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Era - a general history

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.

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