The Merksworth was an iron steamer screw built in 1874 at, Paisley, that was wrecked when it swamped whilst carrying coal between Newcastle and Sydney and was lost off Stockton Beach on 7 May 1898.
Ship description and construction The Merksworth was an iron collier built by John Fullerton & Company at Paisley on the River Clyde in Scotland.
Service history
Arrival in Australia When the vessel arrived in Australia for service in the Hunter Valley coal fields for the Anvil Creek Coal mine at Morpeth upstream of Newcastle the vessel and journey was described as THE Merksworth, -A most valuable addition has been made to the colonial steam fleet by the safe arrival of the steam collier Merksworth, which has been purchased in England by Mr. Jeffrey, specially for the Anvil Creek Coal mining Company. This vessel was built at Paisley, on the Clyde, by Messrs. Fullerton and Co., and measures 165 tons register, carrying 420 tons coal under hatches, on a draught of only ten feet. This was the most important item in the instructions of the directors in sending for a vessel that could convey or bring from Morpeth, on the Hunter River, a large cargo on a given draught, and they have been most fortunate in securing a suitable craft in so short a time. In appearance the new steamer is a very fine wholesome vessel, having good ends, with a moderately flat floor. She is reported an excellent sea boat, and her outward passage speaks for itself with respect to her speed. The engines, which are on the compound surface condensing principle, are of 45 horse power, they are exceedingly strong but are so compact that they appear lost in the well ventilated and spacious engine room, but, although small in appearance, they are most effective, and can with ease drive the ship ten knots on the small consumption of 3 1/2 tons per day She left England with 336 tons of coal, and has now on board about 40 tons, and has been under steam seventy eight day. These facts speak for themselves, and show that the Merksworth is all that could be desired. She is supplied with two steam winches worked by a small donkey engine, which is placed in one corner of the stokehole, and she can work three hatch ways at once.
The cabin accommodation, necessarily only on a limited scale, but quite sufficient for the requirements of her officers. The machinery is in perfect working order, and, with the exception of cleaning the hull, the vessel is ready to commence work at once. With reaped to her passage, we learn that she left Cardiff on December 2, steaming for the Cape of Good Hope. The Equator was crossed at. Longitude 10' W, and she carried along S E. track to TableY E«y, which was reached on the 12th January. Having watered, etc, she left again on the 18th January, and ran down her easting on a parallel between latitude 39° and 42° S, with moderate winds and weather, passing the meridian of Cape Otway on 21st instant. She has been under steam the whole voyage, which has been accomplished in 85 days (from pilot to pilot).Sydney Morning Herald 26 February 1875
Career for the Anvil Creek Company Colliery at Morpeth February 1875 to July 1876 The vessel started trading between the Hunter Coal Fields and Sydney with her first trip from Morpeth described In a late issue we stated that the berth at the Queen's Wharf, Morpeth, was being prepared for the reception of steam colliers. On Sunday night the Merksworth, the first of these, arrived at Morpeth, and commenced to load Anvil Creek coal on Monday morning at six o'clock. She cleared for Newcastle in the evening with 284 tons on board. The Merksworth, we are informed, belongs to the Anvil Creek companyThe Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser Thursday 5 August 1875 The vessel had several hardships during a passage from Wollongong to Melbourne The steamer Merksworth, which arrived at Melbourne yesterday, from Wollongong, had a protracted passage, and during it the vessel was more than once in anything but a pleasant position for those who were on board. She left Wollongong on the 12th, and on the 14th a tremendous gale set in attended with a high cross sea, in which she laboured heavily, and shipped a great deal of water.
A fearful sea struck the steamer till half-past 8 a.m., and brought it and the ventilators down on the deck. The steam-whistle also got damaged, and the steam escaped out of the boilers. The vessel then became unmanageable, and large bodies of water got down through the flue and ventilators to the stoke-hole. At 4 p.m. Captain Owen managed to get the vessel before the sea, and with the valuable assistance Mr. Miller, the chief engineer, the cover of the steam heater was placed over the flue, and one of the ventilators was used as a funnel. By 6 a.m. steam enough was obtained to enable the Merksworth to get into Twofold Bay where she anchored at 4 pm. on the 14th, and left again on the 15th, rounding Cape Howe at 9 p.m. on that day. At 2 a.m.
On the 17th another muzzier in the shape of a hard south-west gale was encountered, and, there being a high sea on, great quantities of water were shipped, and little or no headway was made. At 8 a.m. Captain Owen bore up for shelter under the Howe, and rounded the Cape at 2 p.m. but as the weather then abated he again made for Melbourne. At 6 p.m., however, the weather broke out with increased fury, and in consequence of the strong head wind and sea, and the air-pump being out of order, the steamer put back, to Twofold Bay, and anchored there at 2 p.m.
After repairing the pump another start was made at 3 a.m. on the 18th, and fine weather prevailed until 1pm. on the 18th, when a heavy gale from the NW sprung up off Wilsons Promontory, and at 5pm. the. Merksworth put into Waterloo Bay, where she sheltered. Until 7 pm and then resumed her passage, cleared the fines and made every preparation for hard steaming. Port Phillip heads were entered at 1p.m. on TuesdaySydney Morning Herald 29 June 1876 The vessel was then sold to the Bulli company for £11,500 in July 1876The South Australian Advertiser Wednesday 26 July 1876
Career for the Bulli Coal Company July 1876 to March 1893 The Merksworth then mainly moved Coal from Bulli through to Sydney often in partnership with the Woniora In December 1878 the vessel and its crew became involved in industrial action The Seamen's Union Committee report that the seamen and firemen of the Bulli Coal Co.'s steamers Woniora and Merksworth struck work yesterday, in consequence of the Company's hulk being taken alongside the A. S. N. Co.'s steamer Wentworth, with the intention of supplying that vessel with coal. It was also rumoured, last night that the crew of the steamer Havilah had left that vessel, because she had been taken alongside the A. S. N. Co.'s steamer Brisbane. The Woniora left Sydney for Bulli yesterday with a Chinese crew.Sydney Morning Herald 24 December 1878 In Early October 1880 the vessel became involved in the rescue of the steam launch Lightning (35 ft. long, and between 6 ft. and 7 ft. beam ) the Lightning had been purchased from Georges River, Botany Bay, for service on the River Derwent in Tasmania and when the Lightning was leaving Botany Bay the vessel was abandoned. The Lightning was then later picked up by the Merksworth off Botany Heads, and towed back into the Bay and then later towed the Lightning to Sydney to claim large salvage.The Mercury Monday 11 October 1880
A Day after this incident the steam collier Merksworth ran onto the South Reef in Port Jackson at night, and received some damage causing the vessel to be beached at Watsons Bay, and then refloated and towed into dock for repairs.The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser Tuesday 12 October 1880
During March 1881 the ship steward, James McKellar was taken to the Infirmary suffering from injuries to his head, received through falling down the after-hold. After the accident McKellar did not appear to be much injured, but the next day as the vessel was about to go to sea, the master deemed it advisable to have him removed as he was considered as very dull in his manner.Sydney Morning Herald 8 March 1881
During December 1882 William Miller, the master of the vessel pleaded guilty, and was fined £5 and costs for failing to stretch a tarpaulin so as to prevent the coal from falling into the harbour between the vessel and the Potosi from which coal was being loaded.Sydney Morning Herald 9 December 1882
Just 7 months later the Master William Miller was again having legal issues as he was summoned by John Hammar a former crew member. Miller received a fine of 10s, and 27s 6d costs, for not supplied the former crew member with a proper discharge thus preventing him from shipping on another vesselThe Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday 25 July 1883
In January 1887 a large strike began to take hold in the Illawarra coal mines and the vessel was used to convoy workers from Sydney to help break the strike at the mine
Fill out more info on the Illawarra coal strike
In April 1887 the Merksworth was involved with a slight Collision with the Illawarra at Robertson Basin when The Illawarra was lying at her usual berth, loading for Sydney, and with a good number of passengers and friends were on board, when the Merksworth, in ballast, entered, the basin. Whether the engines were not stopped in time or the vessel failed to answer her helm is not known, but the Merksworth instead, of slowing forged slowly ahead and struck the Illawarra on the forward sponson, which was crushed and caused a dent in one or two plates. The Merksworth was moving so slowly that it was thought that she would come to a standstill before approaching the Illawarra, but she had just enough way on to cause the damage described. Had the impetus been a little more the Illawarra would have been crippled.The Sydney Morning Herald Friday 29 April 1887 The Merksworth was placed up for auction in February 1889 but was passed in.The South Australian Advertiser Friday 22 February 1889 As the vessel failed to sell the Bulli Coal Company sent the vessel in to be refurbished: Both engines and hull have been carefully examined and thoroughly repaired. She has also been fitted with a new steel boiler 10ft 3in in diameter and 9ft 6in long. It weighs 15 tons, and was tested by the Government engineer to 140 lb per square inch. The whole of the work, including the construction of the boiler, has been carried out by Messrs Grant Brothers, of Pyrmont, in the most creditable manner. The Merksworth was taken for the usual official trial, under steam yesterday, and resulted in attaining an average speed of 9 1/2 knots with 70 lb steam 25" vacuum, the engines doing 80 revolutions. Mr Hamilton, the company's manager, and Mr Pollock, the superintending engineer, warmly complimented Messrs Grant on the efficiency of the work done and Mr Cruickshank also ex pressed himself as being highly satisfied. The ship is now (both in hull and machinery) in good seagoing order.Sydney Morning Herald 19 October 1889 During this refit a boilermaker named Thomas Harrison, aged 21 years, residing in Wentworth Park-road, Glebe, was working at the side of the steamer, cutting rivets, when a piece of iron flew off and destroyed the sight of his left eye.Sydney Morning Herald 1 October 1889
In January 1893 whilst delivering Coal to Nouméa the Merksworth picked up the crew of the Peerless which had becalmed on 4 January, outside the reef and the current then sent the Peerless onto the reef, and after doing everything possible to save her, the crew of the Peerless took the boats.Sydney Morning Herald 19 January 1893
The Merksworth was sold as part of the liquidation of the Bulli Coal Company in March 1893 Sydney Morning Herald 7 March 1893
Career March 1893 to its sinking On 29 June 1896 The iron collier Merksworth collided with Pyrmont Bridge in Sydney and sustained considerable damage.