The Adelphoi was a wooden barque built in Sunderland, England, that spent most of her working life in Australian waters. She was wrecked off Port Hacking, Australia, in 1879.
Service history
1874-75 The Adelphoi seems to have first made its way into Australian waters in 1874 via Java,The Argus Saturday 19 December 1874 leaving Cherilbon on 1 October with a full cargo of sugar.The Argus Thursday 24 December 1874 The vessel then arrived in Melbourne and began discharging and receiving cargo at the Sandridge town pier.The Argus Saturday 26 December 1874
In January 1875, the vessel was put up for sale by MacFarlan, Blyth, and Co.The Argus Thursday 7 January 1875 Upon her sale in June, the master made his return to London via the Northumberland.The Mercury Friday 18 June 1875
1876-79 On 19 May 1876, the Adelphoi sailed from Newcastle, New South Wales harbour for Lyttelton, New ZealandThe Argus Monday 22 May 1876 and arrived on 9 June 1876.Lyttelton Star, Issue 2562, 9 June 1876, Page 2 In September 1876 it was reported that the Adelphoi and Natal Queen were loading at Lyttelton and bound for Melbourne, with 10,000 bags of oats.The Mercury Wednesday 6 September 1876
On 15 December 1876, the Adelphoi arrived back at her new home port at Newcastle harbour.The Argus Monday 18 December 1876 She made several more trips between Newcastle and Lyttelton over the course of the next three years.Mariners and ships in Australian WatersLytteton Star, Issue 3097, 8 March 1878, Page 2Timaru Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 1348, 15 January 1879, Page 2The Brisbane Courier Monday 16 June 1879
Shipwreck event On the morning of 21 December 1879, the Adolphoi was bound from Adelaide to Newcastle when she struck a reef about a mile off Port Hacking. The hold quickly began to fill up with water, and the captain and crew were forced to abandon the ship. They took to the lifeboats, and reached Port Hacking without incident.The Sydney Morning Herald Monday 22 December 1879
W H Gregory, the master of the Adelphoi, was called upon to show why his certificate should not be suspended or cancelled for his error in navigating the barque so close to land. The master claimed that it would have been useless to anchor and that he did everything he could to save the vessel. He claimed he had been a careful navigator for upward of 19 years. The board considered the matter and could not overlook the fact that the barque might have been kept further from shore, and the anchor dropped. They decided to suspend Captain Gregory's certificate for three months from the time of the wreck.The Argus Tuesday 13 January 1880
The Adelphoi was insured with the New Zealand Insurance Company for £2,000. The vessel was in ballast.The Argus Monday 22 December 1879
References