COLUMBINE
Shipbuildervessel built by
Alexander HALL & Co.
(Footdee, Aberdeen)
Date1839
Object NameBRIG
MediumWOOD
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 79' 5" x breadth 20' 2" x depth 13' 7"
tonnage 176 tons
tonnage 176 tons
Object numberABDSHIP000990
Keywords
Yard Number: 104
Fate: Wrecked off Barwon Heads, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 April 1854.
Propulsion:
Description: Brigantine rigged, 1 deck, 2 mast, and a trysail, standing bowsprit, square stern, carvel built, no galleries, a female figurehead.
Owners:
1839: Registered at Aberdeen for subscribing owners;
Benjamin Moir, shipowner, 48 shares; Benjamin Robertson, shipmaster, 4 shares; Thomas Knowles, flesher, 8 shares. Other shareholders, John Gray, flesher, 4 shares. All Aberdeen.
18/03/1852: Registration cancelled in Aberdeen, the vessel now registered in Newcastle.
(Source: Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
1839-45: Master Robertson
1846-48: Master R. Webster
1849-51: Master J. Petrie
Voyages (from Lloyd's):
1840-41 London - Cape of Good Hope
1842: London - the West Indies
1844-46: Aberdeen
1847: Belfast coaster
1848: Liverpool - Cuba
1849-51: Aberdeen - the Baltic
General History:
10/04/1854:
WRECK OF THE COLUMBINE, BRIG, AT THE HEADS,
AND LOSS OF FOUR LIVES.
(From the Argus.)
Our bay reporter is indebted to the Harbour Master, Captain
Fergusson, for the following particulars of the loss of the brig
COLUMBINE, from Liverpool to this port, with passengers and
cargo : —
The unfortunate vessel struck on the outer reef between the
Barwon Heads and Point Lonsdale at eleven p.m. on Saturday
night last. A sea pilot was on board, named Matthew David-
son; and shortly after she struck all hands left her in the long
boat, which upset in the surf, and four persons were drowned,
the pilot being amongst those lost, the master's sister, and a man
and his wife whose names are at present unknown. The bodies
have all been recovered. The COLUMBINE was 144 days out from
Liverpool. latest particulars
WilIiamstown. 4 o'clock, p.m.
We are enabled to give the following farther particulars from
the information of Mr. Kennedy, one of the pilots, who came
from the Heads in the Waratah yesterday afternoon. The sea
pilot boarded tha brig, at about half-past eight, p m., and some
contradictions occur as to the time she struck. Much mystery
surrounds the whole affair, and as words of an unpleasant
nature appear to have taken place between Davidson and the
master, whose name is McLenan, shortly before the disaster, the
matter calls for deep and searching investigation. The Pilot by
the opinion of someparties, was not aboard more than an hour
and a half before the accident. Clarke is the name ot the man
and his wife who are lost, late of Leith. The pilot is said to
have been a man of much experience, and in his habits moderate
and exemplary. We will give further information to-morrow
Davidson leaves a widow and six children, and it is to be hoped
that means will be taken to alleviate the pecuniary difficulties
into which the family must be thrown by this most unfortunate
disaster.
Our Geelong correspondent's letter, which will be found below
furnishes some additional particulars of this melancholy occur-
rence; and we learn from the Geelong Advertiser, that the vessel
snowed no appearance of going to pieces, though the surf was
breaking over her deck. With a light breeze from the south
east, if fine weather continues, it is probable a small portion of
the cargo may be saved — Argus.
(The Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List, p. 65)
31/07/1908:
There were four passengers on board COLUMBINE, wrecked at Barwon Heads April 1854. They were my mother and father, the Captain's sister and myself. Three were drowned, also the pilot. The Captain, the whole of the crew and I got safely ashore. (John Clark).
(Melbourne Argus)
The wreck was discovered by divers in 2003 and a conservation management plan has been produced by Heritage Victoria, Australia. This report includes many photographs of the wreck itself and can be viewed online at the Heritage Victoria website.
(http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/Maritime/Shipwrecks/Shipwreck-Conservation-Management-Plans.aspx)
Note: cost at construction, £2400. (Builder's List in the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)
