Good morning Denise, A 'Chief Officer' is a Company (ship owner's) title in the British marcantile marine (now the Merchant Navy), usually held by the Chief (or 1st.) Mate, which is the senior post below that of Master and note that only the rank of Mate and Master are the legal ranks. The Chief or 1st Mate is the senior officer on the ship below Master who is the overall man in charge (commonly known as the Captain), and apart from navigation and watchkeeping, the 'Mate is responsible for the cargo, discipline of the crew, maintenance of the fabric of the ship, etc. You need your ship's Official Number for any further documentary research (see my recent reply to a similar enquiry, by browsing through this site's archives) There were several with this name: 23229 London 1849 569 tons, sail 37587 Nova Scotia 25 tons sail - not this one, for sure. 60885 London 1868 569 tons Sail ? coincidence of tonnage with 23229. Possibly 23229 had been lost. and this was a rebuild? Then there is: INVESTIGATOR O.N. 79344 Adelaide 1883 345 tons, Steam ! First registered: Adelaide, on May 26th. 1883, Port number 7/83 This is the first time the vessel had been registered and given her official mnumber. If she had sailed previously under another name, she would have had a different official number and that does not change with a change of name. This number is carved into her main beam and remains with her for life. There are some documents for this vessel at The National Archives for 1883 under reference BT 00/1398 and http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/searchresults.asp?SearchInit=0&txtsearchterm=79344&txtrestriction=BT+99&hdnsorttype=Reference&j=1 Nothing at Newfoundland. You might try Greenwich for years ending with a 5. Some discrepency on dates for this ship with O.N. 79344: if she was first registered in Adelaid in May 1883, she would not have sailed from Glasgow in December 1882, but see below..... Perhaps your log book will give some indication about this. Maybe she was an earlier 'INVESTIGATOR' which had a steam engine added later. Was she a survey vessel? The Official Log Book would have been returned to the (British) Registrar Geneeral of Ships and Seamen. Yours is a personal log kept by the Chief Officer, or 1st. Mate, unless he was serving on a Naval vessel..... of which there were several with this name: Paul Benyon's http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/Index.html http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/I/02446.html Investigator, 1848 Type: Discovery vessel ; Launched : 1848 02 acquired ; Disposal date or year : 1852 Disposal Details : Abandoned in the Arctic Ice ; Com. Robt Jno Le Mesurier McClure BM: 480 tons 1848 Search for HMS Erebus and Terror 1 Jul 1850 Arrived Honolulu 4 Jul 1850 Sails for the North in search of Sir John Franklin's missing expedition. 30 Aug 1851 Arctic Exploration but note 'disposed of in 1852. Doesn't say whether she was scrapped or sold. Referring back to my previous replies to similar enquiries you will find the various contacts for Australian shipping records. Note also that you can check with the Glasgow archvies which shows unexpectedly, a passenger ship (hence no cargo): http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/shipview.asp s.s. INVESTIGATOR -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- built by D & W Henderson Ltd Glasgow, Yard No 249 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Propulsion: Steam, engines aft Built: 1882 Ship Type: Passenger Cargo Vessel Tonnage: 584 grt Length: 210.3 feet Breadth: 28.3 feet Owner History: 1881 Spencer's Gulf S.S. Co., Adelaide 1884 Adelaide S.S. Co. Status: Wrecked - 24/04/1918 Remarks: Wrecked 24/4/1918 at Wardany Island. Looks like this is your ship. Mirimar confirms this ship but still gives no Official Number: http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/show/337904 Launched 12/10/1882. Does that date of launch tie in with your Log Book. Can you find an Official Number in your records? This might have been her maiden voyage to Austalasia in which case you want to contact: http://www.gla.ac.uk/archives/collections/ which should be able to identify her O.N. for you, and hopefully much more, possibly including photos. Try also: http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/index.htm Once the ship is positively identified, your log books will be of nterest to various museums, etc. sorry it's a but chaotic - I wrote the email as I found the info. Chris ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2008 5:07 AM Subject: [TSL] where do I start? >I have a Chief Officer's Log Book for the Investigator which left > Glasgow 15 Dec 1882 and arrived in Port Adelaide 21 Feb 1883. The log > is mainly a record of position on an hourly basis and weather condition. > There are occasional mentions of coaling, repairs & maintenance, > attention to pumps. > > Was the position of Chief Officer the same in 1882 as it is today? As > no mention is given regarding passengers or cargo, how can I find out > what sort of vessel it was, where it was built and what happened to it > after its arrival in Australia? > > I am very new to research of this kind and have absolutely no idea where > to go though I have tried looking up a couple of ships websites to no > avail. > > Denise > -- > > [email protected] > > -- > http://www.fastmail.fm - A fast, anti-spam email service. > > ------------------------------- > visit TheShipsList Website > http://www.theshipslist.com/ > ------------------------------- > 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 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.175 / Virus Database: 270.9.11/1820 - Release Date: 29/11/2008 18:52

Chris Woods wrote: > Good morning Denise, > > A 'Chief Officer' is a Company (ship owner's) title in the British > marcantile marine (now the Merchant Navy), usually held by the Chief (or > 1st.) Mate, which is the senior post below that of Master and note that > only the rank of Mate and Master are the legal ranks. > > The Chief or 1st Mate is the senior officer on the ship below Master who is > the overall man in charge (commonly known as the Captain), and apart from > navigation and watchkeeping, the 'Mate is responsible for the cargo, > discipline of the crew, maintenance of the fabric of the ship, etc. > > > You need your ship's Official Number for any further documentary research > (see my recent reply to a similar enquiry, by browsing through this site's > archives) > There were several with this name: > > 23229 London 1849 569 tons, sail > 37587 Nova Scotia 25 tons sail - not this one, for sure. > 60885 London 1868 569 tons Sail ? coincidence of tonnage with 23229. > Possibly 23229 had been lost. and this was a rebuild? > > Then there is: > INVESTIGATOR O.N. 79344 Adelaide 1883 345 tons, Steam ! > First registered: Adelaide, on May 26th. 1883, Port number 7/83 > This is the first time the vessel had been registered and given her official > mnumber. If she had sailed previously under another name, she would have > had a different official number and that does not change with a change of > name. This number is carved into her main beam and remains with her for > life. > There are some documents for this vessel at The National Archives for 1883 > under reference BT 00/1398 > and > http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/searchresults.asp?SearchInit=0&txtsearchterm=79344&txtrestriction=BT+99&hdnsorttype=Reference&j=1 > > Nothing at Newfoundland. You might try Greenwich for years ending with a 5. > > > Some discrepency on dates for this ship with O.N. 79344: > if she was first registered in Adelaid in May 1883, she would not have > sailed from Glasgow in December 1882, but see below..... > Perhaps your log book will give some indication about this. > Maybe she was an earlier 'INVESTIGATOR' which had a steam engine added > later. > > Was she a survey vessel? > > > The Official Log Book would have been returned to the (British) Registrar > Geneeral of Ships and Seamen. > > Yours is a personal log kept by the Chief Officer, or 1st. Mate, unless > he was serving on a Naval vessel..... of which there were several with this > name: > Paul Benyon's http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/Index.html > > http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/I/02446.html > Investigator, 1848 > Type: Discovery vessel ; > Launched : 1848 02 acquired ; Disposal date or year : 1852 > Disposal Details : Abandoned in the Arctic Ice ; Com. Robt Jno Le Mesurier > McClure > BM: 480 tons > 1848 Search for HMS Erebus and Terror > 1 Jul 1850 Arrived Honolulu > 4 Jul 1850 Sails for the North in search of Sir John Franklin's missing > expedition. > 30 Aug 1851 Arctic Exploration > but note 'disposed of in 1852. Doesn't say whether she was scrapped or > sold. > > > > > Referring back to my previous replies to similar enquiries you will find > the various contacts for Australian shipping records. > Note also that you can check with the Glasgow archvies which shows > unexpectedly, a passenger ship (hence no cargo): > > http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/shipview.asp > > s.s. INVESTIGATOR > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > built by D & W Henderson Ltd Glasgow, > Yard No 249 > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Propulsion: Steam, engines aft > Built: 1882 > Ship Type: Passenger Cargo Vessel > Tonnage: 584 grt > Length: 210.3 feet > Breadth: 28.3 feet > Owner History: > 1881 Spencer's Gulf S.S. Co., Adelaide > 1884 Adelaide S.S. Co. > Status: Wrecked - 24/04/1918 > > Remarks: Wrecked 24/4/1918 at Wardany Island. > > Looks like this is your ship. > > Hi folks, The location of the wreck site is WARDANG Island off the coast of South Australia. - not "Wardany" suggest this is wrongly recorded from a hand written entry and the 'G' taken to read a 'Y' Ainslie in Adelaide, South Australia. formerly a figurehead carver and restorer.

Hello Ainslie When we were in Tasmania we visited the Maritime museum in Hobart. At the time I wasn't aware of my great grandfather's 'Investigator' log book so it was just a general interest visit. We are going to Hobart again this month so I'll go armed with some information this time and see if there is anything there. I know they had a map showing wrecks around southern Australia. You never know what will turn up. Many thanks Denise On Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:57:04 +1030, "Ainslie Pyne" <[email protected]> said: > Chris Woods wrote: > > Good morning Denise, > > > > A 'Chief Officer' is a Company (ship owner's) title in the British > > marcantile marine (now the Merchant Navy), usually held by the Chief (or > > 1st.) Mate, which is the senior post below that of Master and note that > > only the rank of Mate and Master are the legal ranks. > > > > The Chief or 1st Mate is the senior officer on the ship below Master who is > > the overall man in charge (commonly known as the Captain), and apart from > > navigation and watchkeeping, the 'Mate is responsible for the cargo, > > discipline of the crew, maintenance of the fabric of the ship, etc. > > > > > > You need your ship's Official Number for any further documentary research > > (see my recent reply to a similar enquiry, by browsing through this site's > > archives) > > There were several with this name: > > > > 23229 London 1849 569 tons, sail > > 37587 Nova Scotia 25 tons sail - not this one, for sure. > > 60885 London 1868 569 tons Sail ? coincidence of tonnage with 23229. > > Possibly 23229 had been lost. and this was a rebuild? > > > > Then there is: > > INVESTIGATOR O.N. 79344 Adelaide 1883 345 tons, Steam ! > > First registered: Adelaide, on May 26th. 1883, Port number 7/83 > > This is the first time the vessel had been registered and given her official > > mnumber. If she had sailed previously under another name, she would have > > had a different official number and that does not change with a change of > > name. This number is carved into her main beam and remains with her for > > life. > > There are some documents for this vessel at The National Archives for 1883 > > under reference BT 00/1398 > > and > > http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/searchresults.asp?SearchInit=0&txtsearchterm=79344&txtrestriction=BT+99&hdnsorttype=Reference&j=1 > > > > Nothing at Newfoundland. You might try Greenwich for years ending with a 5. > > > > > > Some discrepency on dates for this ship with O.N. 79344: > > if she was first registered in Adelaid in May 1883, she would not have > > sailed from Glasgow in December 1882, but see below..... > > Perhaps your log book will give some indication about this. > > Maybe she was an earlier 'INVESTIGATOR' which had a steam engine added > > later. > > > > Was she a survey vessel? > > > > > > The Official Log Book would have been returned to the (British) Registrar > > Geneeral of Ships and Seamen. > > > > Yours is a personal log kept by the Chief Officer, or 1st. Mate, unless > > he was serving on a Naval vessel..... of which there were several with this > > name: > > Paul Benyon's http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/Index.html > > > > http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/I/02446.html > > Investigator, 1848 > > Type: Discovery vessel ; > > Launched : 1848 02 acquired ; Disposal date or year : 1852 > > Disposal Details : Abandoned in the Arctic Ice ; Com. Robt Jno Le Mesurier > > McClure > > BM: 480 tons > > 1848 Search for HMS Erebus and Terror > > 1 Jul 1850 Arrived Honolulu > > 4 Jul 1850 Sails for the North in search of Sir John Franklin's missing > > expedition. > > 30 Aug 1851 Arctic Exploration > > but note 'disposed of in 1852. Doesn't say whether she was scrapped or > > sold. > > > > > > > > > > Referring back to my previous replies to similar enquiries you will find > > the various contacts for Australian shipping records. > > Note also that you can check with the Glasgow archvies which shows > > unexpectedly, a passenger ship (hence no cargo): > > > > http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/shipview.asp > > > > s.s. INVESTIGATOR > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > built by D & W Henderson Ltd Glasgow, > > Yard No 249 > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Propulsion: Steam, engines aft > > Built: 1882 > > Ship Type: Passenger Cargo Vessel > > Tonnage: 584 grt > > Length: 210.3 feet > > Breadth: 28.3 feet > > Owner History: > > 1881 Spencer's Gulf S.S. Co., Adelaide > > 1884 Adelaide S.S. Co. > > Status: Wrecked - 24/04/1918 > > > > Remarks: Wrecked 24/4/1918 at Wardany Island. > > > > Looks like this is your ship. > > > > > Hi folks, > > The location of the wreck site is WARDANG Island off the coast of South > Australia. - not "Wardany" suggest this is wrongly recorded from a hand > written entry and the 'G' taken to read a 'Y' > > Ainslie in Adelaide, South Australia. > formerly a figurehead carver and restorer. > > ------------------------------- > visit TheShipsList Website > http://www.theshipslist.com/ > ------------------------------- > 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 -- [email protected] -- http://www.fastmail.fm - And now for something completely different…

Hi again, I should have edited the previous message to make it easier to find my response! Here it is again! Cheers Ainslie. <quote> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > built by D & W Henderson Ltd Glasgow, > Yard No 249 > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Propulsion: Steam, engines aft > Built: 1882 > Ship Type: Passenger Cargo Vessel > Tonnage: 584 grt > Length: 210.3 feet > Breadth: 28.3 feet > Owner History: > 1881 Spencer's Gulf S.S. Co., Adelaide > 1884 Adelaide S.S. Co. > Status: Wrecked - 24/04/1918 > > Remarks: Wrecked 24/4/1918 at Wardany Island. > > Looks like this is your ship. > <end quote> Hi folks, The location of the wreck site is WARDANG Island off the coast of South Australia. - not "Wardany" suggest this is wrongly recorded from a hand written entry and the 'G' taken to read a 'Y' Ainslie in Adelaide, South Australia. formerly a figurehead carver and restorer. ------------------------------- visit TheShipsList Website http://www.theshipslist.com/ ------------------------------- 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

Hello Chris Thank you for all that information. It will take me a little while to sort through and follow up on. I certainly appreciate the time you spent to get this info together. Regards Denise -- [email protected] -- http://www.fastmail.fm - Choose from over 50 domains or use your own