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From Sydney to Morpeth 1840's
Accident at Morpeth Wharf 1852
The Sophia Jane
The 'Sophia
Jane' was the first working steamer to be seen in
Sydney Harbour. She arrived from England in May 1831
after being built by Barnes and Millar in 1826. She
was 153 tons and had one engine of 50 horse power.
While the 'Sophia Jane'
was having her paddles fitted in readiness for her
maiden voyage another steamer made its first voyage
- the 'Surprise' set off for Parramatta amid a
volley of smoke and steam on 1st June, thereby
becoming the first steam powered vessel in
Australia. When the 'Sophia Jane' was launched later
in June 1831 the 'Australian' reported:
Steam navigation will help greatly to raise the
character of this Colony abroad, and to improve it
at home. The addition of such a vessel as the
'Sophia Jane'
to our coasting trade is a most gratifying event. It
is almost in the trading world what a new governor
would be in our political hemisphere. A fresh spirit
will be infused into all our settled and unsettled
district that can be approached by water. Persons
will shortly be able, we expect, to breakfast in
town, lunch at Newcastle, dine at Port Stephens, and
put up comfortably at Port Macquarie next
morning, at half the present expense and in quarter
the time, for the journey to Wallis's Plains. Should
she not find enough to do between this and Newcastle
the route to and from Hobart Town lies open, and the
Western Port, when the fine line of coast about
there shall be settled.'
The 'Sophia Jane' was said to be of very beautiful
build and a good sea boat. She was commanded by Lieutenant Edward
Biddulph R.N. who was also part owner. The whole of her deck was 126
feet; her breadth 20 feet and could travel eight miles an hour in smooth
water. She was originally constructed for the almost exclusive
accommodation of passengers and her principal employment had been in
conveying passengers between England and France. No expense had been
spared in fitting her out and the apartments were said to be of the
finest description. There were three separate cabins (one for gentlemen,
one for ladies and one for steerage). Sixteen beds could be made up in
the gentlemen's room, 11 in the ladies and 20 in steerage. In an
emergency extra beds could be prepared making a total accommodation of
54. Her value was estimated to be £7,500 and
she arrived from England with an experienced engineer and a duplicate
set of all the necessary apparatus. She was considered very fast and
could make the 60 miles between Newcastle and Sydney in under 8 hours.
The Sydney Gazette reported the following article in 1831 -
'Yesterday was a proud day for Australia, a day that ought to be placed
high in the calendar of her improvements - a day to which her sons and
daughters if alive to the true interest of this country, will in future
years look back with admiration. The first efficient exhibition of steam
navigation in this fifth quarter of the world was beheld by the select
few who had adventured on board the Sophia Jane on Friday the
11th day of June. The Sophia Jane put forth all her powers. She
showed what the ingenuity of man had been able to contrive - to dispense
with oars and canvas and to urge rapidly onward, in defiance of winds
and weather, a vessel of large dimensions and heavy burthen. Early in
the morning the Captain gave breakfast on board to his Excellency the
Governor and a distinguished party of ladies and gentlemen. The vessel
performed a gentle trip round Dawes Point, Darling Harbour and Goat
Island and in so fine a style that His Excellency and all the
fashionable guests were pleased to express the highest encomiums on the
scientific construction of the vessel, and on the admirable skill with
which she was managed. Soon after 11 o'clock, a signal gun having been
previously fired, the Sophia Jane loosed her moorings in Sydney
Cove, and began her adventurous journey. The manner in which she
threaded her way through the shipping, without any assistance whatever,
filled everyone with admiration. She crept in and out with the utmost
exactness, and when fairly free from the cove her energies were allowed
unlimited play and away she went as on the wings of the wind. Her
velocity was astounding. She actually flew through the water. Before the
passengers well knew they had started, they found themselves abreast of
Pinchgut Island; and ere they had digested this astonishment, they
looked up and lo! they were in the very mouth of the Heads! Here a gun
was fired, and Mr. Watson, the pilot came on board. At 2 o'clock the
company was summoned to the mess room where they found a sumptuous cold
collation, served up under the direction of Mr. Bax, of the
Australian Hotel. Every luxury that could be devised was spread upon
the hospitable table, garnished with the choicest champagne and other
wines, ale porter Etc. The passengers had already seated themselves at
table when they were conscious of a very peculiar motion, the vessel
rolling in the most regular and agreeable manner; but supposing it to be
only imaginary on their sitting down, for the first time, in the cabin,
no particular notice was taken of it; but when the meal was finished,
and they returned on deck, what was their astonishment to find
themselves actually at sea - aye, rolling upon the wide ocean, the
boundless expanse before them and the Sydney Heads far behind. The day
was the most favourable that could be desired. Not a cloud obscured the
sky; the sun shone in all its chastened splendor and a gentle breeze
from the westward seemed to refresh and invigorate the joyous
passengers. Part of the band of the 39th regiment added to the other
delightful pleasure of the excursion the charms of martial music.
On her first voyage to
Newcastle the Sophia Jane left Sydney at 7.13 a.m. and arrived at
the King's Wharf at 3.13 p.m. having been detained a little by towing
another ship to sea. She took another 3 1/2 hours to make the run up the
river to the
Green Hills and was exactly three hours coming down the
river the following day.
In 1842 she was plying regularly between Sydney and Wollongong however
in 1846 her engines were transferred to the newly built
Phoenix and the old Sophia Jane
was broken up. The Phoenix was wrecked on the North Head of the
Clarence River in 1850.
On
30th November 1831 at Carrington the Australian Agricultural Company steamer 'Karuah'
was also launched, although she was not looked on
with such favour as the 'Sophia Jane' or the
'William the Fourth', she was nevertheless an
important addition to the Company's communications
capability. Sir Edward Parry recorded in his diary -
'Our little steamer got under way today for the
first time and paddled about the harbour. I cannot
yet say much for her success, but everything is
stiff and new and we hope to be able to improve her.
I do not think she went above three knots. ' On the
following day she was found to have been greatly
improved by an alteration in her paddle boards and
by working the engine more, taking her speed up to 4
knots.
Some of the excitement felt at the coming of the
paddle steamers can be understood from the following
letter to the Sydney Gazette later in 1831 on the
imminent launching of colonial built
William IV:
'I, with pleasure take up my pen, to describe the
gratifying sight I have this day enjoyed. Many of
your readers, I am inclined to think , only know the
Williams River as a part of the Hunter, while it is
in fact a separate River, emptying itself into the
Coal River; and has from its mouth to Clarence Town
( a distance of about 68 miles), a depth of from
four to five fathoms, of water, without a single
rock or bank to impede its navigation. On the right
bank of this noble river, now well named after our
most gracious Sovereign, and adjoining to Clarence
Town, the township of the Parish of Uffington in the
County of Durham, Messrs, Marshall And Lowe,
shipwrights have in their yard on the stocks a steam
vessel nearly finished to be called the William the
Fourth.
This colony can now boast of being able to build her
own steamers, and these with her own indigenous
timber, the flooded gum, which Messrs Marshall and
Lowe, declare is equal to any in the world for ship
building, and particularly for treenails. Whenever
this beautiful vessel may be launched into her
proper element; which it is calculated will be in
about a month, it will be seen that vessels now of
600 tons can be built or completely repaired in the
William River quicker and cheaper than can be done
in Sydney Cove, a circumstance of the utmost
importance to our whale fishery speculators who I
have not the least doubt will, when they see the
masterly work of the 'William the Fourth' not fail
to vie ample employment to Messrs Marshall and
Lowe'.
Some of the enthusiasm had begun to wear thin by
1834 when the following letter appeared in the
Sydney Herald:
'GENTLEMEN - Very great dissatisfaction has arisen
in the public mind here, in consequence of the
alterations which have taken place in the management
of the steam vessels which ply to and from Hunter's
River, since they changed owners; and
notwithstanding the strong protestations about
"sparing no exertion and expense for the
accommodation of the Public" etc, which appeared
some time ago in the newspapers, when the idea of
monopoly was so amusingly disclaimed, the
arrangements - which were formerly poor enough - are
now so unequivocally bad that many people are
talking of taking the road in preference. On one
occasion, when bed time arrived no clean sheets were
to be had! true, the detention at sea all night was
not anticipated, but such cases should be provided
for; on another occasion, some passengers when they
asked for a towel were coolly presented with the
tail of a shirt! Besides, the fare is very bad , and
refreshments are charged for at an exorbitant rate.
Can the owners suppose that in addition to this the
Public are to be tormented and imposed upon by
vexatious charges upon their luggage and small
parcels - and that the dismissal of so deserving a
favourite as Captain Taggart, for not submitting to
a reduction of pay will be over looked ? They must
bear in mind that a new vessel is on the stocks, and
that public patronage when once lost is not easily
regained, - that they must eventually be the losers
by a niggardly system - and that, whatever their own
opinion may be, we, in this part of the world,
cannot but look upon it as the result of
mismanagement'. - Hunter's River 10th January 1834
The Hunter River
Packet Association was formed in 1834 to provide opposition
for the Sophia Jane and the William the Fourth in trading between Sydney
and the Hunter. A meeting had been held in April 1833 when it was
decided to build a 200 ton steamer in New South Wales to be fitted with
two 40 horse power engines each. Mr. Lowe of Clarence Town tendered to
build the ship and when the machinery had arrived in 1836 it was fitted
in the newly built 'Ceres'. When the Ceres was
wrecked six months later the company was wound up.
The Hunter River
Steam Navigation Company was formed in 1840. A meeting had been
called by John Eales and when the company was approved it was
decided to have built in England three iron steamers. These were to be
the
Rose and
Thistle -
both built by Fairbairn and co on the Thames and the
Shamrock built for Paterson of Bristol.
These additional
steamers in Australia caused much competition in the Hunter River Trade
with other vessels particularly the
Victoria
steamer.
In
1842 the General Steam Navigation Company offered
for sale by auction the whole of their property
consisting of their steam boats 'Victoria', 'Tamar',
'Sophia Jane' and 'Maitland'; the coal barge 'Jolly
Rambler' and the Hulk 'Alexander' together with the
unexpired lease on the company's wharf at Sydney and
Stores at Morpeth.
The Hunter River
Steam Navigation Company became the Australasian Steam Navigation
Company in 1851 and held a monopoly of the Hunter River business as
well as extending their services up and down the coast.
The wharves must have been bustling confusing
places when the steamers came in. Adding to the
confusion were the stage coach owners, vying for the
trade of disembarking passengers. In 1842 James
Stilsby appeared in court on a charge of assaulting
Miss Emma Brown who had been a passenger on the
steamer
Shamrock from
Sydney to Morpeth. It was Stilsby's practice to
seize the luggage of passengers to force them to use
his coach. He had on this occasion 'endeavoured by
force and rudeness to compel her to go as a
passenger in his coach after she had engaged a seat
in a rival vehicle'. Stilsby was fined 40/- for the
assault and the Judge in sentencing remarked that it
was time to put a stop to the rudeness and
ridiculous pretensions of Stilsby who scarcely
allowed passengers a choice of the means of
conveyance but illegally seized their luggage and
used threatening and abusive language in his
endeavour to compel their patronage.'
Disembarking passengers not only had to keep an eye
on their luggage, but also their pockets.
Mr. Wycks
Norton of Newcastle landed in Morpeth on the
Cornubia
steamer in
1846 found on reaching the public street in Morpeth
after pushing his way through the crowd of
Passengers and idlers who stood on the quay that his
pocket book containing £40 had been stolen.
In August 1845,
the proprietors of the Sophia Jane announced
they would have to withdraw her from trade.
Extensive repairs were required 'to a greater extent
than it would be prudent to encounter' and they were
reluctantly compelled to suspend her trips, although
it was contemplated to build a new replacement
Steamer. The Sophia Jane was to leave Morpeth
for Sydney for her last trip soon after the
announcement.
Top
'Thistle'
Captain Pattison (1843), Captain Mulhall (1844, 1848); Principal Engineer
Robert McDougal (1847)
The 'Thistle', under Captain Pattison's command, was
one of only two steamers to ply between Sydney and
Morpeth during the winter of 1843.
She was one of the first ships owned by the Hunter River Steam
Navigation Company and was solid
and two masted with flush deck and replaced. She 'Sovereign' on the Moreton Bay run in 1846. Although she ran aground there in March when Captain Mulhall decided against a pilot,
the settlement was
impressed with her capacity and speed which enabled her
to take wool clip to Sydney at a faster rate than
the 'Sovereign'
In
1846 the following was recorded in the Sydney
Morning Herald:
COLLISION AT SEA: On Saturday night, about
nine o'clock, the steamer Thistle, and a small
cutter called the 'Black Swan', came into contact,
when we regret to say, two lives were lost. The
following is an account of the accident :
'The steamer 'Thistle', Captain Mulhall, left
Newcastle on Saturday evening, at six o'clock, the
24th October 1846, upon her way to Sydney; when off
Bungaree's Nora, about 9 pm was run into
by a small cutter called the 'Black Swan'. The night
being very thick and dark, and the cutter showing no
light, prevented her being seen before she came
close under the bows, when she carried away the
Thistle's bob stay, gib-guys, and top gallant mast.
Hearing a cry for help aboard the cutter, the
'Thistle' lowered the larboard boat, which was no
sooner in the water than she filled and got stove,
losing the oars, and nearly the lives of two men;
cleared away the starboard boat, and sent the second
mate and two hands aboard the Black Swan, who
returned with one man, being the only one left on
board, the others, Nicholas Walsh and one other
having been knocked overboard, it is supposed, by
the main boom, and drowned. They lay to for the
remainder of the night close to the cutter, during
which time she had drifted about seven or eight
miles from Newcastle. At day light, finding that the
cutter had not received much injury, the second mate
of the steamer was sent with two hands and the man
belonging to her aboard, for the purpose of taking
her into Newcastle.
We
the undersigned passengers by the steamer 'Thistle',
upon Saturday night, the 24th October 1846 declare
that the above statement is correct as far as we
were witnesses of the circumstance, and that no
blame is to be attributed to the master or crew of
the steamer, as the cutter showed no light, and the
steamer had a good light and look out at the time
the accident took place. also that the master,
officers, and crew used every endeavour to save the
said cutter and her crew. Signed Richard Windeyer,
G. Morant, Simpson, John B. Smith, Henry Phillips,
Thomas M. Jones, Joseph Forster.'
The 'Thistle' was more fortunate in 1848 when near
Bird Island on a passage from Morpeth the main shaft
broke rendering one paddle wheel useless. She was
delayed five hours while temporary repair measures
were taken and the 'Rose' replaced her run for 10
days while more permanent repairs were finished.
In
December 1848 the 'Thistle' under Captain Mulhall
was reported to have made the trip from Sydney in
under ten hours, the fastest passage for a
considerable time.
Top
Tamar
Captain
Allen (1848), Captain Ellis (1835)
Purchased by J.T. Wilson in 1839. To continue in
Hunter river trade as before.
The 'Tamar' was offered for sale with other vessels
belonging to the General Steam Navigation Company
in 1842.
In 1844 the 'Tamar'
was involved in an accident opposite Mr. Hickeys property. James Coonford had been crossing the river
and although a person on the paddle box of the
'Tamar' called to him repeatedly to 'keep off' he
persisted in coming stern on. His boat struck
against the paddle box and was upset. Every exertion
was made to save the man, the steamer being stopped,
and a boat lowered in two minutes after the accident
had occurred. No blame was attached to any person on
board.
In
1846 the 'Tamar' was owned by The Hunter River Steam
Navigation Company. The crew had a narrow escape
during a storm on the passage from Sydney to Morpeth
on a January afternoon in 1846 when she was
struck by lightning when between Lake Macquarie and
Red Head .
'In consequence of the rain most of the crew had
gone below to shift their clothing with the
exception of the man at the wheel and the engineer;
the captain was walking the poop when the occurrence
took place. the Engineer saw the lightning playing
along the foreyard for some time, and ordered the
firemen to throw fresh fuel on the fires to create
smoke, thinking it would prevent the lightning from
entering the funnel. A few minutes after a heavy
flash struck the throat halyard block of the
foresail, and running down the halyard (a chain
one), shattered the foremast within about four feet
of the deck, where it was surrounded by an iron hoop
to which the belaying pins were attached. The mast
fell over the starboard bow, by which the rail and
bulwarks were smashed. The fore cabin steward was
coming on deck at the time, and narrowly escaped
being crushed; the engineer was standing under the
lee of the starboard paddle box when it occurred,
but luckily escaped uninjured. When the mast fell
the electric fluid is supposed to have passed along
the chain, and over the anchor into the sea. '
She later underwent a thorough repair. The machinery
was taken out and the working parts renewed. New
boilers replaced the old by the Company's engineer,
Mr. Fyfe. She was also strengthened with new
beams in various parts and in June she made an
'experimental trip' a few miles outside the Sydney
Heads. It was expected her speed would be nearly
equal to the Company's iron boats; and her cabins,
for comfort were said to be second to none -
especially the ladies' cabin.
In
August 1849 Captain Allen was in command of the new
steamer the
'Eagle' on her
first trip to Moreton Bay.
Top
Shamrock
Captain
Gilmore 1849
The Shamrock was owned by the Hunter River Steam
Navigation Company. She was rigged as a three masted
schooner, with a raised quarter deck and had been
built in Bristol. In 1843 she replaced the
'Seahorse' plying between Launceston, Melbourne and
Sydney. In February 1846 she was the vessel of
choice for
Rev. Dr. Lang on
his voyage to Port Phillip and Moreton Bay and in
October of that year she landed a party of five
Europeans and ten blacks who were intent on an
expedition to recover a white woman from natives in Gipps Land.
In August 1848 she
was put in to Pyrmont for repairs. New boilers
weighing twenty tons were fitted and the machinery
was taken out and overhauled. Great improvements
were made to her cabin accommodations - the
ladies' cabin was fitted up with ten berths and
situated in the aft part of the poop instead of the
fore. This left a large saloon of 33 ft capable of
accommodating 24 passengers. On each side of the
saloon four spacious state cabins were fitted up in
the best style. On completion of the repairs she was
to resume her trips to Port Phillip.
Top
Ceres
Captain Livingstone, (1836)
The Ceres, commanded by
Captain Livingstone, made a trial trip on Sydney
Harbour on 21st January 1836 and six weeks later
made her first trip to the Hunter River. She was
fast and was said to have only taken 6 1/2 hours
from Newcastle Wharf to Sydney.
Her launching in April 1835 had been a gay affair.
The Sophia Jane, conveying a 'number of
respectable persons' to the launch, arrived in
Green Hills on a Wednesday evening 'amidst the
acclamations of multitudes of spectators who crowded
the eminences and banks of the river on either side.
On Thursday morning they set off for the the
Deptford ship yard of Messrs Marshall and Lowe on
the William River. They moored to the best advantage
to give the ladies a fair view of the Ceres
which was tastefully decorated with flags. The last
block was cut from under and the pride of the Hunter
River Steam Association glided down the
slipway. She was christened with a bottle of fine
old port wine by a daughter of T.M. Winder assisted
by Captain Church. The band played 'God save the
King', 'Rule Britannia' and 'Hearts of Oak' before
the company stepped aboard the Ceres for a
series of Quadrilles, and country dances.
The event was recorded by a correspondent to the
Sydney Gazette:
'In April 1835 the Sophia Jane was engaged to take
the Maitland Cockneys to see this grand sight. A
beautiful day it was, and the numerous and
respectable company seemed determined to enjoy
themselves. Part of the 17th band were engaged, and
quadrilles etc were the order of the day. A pleasing
river is the Williams, and it was a splendid sight
to see the proud boat, stately as a swan wend her
way through the numerous bends of the river - now
narrowing, so that the trees on either side almost
formed a festoon over the vessel - now widening to a
broad lake like sheet of water, with green hills and
white cottages, dotting here and there the verdant
banks. On nearing the yard where the Ceres
was laying on the stocks, a burst of wonder and
delight broke from the admiring spectators; the
noble vessel was seen high in air - ready, at the
word of insignificant man, to dart into her native
element - the wonder and pride of the Hunter. The
grateful ceremony of christening her devolved upon
the fair daughter of Mr. Winder, who with Graceful
timidity, advanced to the platform, laving her sides
(note the lady's, but the boat's) with generous
wine, proclaimed her name to the world. After
partaking of refreshment the company again embarked
and departed for home, the cheerful glass
circulated, and dancing was kept up with spirit. The
military spurs of a certain gent harmonised
admirably with the flowing drapery of a lady
passenger'.
Five months later
the 'Ceres' was wrecked when, after a night of heavy seas,
she was taken between Bird Island and Bungaree Norah
(Norah
Head) and struck a rock. She sank quickly
however all 26 passengers and crew were saved, after
the one life boat on board made four trips back, the
last one taking passengers from the mast as the ship
sank. The 'Sophia Jane' first brought the news to
Sydney after she had passed wreckage known to be of
the 'Ceres'. Two passengers walked to Brisbane Water
from the site of the wreck with dark tales (later
denied) of passengers and children denied
seats on the life boats. Mr. John Korff later
purchased the wreck for 91 pounds. He built a vessel
on the beach from the wreckage of the Ceres and then
took the machinery to Sydney where it was later
installed in the 'Victoria'
Top
'Experiment'
My thanks to Ron Madden for providing
details about the 'Experiment'.
On 18th May 1832, the Australian
reported that (George) Yeomans and (Benjamin) Singleton had built a
large boat to be worked by horse/paddles providing an up river service
on the Williams and Paterson Rivers to connect with the vessel that
arrived at the wharf at Morpeth.
Built at the Deptford Shipyard at the Williams River
by Marshall and Lowe the 'Experiment' was 80 ft in length with beam 12 ½ ft. and drew
2ft of water with 80 tons of cargo. Some difficulty was experienced at
first with the horses but afterwards they made the boat move along at
about six miles per hour. Although a novelty and used in her intended
capacity briefly, she was not a success.
The aptly named 'Experiment' was sailed with considerable
difficulty to Port Jackson where she was
described as a horse boat and briefly operated as a ferry to
Parramatta and back. It was claimed she
was capable of carrying at least one hundred passengers and about 20
tons of cargo. She then briefly
operated as a horse powered
harbour cruise vessel before being was sold to Mr. Edye Manning who
installed a steam engine
Operating
as a steamer between Parramatta and Sydney from 1834, she left Parramatta for Sydney every morning except Sunday. In 1846 she was sent to Moreton Bay and
became the first steamer to ply on the Brisbane River.
From William Lowe; Pioneer
Shipbuilder of Clarence Town, An Australian Bicentennial Project
printed by Craftsman Colour, Newcastle, 1988
Top
Sovereign
Captain Cape 1843 - 1847 (follow the link)
Top
The Phoenix
Captain Wiseman 1848, 1849
In
1846 the Phoenix was launched in Sydney. She was
said to be one of the best specimens of colonial
ship building and Mr. Chowne, the
builder, had taken every care in her construction.
Her draft of water when launched ; was 3'6" forward,
and 4'6" aft ; dimensions: 105 feet keel, 130
feet over all ; breadth of beam, 19' 6 " ; depth of
hold, 9'. The accommodation for passengers was said
to be superior. 12 berths were fitted up in the
ladies' cabin, 16 in the saloon, and 14 in the fore
cabin. The engine belonged to the famous 'Sophia
Jane', that had been launched 15 years before to ply
her trade on the Hunter, but the boilers were newly
made by Mr. Struth.
The 'Phoenix' made an excursion to Wollongong in
October 1846 taking 4 hours to reach her
destination, she had travelled at an average speed
of nine and a half knots. Estimated to be faster
than many of the other steamers, she was to
make her maiden voyage to Morpeth where a large
number of spectators were expected to witness her
debut at the Green Hills.
She commenced her regular trips to the Hunter on
Friday 9th November, 1846 and was despatched on
days on which there was no other steam conveyance
between Morpeth and Sydney. She left Kellick's Wharf
in Sydney every Tuesday and Friday Evening at 8pm
and Anlaby's Wharf in Morpeth every Monday and
Thursday morning at 7am.
In
1849 the 'Phoenix' was involved in the rescue of the
'Lady Clarke' off Nobby's. The 'Lady Clarke' had
left Newcastle for Twofold Bay on a Sunday morning
and after clearing the heads with the wind on the
land it was attempted to put her about without
success. She had drifted on to the reef off Nobby's
before the 'Phoenix' managed to rescue her from her
perilous position. Captain Wiseman received
£20 reward for
his part in the rescue.
She was employed in the Clarence River
trade and the district was deprived of steam communication with southern
districts for some time when the Phoenix was wrecked near the
Clarence on Sunday 3rd March 1850 after a 'terrific squall or
rather a hurricane of wind with driving rains' blew up from the south.
When the Phoenix encountered the gale, being a vessel of small
power in proportion to her size she was unable to work herself off the
land and was driven on shore. She carried on her deck a large cargo of
wool which contributed to her difficulties. The crew and passengers -
Mr. & Mrs. Manning and four children Mr. Birkett and ten in the steerage
were all saved and Captain Wiseman, finding it impossible to save the
ship ran her aground managing to save her cargo as well.
The Phoenix, owned by Messrs E and W.
M. Manning was valued at £6,000 and was
uninsured.
Top
Victoria
Captain Taggart 1842
The Victoria was offered for sale by auction by the
General Steam Navigation Company early in February
1842.
She was described as - 196 ton vessel with two
engines of forty horse power each, with everything
complete and in running order. She had made her
first trip in May 1840 and had never missed her
usual trip of twice a week to and from Morpeth, with
the exception of about six weeks when she was
overhauled, and every part of her machinery was
examined and perfected. She was said to be well
suited to run between port Phillip and Sydney or
between Launceston and Port Phillips.
The Hunter River Gazette recorded later in February
-
'This steamer has resumed her trips between
Sydney and Morpeth; Mr. Edye Manning having made
arrangements to run her in that trade. The
Victoria leaves Morpeth every Monday and Friday
at noon, and Sydney every Wednesday and Saturday.
The public, we have no doubt, will continue to
support this boat as effectually as they have done
hitherto, for independently of her merits as a safe
and certain conveyance, both for passengers and
goods, the benefits derived by the public from
competition have been experienced, in the
reduction of fares for passengers, between Morpeth
and Sydney, first introduced by the Victoria.
Besides this vessel, another day steamer the
Sovereign is also employed in the same trade,
having been first introduced to supply the
deficiency occasioned by the temporary withdrawal of
the Victoria The success she has met with is
such, that we understand she will now be continued
in the trade, and will thus afford great additional
accommodation to the public which we hope they will
know how to appreciate.
A
correspondent to the Hunter River Gazette in
April wrote of her - 'I confess it is not without
some slight emotion, mingled with pride, that I
watch the onward movement of the Lady Queen (Victoria)
as she gallantly sweeps the river, whose rippling
waves as they kiss the shore seem to awaken her
forest subjects with their pendant boughs, to a
graceful but silent homage.. her veteran commander
may not possess the 'Suaviter in modo' of some of
his junior brethren, but if a rigid and unremitting
attention to the duties of his vessel constitute a
claim to public patronage then, of all the sons of
the ocean whose proud barques sweep the waters of
our unrivalled metropolitan harbour, is Captain
Taggart, equalled by few - surpassed by none.
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Maitland
Captain
Parsons (1847) Captain Beel (1850)
The Maitland was launched from the Building yard of Mr. Russell,
at Darling Harbour in 1837 amidst an immense concourse of spectators.
Intended for the Hunter River trade, she was 103 tons with one engine of 60
horse power. She was considered to be a very strong
and substantial vessel. In 1842 she boasted a new
engine of 60 horse power that had been built
expressly for the her (at a cost of three
thousand pounds) by Fawcett, Preston & Co of
Liverpool. The was run regularly between Port
Macquarie and Sydney in 1842.
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Paterson Packet
(1848)
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Huntress
THE OLD STEAMER 'HUNTRESS' - This old craft, which
is perhaps hardly entitled to the term steamer, in
as much as although she was built for one, and has
paddle boxes attached, no machinery was ever placed
in her, seems to have at length found a secure
mooring place, after having for some years kept the
owners of boats on the river in terror by her
vagaries during each fresh. The late flood, like
each fresh, broke her loose from her previous
moorings, but, unlike them, was high enough to take
her on to the flat shingle beach by McDougall's
Falls, where, a lucky ridge of shingle stopping her,
she was stayed, and where she now rests, securely
bedded in mud and shingle, some one hundred feet
from the river. Here she will probably finally fall
to pieces, unless some higher flood comes down and
set her wandering again. It is a great pity
that a claim of some £200 for unpaid work should have
sufficed to prevent any shareholder from interfering
with her even so far as to make use of her as she
is, the dread of this claim and its interest having,
we believe, been the sole cause why the shareholders
declined to have anything to do with her when, a few
years ago, an offer was made by an enterprising man
to put a small engine in her an start her on the
river at his own expense, if secured against old
claims, and allowed to have her rent free for some
time.
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'THE CORNUBIA'
In
February 1846 the Maitland Mercury recorded the
following:
'The 'CORNUBIA' - You
will be gratified to hear that the Cornubia, on her
First trip to the Hunter, has performed exceedingly
well. She left Kelllick's Wharf at 25 minutes to 9
on Monday night and reached Newcastle at 10 o'clock
on Tuesday morning, having had to contend with a
heavy cross sea and the wind right in her teeth the
whole of the way, against which she must have
steamed about 5 1/2 knots per hour, with a full
cargo; thus proving that her qualities as a sea boat
are of no very mean order. At a quarter ebb tide
(thanks to the dredge) the Cornubia went swimmingly
over the Flats. This promises well for her future
services. In deed, on the whole, Captain Stericker,
who commands her, is much pleased with her
performance.
The following week:
'Our readers will be
glad to learn that this steamer has made another
successful trip, having arrived at Morpeth yesterday
morning with a full cargo, passing over the Flats at
about half tide, without touching. There proves to
be abundance of cargo for her at each end; so that
there is every prospect of her proving a permanent
accession to our facilities for trading with
Sydney'.
In March the
Cornubia transported His Honor Mr. Justice
Therry to the Hunter in readiness for the Quarter
Sessions. Accompanying him on the steamer were the
Attorney General, and barristers Messrs. Purefoy,
Holroyd, and Dowling. Also on board were Mr. Blair,
Clerk of Arraigns and Mr. Cornelius Prout, Under
Sheriff.
By September 1846 the
'Cornubia' was trading regularly between Morpeth and
Sydney, advertising passage to Sydney for one
shilling. This fee was for steerage. A Cabin ticket
could be purchased for 4/-. Refreshments were
purchased on board at 'moderate rates'. The 'Cornubia'
left from Morpeth every Wednesday and Saturday
mornings and from Kellick's Wharf, Sydney every
Monday and Thursday at 8pm.
Captain Taggart was Master of the Cornubia in June
1847 between Port Phillip and Launceston.
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'JAMES WATT'
Captain Griffin 1840, John Taggart
1845
Owned by Joseph Hickey Grose the James
Watt was the second steamer to reach Australia from Great Britain. She
had been built for the Glasgow trade but was not a success and although
well appointed, her speed was affected due to miscalculation in
regard to her draught. In April 1840, she underwent thorough repairs and
was idle for some time. She was a 400 tons vessel with her
main deck 87 ft. in length and poop deck 43ft. She
was fitted with 2 x 45 h.p. engines. The Cabin
accommodation was fitted with every necessity
required. There were 16 enclosed cabins containing
16 berths; one ladies cabin containing 7 berths and
the Captain's cabin. For the convenience of the
passengers, a bell of a different sound
was fitted to each cabin and led to the stewards
pantry. The wash stands each had a 'cistern of fresh
water affixed above them with a pipe leading to the
basin and a small brass cock by which means water
could be drawn and after a small plug or
stopper with a brass chain was drained from the
bottom of the basin discharging the water over
board'. The dining room was of polished mahogany and
satin wood. Captain Griffin who had previously been
Captain on the Sophia Jane was to take charge
of the James Watt after her repairs were complete.
In 1842 she was sold to the newly formed
Hunter River Steam Navigation Company and employed in the Clarence River
and was a pioneer of the Moreton Bay trade.
John Taggart was
Captain of the 'James Watt' in 1845. In May of that
year an unusual case was heard in the Sydney courts
in 1845. Anne Elizabeth Canney was committed for
trial for writing and publishing a libel of Captain
John Taggart. In an outrageous letter sent to the
cashier of a bank and to the manager of the Hunter
River Steam Navigation Company she charged Captain
Taggart with having committed numerous murders.
Although doubts were said to be held as to her
sanity, she was allowed bail.
The Hunter River
Steam Navigation Company announced in December 1845,
that they intended to transfer the
engines of the steamer James Watt into a new
vessel, to be built for that purpose. The James
Watt was to be employed in conveying coal
from Newcastle to the Company's various depots. Maitland Mercury
6 December 1845, 10 May 1845.
She was broken up in 1847
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'THE EAGLE'
Captain Allen 1849
The new steamer owned
by the Hunter River Steam Navigation Company, the
'Eagle' had a close call on one of her first
passages. Under Captain Allen (formerly of the
'Tamar') she was on her way to
Newcastle from Sydney to load coals when at 3am, she
collided with the cutter 'Trial' under Captain
Barton. The 'Trial' was on her passage from the
Hunter to Sydney laden with grain. She suffered a
broken jibboom. The 'Trial's' jibboom had run into
the steamer's sponsons on the larboard side,
breaking her jibboom off and again made a fresh
entry in the steamer's quarters, tearing away a
great portion of the ornamental work down to the
stern. After repairing damage and loading coals at
Newcastle she loaded her passengers and with a full
cargo headed for Moreton Bay on the evening of the
31st August 1849. The passengers included Mrs.
Asher, child and servant, Mr. and Mrs. Gibson,
Captain Vignoles, Hon. Mr. Hope, Mr. Tingcomb, Mr.
Cameron, Mr. King, Mrs. Daley, Mr. Bowman, Mr. Bigge,
four in the steerage and forty Irish orphan girls. Maitland
Mercury 1 August 1849
On her return trip
south she made a very quick run of just 42 hours
from Moreton Bay to Newcastle where she stopped for
a supply of coals before proceeding to Sydney
In Sydney in
December the same year a seaman from the Eagle
met his death while bathing in Woolloomooloo Bay 30
yds out from the fig tree when he was attacked by a
shark. He instantly gave the alarm and two men
attempted to rescue him however the shark seized him
in the groin, and it was not until he was struck
several blows on the head with an oar that he let go
his hold. When the unfortunate man was pulled into
the boat it was found that nearly the whole of the
flesh of the thigh was stripped from the bone and he
expired a few minutes later. Maitland Mercury 5
December 1849
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From Sydney to Morpeth 1840's
Joseph Townsend.
Rambles and Observations in New South Wales. With Sketches of Men
and Manners, notices of the Aborigines, glimpses of scenery and some
hints to Emigrants.
Click to enlarge


Rambles and Observations in New South Wales ... By
Joseph Phipps Townsend 1849
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Accident at Morpeth
Wharf
On Sunday morning a rather singular accident happened
to an omnibus belonging to Mr. J. Turner, but not then driven by him. The
bus was as usual waiting, with others, on Taylor's wharf, Morpeth, for
passengers from the up-steamer; when the steamer arrived a crowd hastened
to Turner's bus, and filled it inside and out; when ready for the starting
the driver called out to another coach to move on, and the coach did so,
but from some cause was pulled up suddenly after going two or three yards;
meanwhile Turner's bus had also begun moving, and not anticipating the
sudden check, the horses, to avoid running into the first coach, moved
sharply to the right; the wheels got locked and a piece of iron connecting
the back spring with the body of the bus was snapped by the sudden strain;
instantly the bus heeled, and overturned, the outside passengers all
falling together in a ruck, and the inside tumbling against each other. It
was at first feared and reported that serious injuries had been inflicted
on some of the passengers, but happily the injuries were comparatively
light, the most seriously case being that of a lady whose wrist was
dislocated, and the small bones of her arm broke; another female was
wounded in the back of her head, and a gentleman was injured in the cap of
the knee, while most of the passengers were bruised more or less. It was
subsequently found that the piece of iron which snapped was partially gone
before. It is wonderful that the disgraceful state of the Morpeth road,
which has driven several coaches off the line, had not caused a breakage
of this iron previously.
Maitland Mercury April 1852
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