Ada and Ethel was a wooden schooner that was wrecked 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Seal Rocks, New South Wales, Australia, on 26 October 1887.
| History | |
|---|---|
 New South Wales | |
| Name | Ada and Ethel |
| Owner | Edward Davies, Charles Frederick Messell |
| Port of registry | Sydney |
| Identification | registration number: 34/1886; official number: 93496 |
| Builder | Edward Davies /Mr. Roderick at Williams River (New South Wales), New South Wales, Australia |
| Launched | 9 January 1886 |
| Sponsored by | Miss Ada Messell |
| Christened | 9 January 1886 |
| Completed | May 1886 |
| Maiden voyage | 16 April 1886 for Macleay River |
| Fate | Wrecked 26 October 1887 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Wood Schooner |
| Tonnage | 73 GRT, 73 NRT |
| Length | 25.05 m |
| Beam | 5.974 m |
| Draught | 1.950 m |
| Propulsion | sail |
Ship description and construction
editOn 9 January 1886, Mr. Roderick of Eagleton, New South Wales, launched a new vessel built to the order of Messrs. Captain C. T. Messell and E. Davies, of Sydney, New South Wales.[1] The christening ceremony was performed with champagne by Miss Ada Messell, Captain Messell's daughter. The vessel was named after Ada and her infant sister Ethel May, who died approximately 12 months later.[2]
Ada and Ethel then was taken to Sydney, entering Sydney Heads at half-past eleven on the night of 19 February 1886 under tow by the steamer Malua and was brought up in Pyrmont Bight to have her mast and other fittings installed. The passage down from Williams River was made in 10 hours.[3]
Ada and Ethel was rigged as a fore-and-aft schooner, intended for the coasting trade. Her dimensions were 82.2 feet (25.05 m) long, 19.6 feet (5.97 m) beam, and 6.4 feet (1.95 m) depth, which gave her a gross register tonnage of 73 tons.[4] She was built substantially of the best colonial hardwood, coppered, and copper-fastened. She was a sister ship of Julian, which was launched about eight months earlier and belonged to the same firm.
Wreck
editAda and Ethel left port on the afternoon of 26 October 1887 under the command of Captain Frederick. They soon found that the ship was taking on water so rapidly that by 19:30 the vessel became unmanageable, and Captain Frederick endeavoured to make for Port Stephens, New South Wales, where he intended to beach her. However, it was soon apparent that Ada and Ethel would not reach the shore, and Captain Frederick and the five members of his crew abandoned ship off Seal Rocks, New South Wales.[5]
References
edit- ^ Country News, The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 January 1886.
- ^ Funerals, The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 February 1887.
- ^ Exports, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 February 1886.
- ^ Exports, The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 May 1886.
- ^ "Foundering of the schooner Ada and Ethel", The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 October 1887.
Further reading
edit- Wrecks on the New South Wales Coast. By Loney, J. K. (Jack Kenneth), 1925–1995 Oceans Enterprises. 1993 ISBN 978-0-646-11081-3.
- Australian Shipwrecks - vol1 1622-1850, Charles Bateson, AH and AW Reed, Sydney, 1972, ISBN 0-589-07112-2, Call number 910.4530994 BAT
- Australian shipwrecks Vol. 2 1851–1871 By Loney, J. K. (Jack Kenneth), 1925–1995. Sydney. Reed, 1980 910.4530994 LON
- Australian shipwrecks Vol. 3 1871–1900 By Loney, J. K. (Jack Kenneth), 1925–1995. Geelong Vic: List Publishing, 1982 910.4530994 LON
- Australian shipwrecks Vol. 4 1901–1986 By Loney, J. K. (Jack Kenneth), 1925–1995. Portarlington Vic. Marine History Publications, 1987 910.4530994 LON
- Australian shipwrecks Vol. 5 Update 1986 By Loney, J. K. (Jack Kenneth), 1925–1995. Portarlington Vic. Marine History Publications, 1991 910.4530994 LON
External links
edit- Australian National Shipwreck Database
- Australian Shipping - Arrivals and Departures 1788-1968 including shipwrecks
- Encyclopaedia of Australian Shipwrecks - New South Wales Shipwrecks