Owners: 1888 WH Smith & Sons Proprietary Ltd, Melbourne: 1901 Howard Smith Co Ltd, Melbourne: 1913 Australian SS Ltd (Howard Smith) Melbourne
Masters: 1889-90 William F Deary: 1891-92 N Bannatyne: 1895-99 Thomas Moore: 1903 RF Douton: 1904 J Readhead: 1905 J Rowland: 1906 JW Roberts: 1907 R Girling: 1908-09 CE Egan: 1909 HF Joynt: 1911 JP Boyle: 1915 AY Catto: 1916 CG Parks.
Voyages: Era made regular trips from Melbourne for Sydney carrying cargo &, on occasion, passengers.
On a voyage from Bougie for Glasgow with a cargo of iron-ore Era was torpedoed by German submarine (U32 Kurt Albrecht) & sank 18 miles NE by E of Cape Tenez, Algeria on 1 May 1918. 12 lives lost.
Crew February 1889: Deary, William F, master; Armstrong, H, able seaman, 24, England; Barrett, F, able seaman, 24, England; Blair, J, fireman, 30, England; Cameron, D, able seaman, 26, England; Craig, J, 3rd enginner, 26, England; Crondance, G, 1st engineer, 45, England; Dennis, J, trimmer, 21, England; Donovan J, fireman, 42, Scotland; Dryden, C, able seaman, 21, England; Ellick, G, fireman, 23, British; Fisher, A, fireman, 28, Scotland; Hodgson, J, trimmer, 28, England; Hogg, J, able seaman, 22, England; Keefe, J, trimmer, 26, Scotland; King, J, 1st steward, 35, Jamaica; Lord, W, mess room steward, 22, London; Makin, A, able seaman, 29, England; McCarthy, F, donkeyman, 31, England; Newton, A, lamp trimmer, 34, England; Peck, W, 2nd engineer, 30, England; Pemberton, C, fireman, 24, British; Quinn, P, able seaman, 29, England; Rodgers, W, 3rd mate, 35, Ireland; Shuell, A, able seaman, 28, England; Smith, T, cook, 29; Stuart, R, 2nd mate, 42, London; Sweet, J, mate, 29, Nova Scotia; Wilkinson, A, fireman, 27, Scotland.
Passengers February 1889: Assland, W; Pleace, Captain; Thompson, J.
Crew April 1889: Deary, William F, master; Armstrong, H, able seaman, 25, England; Cameron, D, able seaman, 26, England; Craig, J, 3rd enginner, 26, England; Crondance, G, 1st engineer, 45, England; Denning, W, 3rd mate, 34, England; Dryden, C, able seaman, 24, England; Ellick, B, fireman, 31, British; Gorman, H, lamp trimmer, 36, England; Green, A, trimmer, 26, England; Hodgson, J, trimmer, 41, England; Hogg, J, able seaman, 22, England; Ison, J, cook, 29, France; Keefe, J, trimmer, 26, Scotland; King, J, 1st steward, 35, Jamaica; Lord, W, mess room steward, 22, England; Makin, A, able seaman, 29, England; McCarthy, F or T, donkeyman, 32, England; McKenna, M, able seaman, 32, Scotland; Neal, T, trimmer, 29, England; Peck, W, 2nd engineer, 30, England; Pemberton, C, fireman, 25, British; Quinn, P, able seaman, 24, England; Rodgers, W, 3rd mate, 35, Ireland; Shaw, A, fireman, 37, England; Shuell, A, able seaman, 22, England; Smith, T, cook, 29; Stuart, R, 2nd mate, 42, London; Sweet, J, mate, 29, Nova Scotia; Wilkinson, A, fireman, 27, Scotland; Williams, W, trimmer, 28, England.
Crew July 1889: Deary, William F, master; Armstrong, H, able seaman, 27, England; Blower, F, able seaman, 22, Ireland; Cameron, A, trimmer, 29, England; Cameron, D, able seaman, 26, England; Coward, J, fireman, 33, Scotland; Craig, J, 3rd engineer, 26, England; Crondance, G, 1st engineer, 45, England; Ellick, B, fireman, 34, England; Finlayson, A, able seaman, 31, England; Gorman, H, lamp trimmer, 36, England; Hammond, J, able seaman, 34, England; Hartley, W, fireman, 29, Ireland; Hughes, T, trimmer, 30, England; Ison, J, cook, 36, France; King, J, 1st steward, 39, West Indies; James, J, fireman, 27, England; James, W, mess room steward, 23, England; Leet, A, fireman, 29, Scotland; McCarthy, T, donkeyman, 32, England; M’Kernia, John, able seaman, 29, England; Miller, H, trimmer, 25, England; Nilsson, N, 3rd mate, 23, England; Peck, W, 2nd engineer, 20, England; Sinalo, W, able seaman, 29, Ireland; Stuart, R, 2nd mate, 43, London; Sweet, J, mate, 29, Nova Scotia; Tisison, P, able seaman, 27, Ireland; Wilkinson, E, fireman, 31, Ireland.
Crew August 1889: Deary, William F, master; Armstron, H, able seaman, 29, Scotland; Attwell, H, mate, 46, England; Cameron, A, fireman, 29, Sweden; Cameron, D, able seaman, 27, England; Corney, J, trimmer, 36, Ireland; Craig, J, 3rd engineer, 26, Sydney; Crowdice, GL, engineer, 45, Scotland; Dennis, J, trimmer, 26, London; Dryan, C, able seaman, 21, England; Ellick, B, fireman, 24, England; Finlayson, H, able seaman, 27, Scotland; Gorman, H, lamp trimmer, 36, England; Hammond, J, able seaman, 34, Scotland; Hartley, W, fireman, 26, Victoria; Hughes, F, fireman, 26, Scotland; Inall, W, able seaman, 26, England; James, W, mess room steward, 23, England; Jones, J, fireman, 24, England; King, J, steward, 39, Jamaica; Matthison, E, fireman, 28, Glasgow; McCarthy, T, donkeyman, 32, England; McKenna, M, able seaman, 30, Scotland; Miller, H, trimmer, 28, Glasgow; Murry, D, cook, 35, Scotland; Quinn, P, able seaman, 26, Ireland; Robinson, P, 2nd engineer, 49, Scotland; Stevens, W, 3rd mate, 25, Stokes; Whitfield, F, 2nd mate, 29, Geelong.
Crew February 1890: Barry, M, able seaman, 31, Chatham; Burrows, R, able seaman, 26, Ireland; Cameron, A, fireman, 26, Scotland; Corney, S, trimmer, 25, Scotland; Crowdice, GL, engineer, 45, England; Deary, William F, master, England; Doulton, RF, mate, 31, Bedford; Driscoll, J, trimmer, 25, England; ; Finlayson, A, able seaman, 27, Scotland; Foley, W, 3rd engineer, 67, Cork; Gibson, W, trimmer, 29, Scotland; Gorman, H, lamp trimmer, 26, England; Halls, W, fireman, 43, England; Hartley, W, greaser, 26, London; Hughes, F, fireman, 26, England; Jones, D, greaser, 34, England; King, JH, steward, 41, Kingston; Legge, J, fireman, 22, England; Lister, J, able seaman, 24, England; McLarty, J, donkeyman, 32, Victoria; Miller, H, fireman, 28, England; Nolan, H, 2nd engineer, 29, Victoria; Sinclair, W, able seaman, 25, Shetland; Stormond? A, 3rd mate, 35, Sunderland; Thomas, J, able seaman, 24, England; Thomson, E, mess room steward, 18, Melbourne; Thornton, W, cook, 55, York; Wakerson, A, fireman, 28, Scotland; Weddin, I, able seaman, 26, England; Whitfield, J, 2nd mate, 29, Geelong; Young, J, able seaman, 27, England.
Crew April 1895: Moore, Thomas, master; Anderson, J, able seaman, 35, Shetland; Appleford, S, fireman, 25, Berkshire; Brady, J, fireman, 30, England; Campbell, A, donkeyman, 45, Glasgow; Collard, D, able seaman, 36, England; Corney, S, fireman, 40, England; Ditchburn, William, fireman, 32, England; Downie, EA, 2nd officer, 34, St Johns, New Brunswick; Hudson, JJ, 3rd officer, 36, Liverpool; Johnson, L, able seaman, 40, Shetland; Malloch, T, fireman, 31, Scotland; Middleton, H, 4th engineer, 54, England; Mitchinson, W, trimmer, 20, London; Monteith, M, fireman, 48, Ireland; Moore, William, lamp trimmer, 40, Shetland; Orr, A, cook, 42, Glasgow; Ramsay, M, able seaman, 34, Shetland; Robertson, J, 2nd engineer, 40, Dundee; Schuts, S, trimmer, 22, Antwerp; Sharp, D, able seaman, 23, Shetland; Smith, J, fireman, 36, Scotland; Sollgren, H, able seaman, 33, Finland; Thompson, J, 3rd engineer, 42, England; Tombs, H, chief steward, 45, England; Tomson, WF, mess room steward, 21, Victoria; Williamson, G, able seaman, 34, Shetland; Williamson, Robert, chief officer, 35, Shetland; Woodside, Robert, chief engineer, 50, Glasgow.
Passengers April 1895: Ross, James; Smith, E.
Crew September 1898: Moore, Thomas, master; Anderson, J, able seaman, 40, Shetland; Appleford, F, fireman, 31, England; Banks, JR, chief mate, 36, Orkney; Blandford, C, fireman, 44, England; Callard, D, able seaman, 20, England; Campbell, A, donkeyman, 42, Scotland; Cullen, MS, 4th engineer, 22, Brisbane; Dunn, T, trimmer, 20, Sydney; Hales, T, able seaman, 24, Ireland; Henderson, J, mess room steward, 30, Scotland; Howartson, A fireman, 24, Sydney; McDonald, A, trimmer, 36, Sydney; McClarty, D, able seaman, 28, Scotland; Monteith, RH, fireman, 55, Ireland; Parsons, H, fireman, 23, Tasmania; Pudley, T, chief steward, 28, Scotland; Ramsay, M, able seaman/lamp trimmer, 42, Shetland; Robertson, J, 2nd engineer, 43, Scotland; Silva, J, trimmer, 22, Sydney; Smart, J, 2nd mate, 27, England; Smith, RH, 3rd mate, 25, England; Stevenson, H, able seaman, 37, England; Thompson, J, 3rd engineer, 46, England; Warner, J, cook, 49, NSW; Williamson, T, able seaman, 36, Shetland; Williamson, W, able seaman, 48, Shetland; Wilson, J, fireman, 40, Scotland; Woodside, R, chief engineer, 53, Scotland
Crew May 1909: Egan, CE, master; Borrow, C, able seaman, 27, England; Campbell, A, donkeyman, 58, Scotland; Clark, GR, 2nd mate, 26, England; Cooper, J, trimmer, 22, Liverpool; Cox, G, cook, 46, Newcastle-on-Tyne; Cunningham, C, 4th engineer, 25, New Zealand; Daphne, P. 1st mate, 34, England; Delaney, T, fireman, 46, Ireland; Flynn, H, able seaman, 29, Liverpool; George, T, fireman, 42, London; Hansen, O, fireman, 29, Sweden; Heyer, CO, able seaman, 31, Melbourne; Howell, J, chief steward, 44, London; Jenkins, G, ordinary seaman, 19, Dundee; Johnson, F, fireman, 28, Sweden; Johnson, H, 2nd engineer, 39, Liverpool; Norling, A, able seaman, 35, Sweden; Norling, C, fireman, 44, Sweden; Ramsey, M, boatswain, 49, Shetland; Roberts, FH, mess room steward, 33, Sheerness; Robertson, J, chief engineer, 47, Dundee; Simon, T, chief steward, 44, London; Snowden, C, seaman, 24, Canada; Taylor, C, ordinary seaman, 19, Woollongong; Thompson, J, 3rd engineer, 56, England; Whiffen, J, trimmer, 26, London; Wilson, B, fireman, 36, Sydney; Worrall, W, able seaman, 26, Liverpool; Wright, G, 3rd mate, 25, Liverpool.
Crew October 1909: Joynt, HF, master; Andersen, A, able seaman, 40, Norway; Austin, J, fireman, 30, Newcastle-on-Tyne; Bailey, R, 1st officer, 37, Liverpool; Campbell, A, donkeyman, 58, Glasgow; Cooper, J, fireman, 23, Liverpool; Cox, G, cook, 43, Newcastle-on-Tyne; Delaney, T, fireman, 46, Castlemorrow; Ferguson, D, trimmer, 30, Killarney; Flynn, H, able seaman, 30, Liverpool; Forsyth, Douglas, assistant steward, 23, Aberdeen; Gallwey, F, able seaman, 35, Brafferton; George, T, fireman, 44, London ; Hartree, J, fireman, 24, Newcastle-on-Tyne; Harvey, A, fireman, 27, Birmingham; Herbertsen, J, 3rd officer, 40, Glasgow; Horwood, R, ordinary seaman, 22, London; McAdam, RP, 4th engineer, 25, Berwick; McKenzie, G, ordinary seaman, 17, Balmain; Moss, JB, 2nd engineer, 29, Dunedin; Munro, JA, 2nd officer, 33, London; Norling, A, able seaman, 37, Stockholm; Norling, C, storekeeper, 45, Sweden; Ramsey, M, boatswain, 50, Shetland; Roberts, W, trimmer, 19, Sydney; Robertson, James, chief engineer, 50, Dundee; Simons, Thomas, chief steward, 44, London; Thompson, J, 3rd engineer, 56, Newcastle; Trelief, H, able seaman, 26, Germany; Wenz, C, trimmer, 34, Boston; Worrall, J, able seaman, 27, Liverpool.
Lives lost May 1918: Ahern, E, able seaman; Flett, George Traill Foulis, able seaman, 29, Kirkwall, Orkney
Foster, Joseph, firemane, 32, Rochdale, Sydney, New South Wales; Heritage, William, fireman, Melbourne; Hugo, Thomas Albert, trimmer, Redruth, Cornwall; Minehane, William, 4th engineer, Townsville, Queensland (served as Minchan); Morgan, Charles James, donkeyman, 56, Leichardt, New South Wales; O’Haire, Thomas, fireman, 23, Loughrea, Co. Galway; Williams, Louis, fireman, Geraldton, Western Australia; Wills, Harold Victor, 1st engineer, 36, b. Australia; Woods, J, cook; Yarnall, Alfred Samuel (served as Smith) fireman, b. Poplar, London.
More detail »This section will, in time, contain the stories of more than 450 merchant ships built or owned in the Hartlepools, and which were lost during the First World War. As an illustration of the truly global nature of shipbuilding, these ships were owned by companies from 22 different countries, including more than 30 sailing under the German flag at the outbreak of war.