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WOOLOOMOOLOO
Shipbuildervessel built by
Walter Hood & Co.
(Shipbuilder, Footdee, Aberdeen 1839 - 1881)
Date1852
Object NameCLIPPER
MediumWOOD
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 155' x breadth 26 5/6' x depth 19 1/6'
Registered Tonnage: 627ton
Registered Tonnage: 627ton
Object numberABDSHIP000337
Keywords
Fate: Wrecked in 1885.
Propulsion: Sail
Description: Ship rigged clipper, 2 decks and half poopdeck and forecastle, 3 masts, standing bowsprit, female figurehead.
Owners:
27/09/1852: Registered at Aberdeen for subscribing owners; George Thompson Jr., shipowne, 32 shares; Charles Stuart, shipmaster, 16 shares; James Buyers, shipowner, 8 shares; all Aberdeen. [the White Star Line]
Other owners: Walter Hood, shipbuilder, 4 shares; Alexander Matthew, shipowner, 4 shares.
(Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
1870: H. Ganson
1875: W Jamieson & Co., registered at London
1880: G. Jones, registered at Aberdeen
1881: registered in Spain but owner left blank.
Masters:
1852: Master Charles Stuart.
1859: Master James Buyers then R. Ross.
1862: Master Master Henry.
1864: Master Healing
1868: Master John Stewart
1869: Master A. Donald
1870: Master Anderson
1875: Master W. May
1880: Master J. Whyte
Voyages (Lloyd's Register):
1853: Aberdeen - Port Philipheads, Victoria, Australia.
1859-71: London - Australia.
General History:
27/10/1852:
Australian line of packets - for Sydney direct the splendid new Aberdeen clipper built ship WOOLOOMOOLOO, Charles Stewart Commander, now loading London Docks. This fine ship is expected to be one of the fastest in the Australian trade and has handsome accommodations for cabin passengers.
(Daily News).
2/3/1853,19/2/1853:
The WOOLOOMOOLOO - this beautiful clipper built vessel arrived yesterday after an excellent run of 87 days from Portsmouth. She is commanded by Captain Stuart, late of Prince of Wales, a gentleman well known in the Sydney trade... [She] sails remarkably fast, having been only 56 days from the line. She encountered very severe weather in the channel... but this her maiden voyage proves her to be all that could be wished... has on board £63,000 in specie for the various banks [during Australian Gold Rush].
The Courier, Hobart, Quoting Sydney Herald)
12/3/1853:
WOOLOOMOOLOO, having arrived in Sydney after passage of 87 days from Portsmouth, brought English news to 21 Nov.
(Moreton Bay Courier).
16/04/1853:
Gold circular - market more than usually animated owing to disposition to ship by the WOOLOOMOOLOO, which will take away 40,000 to 45,000 ounces of gold.
(Sydney Empire).
02/05/1853:
WOOLOOMOOLOO sailed from Sydney 22 April for London.
(Melbourne Argus).
22/03/1854:
WOOLOOMOOLOO sailed from Sydney 27 Feb for London.
(Cornwall Chronicle).
16/06/1855:
The ship WOOLOOMOOLOO from Sydney, which sustained considerable damage off Dungeness in a collision with the FALCON (S.S.) for Cork, is having her upper works, bulwarks, etc. repaired in the London Docks.
(Morning Chronicle).
06/09/1855:
[extracts from letter from passenger Per Maidot Judah] After rounding the horn scarcely anything but head winds and calms. On one of these days we fell in with good ship WOOLOOMOOLOO. Captain Stewart and a passenger came aboard and took tea wit us. WOOLOOMOOLOO arrived home shortly after us. On arrival she collided with a steamer, which did some damage to the ship and killed a sailor boy instantaneously. But for Captain Stewart stooping over he would have met a similar fate.
(Melbourne Age).
18/10/1856:
WOOLOOMOOLOO, Ross master, sailed from Deal 17 July for Sydney.
(Melbourne Argus).
15/05/1857:
WOOLOOMOOLOO, Stewart, from Sydney 19 Dec. off Torbay 14 March.
(Ballarat Star).
07/09/1857:
WOOLOOMOOLOO reported 40 miles west of Wilson's Promontory [Victoria] with loss of her main and mizzen masts. She was steering west with a fair wind.
(Ballarat Star).
18/05/1858:
WOOLOOMOOLOO arrived London 11 Feb. from Sydney 17 Nov.
(Maitland Mercury)
03/08/1858: Sydney shipping, WOOLOOMOOLOO - this old favourite arrived yesterday after passage of 91 days, considerably protracted by very heavy gales experienced since making land and which forced her to come round Van Diemen's Land. No vessels sighted since leaving the channel.
(Maitland Mercury)
11/09/1860:
WOOLOOMOOLOO sailed from Glasgow 20 July for Sydney. (Arrived 13 Oct, 97 days from Greenock, Master Henry - Sydney M.H., 20/10/1860).
(Melbourne Argus).
19/07/1861:
Arrived London 12 May. She would have arrived in ample time for the May sales had it not been for succession of light winds and calms. In spite of these line was crossed on 61st day and on 26 April ship was within 200 miles of Land's End. At this point light winds and occasional gales from east kept her back in spite of every exertion by the captain to get in in time.
(Ipswich (Queensland) Herald))
03/01/1862:
Is expected to leave for London about 16 Jan. She has 1000 bales wool aboard and will carry about 1600. Loading operation delayed during last few days by unpropitious weather.
(Brisbane Courier)
11/10/1862:
Arrived Sydney 9 Oct. from Plymouth.
(South Australian Register)
05/04/1865:
Off Portland 30 March - ship WOOLOOMOOLOO from Sydney for London.
(Aberdeen Journal).
30/08/1865:
Arrived Sydney 28 Aug. from the Downs.
(Brisbane Courier).
21/12/1867:
Arrived Brisbane from Sydney.
(Queenslander (Brisbane))
23/4/1858: Description of vessel altered from ship to barque-rigged from a certificate of survey from London.
18/5/1859: Description of vessel altered from barque to ship-rigged from a certificate of survey from London.
(Aberdeen City Archives)
(Lubbock, "The Colonial Clippers":)
(Source: Historic Australian Newspapers Online (http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home))
