GAMBIER

Location Port Phillip Bay, between Queenscliff and Pope s Eye Shoal VHR Number S281 Date lost 28/08/1891 Year of construction 1874 Official number 68090

Statement of Significance

Physical Description
Construction Material	Iron
Rig	Other
Propulsion	Steam - Screw
Engine Specification	Kincaid, donald & Co., Greenock
Engine Builder	compound vertical inverted direct action, 155 HP, 2 cy. 32" & 60"-39", 65lb boiler
Length / Breadth / Depth	280.0 Feet / 31.9 Feet / 23.9 Feet
History
Builder	J. & R. Swan
Built Date	1874
Built Port / Country	Dumbarton / Scotland
Registration Number	1885
Registration Port / Country	Melbourne / Australia
Former Details of Registration	Former owners: J and A Brown of Newcastle Former registration in Glasgow (owner P. Denny) (UID 3)
Details	Originally the Ocean, the vessel was renamed in 1888. Had an expensive re-fit 1885 for work as passenger ship. on 28th August the Gambier had entered the heads and was in the West Channel. When signals were misunderstood, the Gambier was run down by the Easby. Up to 21 lives were lost, particularly as one life boat capsized during launch. There was considerable media interest in the event. Both captains were held responsible - gross misconduct - their certificates suspended by Court of Marine Inquiry: Bell (Gambier), 9 months; Prideaux (Easby), 6 months - both captains should have slackened speed. Writ issued for 35,000 pounds against James Paterson & Co., Easby's owners, by Howard Smith & Co. Ltd. Important unit of inter-colonial fleet, operating Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle. Customs Dept removed wreck, reimbursed by owners who had failed to comply with warrant removal instructions. Site reveals that wreck not removed from sea-bed, just to extent of not being a hazard to shipping.
Voyage Details
Date Lost	28/08/1891
Voyage	from Newcastle to Melbourne
Cargo	304 cases of fruit, 25 tons of fencing wire, 51 bags of maize, 50 bags of rice, 43 half-chests of tea, 10 barrels of corn, 31 cases of manufactured tobacco, 12 cases of plated ware, 3 cases of machinery, 4 packages of typewriters, 80 bales of wool, 500 hides from Sydney, 42 packages of effects, 7 bales of marines, 11 kegs of skins. From Brisbane - 20 cases of meats, 61 cases of tobacco, 105 bags of oysters, 25 cedar logs, 29 cases of pines, and numerous sundries (from Don Love's extract from the Herald)
Owner	Howard Smith and Sons Ltd
Master of Vessel	Captain Frank Bell
Weather conditions	Clear fine morning
Cause of Loss	Collided with the Easby, hit near funnel, Easby tore more than a third of the way through the ship sunk quickly (UID 9, 99, 125). Signal confusion, and neither ship slackened speed when approaching each other
Further Details
Number of Passengers	65
Comments on Passenger	Mr Maloney, Mr Johnson, Mr Milne, Mr McMillan, Mr Shaw, Mr & Mrs Thorpe, Mr Kolbe, Mr Struthers, Mr Jefferson, Miss Harrington, Miss Crotty, Miss Woodling, Mrs McWhirter, Mrs Glanfield & child, Mrs Deorwyn, Miss Russell, Mr Hill, Miss Nuttall, Thomas, Phillip & Joseph Rooke, Mr & Mrs Robinson, Mr & Mrs Howe, Mr & Mrs Trevenick, Mr Simms, Miss Orchard, Mr Christison, Mr Bennett, Mr Thomas, Mr Green, Mr & Miss Gainor, Mr Loveday, Mr Dwyer, Mr Williams, Mr Horn, Mr Ryan, Mr Franklin, Lizzie & Kate Kelly, Jon Kelly, Mr & Mrs Turner & 3 children, Mr & Mrs McCarthy & child, Mrs Davidson & child, Mrs Leslie & child, Mr Logan, Mr Martin, Mr Williamson, Mr Paul, Mr Donahue, Mr Bannan, Mr Miller, Mr Quinn, Mr Dennis, Mr Walters (UID 9)
Number of Crew Members	37
Comments on Crew Members	John Bell, donkeyman; R Cooper, A. Denyer, D. Spillman, J. Robert, W. Budge, A Macckay, G. Thomas, A. Burghand, J. Dunn, J. Alain, W. Shaw, C. Brown, Allison Brown, T. Carrick, John Laurie, R. Smith, D. Danielson, K. McKinnon, J. Haydon, W. Bowness, N Mcauley, A. Garry, J. Smith, Jas McDonald, J. Hughes, H. Davidson, H. Jacques, T. Bailey, J. Frawley, C. Dryden,Miss Lloyd, J. Webster, J. Connell, F. Queily, W. Willmott (UID 9)