from China to London the first tea of the season. Her young and reckless skipper, Captain John Thompson, having made his name, proposed to and married his sweetheart Barbara Kerr. Within three weeks they were setting out together from London on his next voyage. Barbara was to be dropped off in Plymouth. A severe westerly gale was blowing up the English Channel. Most ships put into port to shelter, but the Gossamer was a Clipper Ship with deadlines to meet. This trip didn't go so well...... Genre Folk & Singer-Songwriter