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Southern Cross - a general history

Official No. 29474; Code Letters QFSV.

Owners: George Blumer, Hartlepool; 2 October 1866 Matthew McDonald, Melbourne; 1869 Thomas Gavin Kelly & JT Bowden, Sydney, New South Wales.

Masters: 1863-66 George Rowe; 1866-69 Matthew MacDonald; 1869 Richard HA Napper; 1871 George Kenny; 1872-73 Charles McKinnon; 1874 Richard Pugh; 1875-80 Charles J Campbell; 1881 Magnus Carl Magnussen; 1881 A Robertson.

Voyages: 1864 Hartlepool for Australia; 16 November 1865 arrived Sydney from Port Adelaide; from Melbourne arriving at Auckland, New Zealand with a general cargo & one passenger 12 October 1868; 1869 Hartlepool for Australia.

SOUTHERN CROSS sailed from Sydney on 21 September 1881 bound for the South Sea Islands with a crew of seven, four Wesleyan missionaries & a reporter. When no more was heard of her it was presumed that she had foundered in a severe gale that blew off the Australian coast shortly after she sailed.

Crew March 1865:

Grace, Nicholas, able seaman, 29

Lawrenson, Sinclair, cook/steward, 40

Mills, John, able seaman, 21

Moreland, Charles, able seaman, 26

Murphy, Nicholas, mate, 34 or 39

Rowe, George, master

Stillaway, John, able seaman, 26, Sweden

Crew July 1865:

Blumer, Luke (cabin passenger)

Carpenter, Samuel, able seaman, 21

Lawrenson, Sinclair, able seaman, 40

Mills, John, able seaman, 21

Murphy, Nicholas, mate, 34 or 39

Rowe, George, master

Stillaway, John, able seaman, 27, Sweden

Therrington, Thomas, cook/steward, 31

Crew October 1865:

Crew November 1865:

Bass, William, able seaman, 20

Campbell, John, able seaman, 36

Laurensen, Sinclair, able seaman, 40

McMillan, Robert, cook/steward, 28

Murphy, Nicholas, mate, 34

Salmon, R, able seaman, 27, Denmark

Crew March 1866:

Bass, William, able seaman, 20, British

Campbell, John, able seaman, 36, British

Laurence, Sinclair, able seaman, 40, British

McMillan, Robert, cook/steward, 28, British

Murphy, Nicholas, mate, 34, British

Rowe, George, master

Salmon, R, able seaman, 27, Danish

Crew August 1867:

Anderson, Jno, ordinary seaman, 20, Sweden

Ashlsen, Erick, able seaman, 41, Sweden

Brown, Charles, 2nd mate, 36, Constantinope

Hanis, Isaac, mate, 26, Great Britain

Johnson, Henri, able seaman, 19, Norway

Joseph, Mathew, cook/steward, 23, Trinidad

McDonald, Matthew, master

Paulson, Christien, able seaman, 32, Norway

Passenger August 1867:

McConnel, Mrs

Crew May 1868:

Anderson, John, able seaman, 21, Sweden

Carter, Richard, cook/steward, 30, Liverpool

Erickson, Gunder, able seaman, 30, Norway

Hawkins, Peter, able seaman, 23, Sweden

McDonald, M, master

Quinn, Patrick, able seaman, 39, Great Britain

Williams, Antonio, able seaman, 30, France

Young, GW, mate, 30, Great Britain

Crew March 1869:

Boor, H, mate, 45, Great Britain

Bosick, Matthew, able seaman, 36, Great Britain

Calsar, Antonio, able seaman, 39, Great Britain

Carter, Richard, 2nd mate, 31, Great Britain

Gaunson, James, able seaman, 33, Great Britain

McDonald, Matthew, master

Owen, James, able seaman, 19, Great Britain

Williams, John, able seaman, 55, Sweden

Crew May 1869:

Alberlu, Gentans, able seaman, 25, Italy

Barnes, Henry, ordinary seaman, 27, Plymouth

Broun, Robert, able seaman, 36, Sweden

Ellemore, William, able seaman, 24, St Louis

Leonnard, August, able seaman, 35, Coventry

McLanchearn, N, mate, 27, Tobermory

Napper, Richard HA, master

Owen, James, cook/steward, 19, Newport

Crew November 1871:

Colson, Michael, able seaman, 27, Norway

Kenny, George, master

McCleary, Thomas, able seaman, 26, Belfast

Munro, James, cook/steward, 35, London

O'Neill, William, able seaman, 35, Waterford

Olsen, Konrad, able seaman, 22, Norway

Paulson, Nils, 22, Sweden

Crew December 1872:

Greendrill, John, able seaman, 39, Finland

Hanssen, Zahn, ableseaman, 29, Sweden

Kelly, John L, cook, 50, Isle of Man

McKinnon, Charles, master

Nilson, Andrew, able seaman, 25, Norway

Wilson, John R, able seaman, 27, Sweden

Crew March 1873:

Chandler, Thomas, mate, 27, London

Dorf, Benjamin, able seaman, 31, England

Hansson, John, able seaman, 30, Sweden

McKinnon, Charles, master

Nilson, Andrew, able seaman, 27, Norway

Skeller, John, cook, 50, Isle of Man

Wilson, John, able seaman, 20, Sweden

Crew February 1874:

Greig, Peter W, able seaman, 31, Dunedin

Groig, Robert, ordinary seaman, Australia

McAlpine, V, mate, 37, Barrigo

McZory, Samuel, ordinary seaman, 40, New York

Pugh, Richard, master

Walker, James, able seaman, 34, Liverpool

Watson, George, cook/steward, 25, Glasgow,

Williams, James, able seaman, 26, Kent

Williams, Thomas, able seaman, 23, Westconin

Crew April 1876:

Campbell, C, master

Duff, Alex, mate, 40, British

Frost, JH, cook/steward, 43, British

Harrison, Charles, able seaman, 26, British

McDermott, able seaman, 21, British

Roolane, Alfred, able seaman, 28, British

Stoddart, William, able seaman, 21, British

Wilson, William, able seaman, 21, British

Crew October 1877:

Allen, George, able seaman, 22, Nottingham

Anderson, John, mate, 24, Scotland

Campbell, Charles J, master

Luckham, William, ordinary seaman, 33, Salcombe

Monoghan, John, ordinary seaman, 17, Liverpool

Morgan, RE, able seaman, 22, Wales

Perkins, CM, able seaman, 22, Richmond

Younger, Frank, able seaman, 26, London

Crew April 1880:

Campbell, C, master

Fletcher, Peter, able seaman, 26, Argyle

Hanigan, M, able seaman, 41, Ireland

McCracken, William, cook/steward, 29, Glasgow

Nelson, John, able seaman, 26, Norway

Nelson, Peter, mate, 20, Germany

Yansen, Carl, able seaman, 24, Sweden

Passenger April 1880:

Creig, George

Crew April 1881:

Bailey, NEY, able seaman, 25, Norway

Barton, Frank, able seaman, 21, Kent

Chaufler, T, ordinary seaman, 23, Germany

Frazer, James, able seaman, 22, Germany

Hoggan, John, mate, 30, Scotland,

Magnussen, Magnus C, master

Smith, William, cook/steward, 27, England

Crew August 1881:

Blechschmidt, George, able seaman, 26, Germany

Ching, Arip cook/steward, 25, Japan

Jensen, LP, able seaman, 26, Denmark

Magnussen, Magnus Carl, master

Moenese?, JNY, able seaman, 26, Sweden

Neaggan, John, mate, 38, Scotland

Rhind, James, able seaman, 23, Sunderland

Shorter, Chris, able seaman, 32, London

Passengers August 1881:

Bowers, Captain

Tindle, W

Lives lost September 1881:

Robertson, A, master

Fairfax, Mr Alfred, (Sydney Daily Telegraph reporter)

Official No. 29474; Code Letters QFSV; wood schooner; felt sheathed in yellow metal fastened with iron bolts; 158g; 91.0 x 22.7 x 12.5.

Owners: George Blumer, Hartlepool; 2 October 1866 Matthew McDonald, Melbourne; 1869 Thomas Gavin Kelly & JT Bowden, Sydney, New South Wales.

Masters: 1863-66 George Rowe; 1866-69 Matthew MacDonald; 1869 Richard HA Napper; 1871 George Kenny; 1872-73 Charles McKinnon; 1874 Richard Pugh; 1875-80 Charles J Campbell; 1881 Magnus Carl Magnussen; 1881 A Robertson.

Voyages: 1864 Hartlepool for Australia; 16 November 1865 arrived Sydney from Port Adelaide; from Melbourne arriving at Auckland, New Zealand with a general cargo & one passenger 12 October 1868; 1869 Hartlepool for Australia.

Southern Cross sailed from Sydney on 21 September 1881 bound for the South Sea Islands with a crew of seven, four Wesleyan missionaries & a reporter. When no more was heard of her it was presumed that she had foundered in a severe gale that blew off the Australian coast shortly after she sailed.

Some of the crews are listed in the book Lost Ships of the Hartlepools.

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