Gulf of Carpentaria - a general history

Masters: 1881-82 George Joseph Allen: 1883-85 Robert Thomson.

Voyages: from London arriving Sydney 22 January 1882; from London arriving Sydney 31 August 1883.

The Gulf of Carpentaria left Glasgow on 10 June 1885 with 217 immigrants & a general cargo arriving at Brisbane on 12 August 1885.

Maryborough Chronicle 10 August 1885.

‘The immigrants per the Clyde line steamer Gulf of Carpentaria were landed at the Government wharf on Saturday evening by the Agents' (Messrs. John Walker & Co.Ltd) steamer Pacific. The last-named vessel also lightered part of the cargo for this port and left again yesterday morning to bring the balance, which will be landed today. There were 124 souls conducted from the wharf to the depot, and are classified as follows: 64 single men, 22 single women, 18 married people, 17 children, and three infants. They are all strong and healthy, looking, and seem fit for any amount of hard work. Among the above are 53 farm laborers, five laborers, two ploughmen, one master mariner, one pattern maker, one ship fitter, one tailor, one leather cutter, one miner, one slater, one coachsmith, which with 22 single women makes a total of 70 persons open for engagement at the depot this morning. The steamer Gulf of Carpentaria is under the command of Captain R. Thomson, and the immigrants were in charge of Dr. J. Marshall. The vessel has already made six voyages to the Australian Colonies, but has never come to Queensland ports before. ‘

On a voyage from Sydney, NSW for London with a valuable cargo of wool, a total crew of 30 & one passenger, the Gulf of Carpentaria struck a rock off Wilson’s Promontory between Cliffy & Anser Islands on 15 September 1885 & foundered within minutes. Three lifeboats were launched & rowed to Wilson’s Promontory lighthouse where the crew & passengers remained until a passing ship picked them up & took them to Melbourne. At the subsequent inquiry the master was exonerated of any blame as the rock was unchartered. It is now known as Carpentaria Rock.

Crew January 1882: Abbott, Thomas, fireman/trimmer, 38, London; Aldam, SE, 4th engineer, 32, Leeds; Alderson, RA, 3rd engineer, 41, Stockton-on-Tees; Allan, George Joseph, master; Barr, William, ordinary seaman, 27, Glasgow; Biddell, Frank, assistant steward, 21, Surrey; Bowdis, GJ, assistant steward, 19, London; Bramley, R, mess room steward, 18, Northpool; Brown, Arthur, able seaman, 25, Essex; Cochrane, Alexander, fireman/trimmer, 38, Glasgow

Damiel, George, able seaman/lamp trimmer, 35, Torquay; Dove, H, cook’s mate, 33, London; George, Robert, able seaman, 42, Dundee; Hadley, WG, able seaman, 23, Essex; Hawkins, James, carpenter’s mate, 32, Windsor; Heads, Alex, fireman/trimmer, 27, South Shields; Hodge, WY, mate, 45, Truro; Howes, Edward, steward, 33, Norfolk; Hudson, R, 2nd mate, 24, London; James, John Rupert, 3rd mate, 28, Bath; Loanberg, SE, cook, 28, Denmark; Marsden, EH, ordinary seaman, 17, London; McCaskell, Danald, fireman/trimmer, 37, Edinburgh; McKay, James, engineer, 32, Aberdeen; Moore, JB, 2nd engineer, 40, Salop; Mullins, James, fireman/trimmer, 27, Hull; Pettyrence, Robert, carpenter, 43, Wigtown; Pithick, William, able seaman, 27, Essex; Riley, John, able seaman, 33, Wexford; Robb, Henry, fireman/trimmer, 25, London; Sarxinson, Jeremiah, donkey engine driver, 22, Surrey; Turff, EH, able seaman, 22, Essex; Walsh, James, fireman/trimmer, 45, Cork; Wear, John, fireman/trimmer, 27, Bute.

Passengers January 1882: Cummings, Mr; Geddes, Mr, Mrs & Miss; Price, Mr.

Crew August 1883: Barry, J, fireman/trimmer, b.1861, Gravesend; Breiver, Frederick, assistant steward, 17, Camberwell; Brown, George, donkeyman, b.1850, London; Burtis, J, ordinary seaman/lamp trimmer, b.1862, London; Cameron, William, able seaman, 42, Glasgow; Clark, 2nd mate, b.1849; Cleary, A, able seaman, b.1857, London; Conway, G, able seaman, b.1840; Cook, carpenter/seaman, b.1857, Ayrshire; Crothall, A, fireman/trimmer, b.1862, Gravesend; Donovan, James, fireman/trimmer, b.1855, London; Donovan, Thomas, fireman/trimmer, b.1858, London; Driscoll, Patrick, ordinary seaman, b.1866, London; Duck, 3rd mate, b.1854, London; Field, cook, b.1843, London; Gowers, James, fireman/trimmer, b.1857, Gravesend; Gray, John, 3rd engineer, b.1857; Hawes, steward, b.1847; Holmes, Phillip, 4th engineer, b.1858, Bremen; Horan, William, able seaman, b.1854; Hingson, A, 1st mate, b.1857; McBarnett, James, 1st engineer, b.1833, Glasgow; Morton, James, 2nd engineer, b.1835; Perry, S, mess room steward, b.1867, London; Richnell, William, fireman/trimmer, b.1853, London; Robinson, JA, ordinary seaman, b.1864, Childenham; Taylor, William, able seaman, b.1834; Thompson, Robert, master; Weldum, John, able seaman, b.1840, Bristol.

Passengers August 1883: Jones, Mr Kerry; Meadmore, Mr J; Reither, J, stowaway; Rogers, R, stowaway.

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