On board ship was a large crew of 28 together with a few passengers. The ship also contained a mixed cargo of coal, iron, tools, an assortment of crockery, clothing and meat. The ship during the ferocious storm was driven towards a cove near Aberbach, where it capsized. The majority of the bodies were recovered from the cove, Porth Dwgan, near Aberbach, but some were recovered from Aberbach and Abermawr beaches, together with the wreckage from the ship. A number of newspapers reported the shipwreck. The death of Captain C. H. N. Bowlby was reported in the November 5th 1859 edition of 'The Times' newspaper. The 'Liverpool Mercury' newspaper reported Mr.John Cross, Chief Officer and Mr.John O'Brien, carpenter, aged 26 years as drowned on board the ship 'Charles Holmes'. The bodies washed ashore were buried in the grave at Granston churchyard.

Reference : Shipwrecks Around Wales. Volume 2. (1992). Tom Bennett.