re: Irish oak - ship building see: http://www.irishoakforests.com/uses.htm other information about what led to the devastation of irish forests can be found by googling: Irish oak ship building Paddy On 16/08/2013, at 8:17 AM, Piers Smith-Cresswell <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm not 100% confident now about my identification of her official > number following my digging around in the newspapers, I'll have to think > about it as there are some discrepancies, over tonnage etc. However, an > interesting story emerges about whatever ship named INDUSTRY made it to > Melbourne in 1858. > > I suggest you have a look through the Australian Newspapers on the Trove > site, bearing in mind that there was more than one vessel of that name, and > that reporting isn't 100% accurate. If you search "barque industry" in > trove and then "hulk industry" in the NZ "Papers Past" site, and > Google, you will find the following tale:- > > You will recall that Industry arrived at Melbourne in May 1858. She was put > up for sale in August 1858 but it appears she didn't sell. The suggestion > that she was built of Irish oak, imported to Canada, sounds quite > preposterous *http://tinyurl.com/l3f8hrd . * In September 1858 she was > still in port and a French ship discharged ballast and equipment into her. > She was sold in January 1859 for £800, and was stated as being "about 23 > years old" (ie built c.1835) see *http://tinyurl.com/nurf4cp .* . The > Argus reported on the 8th January that she had been sold to New Zealand > owners and had been refitted to carry 2000 head of sheep to New Zealand, > where she was intended to be turned into a coal hulk. * > http://tinyurl.com/qdg6wud . *A New Zealand newspaper reported her as > being 700 tons, and referred to her being intended to be hulked at Port > Chalmers (ie Dunedin). Her new owner appears to have been a John Jones. * > http://tinyurl.com/qck2v2b* <http://tinyurl.com/qck2v2b> > > She cleared from Hobsons Bay on 19th January; her master being reported > as "W.R. Stephenson" *http://tinyurl.com/nf2dqm3 * > > Then "The barque *Industry*, bound for Otago, commenced taking in sheep on > Thursday morning (Feb. 3.) alongside the Williamstown Railway Pier, and > completed her loading of 1700 ewes, with which she hauled off before dark". > -*Argus*. *http://tinyurl.com/qck2v2b* > > She sailed on February 6th 1859 for New Zealand. * > http://tinyurl.com/nl87cej* <http://tinyurl.com/nl87cej>* *but ran into > trouble: > > "On sighting Tewaewae's Point, a vessel was observed to be on shore there, > and the steamer [GEELONG] bore down to her assistance. She proved to be > the barque * "Industry,"* from Melbourne to Otago, with sheep, which had > drifted on the rocks in a most dangerous position. With considerable > difficulty the crew were induced to assist in the endeavour to get her off, > which was at length successful, and the * "Industry"* proceeded on her > voyage, not having apparently received any serious damage. But for the > opportune arrival of the steamer, the barque would in all probability have > become a total wreck, as both the captain and crew appeared to be utterly > indifferent as to the result." *http://tinyurl.com/qck2v2b* > > Her consort NORTH STAR, sold at the same time and also intended as a > hulk, ran aground at the New River and sustained considerable damage. * > http://tinyurl.com/**qck2v2b* <http://tinyurl.com/qck2v2b>. Which must > raise some question as to whether her owners were actually bothered at all > about whether INDUSTRY arrived or not. > > She arrived at Dunedin on 26th February. "Same day, *Industry*, 487 tons, > Stephen, from Melbourne, via the Bluff, with 1700 sheep, 100 boxes candles, > 766 deals, 700 tons coal, l package harness, and 1 dog cart. Arrived at > 9.20 a.m." *http://tinyurl.com/qck2v2b* > ** > May 7th: "The barque* "Industry"* was run aground at the Bluff. Owner > Jones. Seaman - Barnes" > *http://tinyurl.com/**qck2v2b*<http://tinyurl.com/qck2v2b> .She > was turned into a hulk, ie a floating warehouse. > ** > That would normally be about the last one would expect to hear of her. But > no! Twenty years later (1878) the much decayed vessel pops into the > newspapers again. In 1878 Dunedin City Council wanted to turn her into a > floating swimming pool! http://tinyurl.com/pebgma6. This report sums up > her career since 1858, discusses her current condition and the plans for > her, and adds the fact that Industry had been condemned at Melbourne [her > crew having presumably being paid off]. > > However people smelt something fishy going on, not just the reek from the > bilges of the decayed vessel ...was the council paying too much and being > scammed? http://tinyurl.com/qe5kuva. It became a local issue * > http://tinyurl.com/otfjjhd* <http://tinyurl.com/otfjjhd>* *and* > http://tinyurl.com/mz9rgqz*. Suspicions were summed up by the Grey River > Argus report on 27th December "The City Council of Dunedin bought an old > worm eaten hulk called the Industry to turn her into public baths. They > paid £600 for her and she was valued at £500. The report of Captain > Russell, Lloyd's agent, on the hulk is short and sweet; it is as follows: > That the Industry has been a ship of 500 tons burthen, American built; he > believes her to be about 50 years of age; he has examined her timber and > found it rotten from top to bottom, and he can put no intrinsic value on > her". http://tinyurl.com/q8o4pc5 > > Despite the Chairman of the Baths committee pressing for an enquiry to > exonerate him, it wasn't voted for http://tinyurl.com/pt7pqbd . It all > sounds very political. A Cllr Fish seems to have been deeply involved but > voted against the inquiry. Or it was. Later in 1879 there does seem to > have been an inquiry after all but it exonerated everyone. * > http://tinyurl.com/mr39hqx . *Some more subtle searching might tease out > more of the tale. > > It is not clear whether Industry was ever converted into public baths, or > whether the Council got their money back. > > Presumably, as the* Otago Daily Times *so graphically put* *it, after that > Industry simply "melted away in her unsavoury bed". > > An interesting tale..... > > Cheers > Piers > > > > > > Piers would you know who bought the INDUSTRY and what became of her? Also > what was the role of the agent T.H. Martin, Forrest and Co were they the > ship owners? Thank you for the reference number to the crew list, the > next time I’m in London, I’ll look it up at the National Archives. > > > > Again, much obliged for all your help. > > > > Best wishes , > > > > Seán Tapley > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message