Queen of Hearts (1887/07/14)

Bunbury, off shore

There is no information on the Queen of Hearts other than that it was a gaff-rigged open boat and, at the time it was wrecked, was crewed by two men, Andrew Scott and William Roddick.
THE LOSS
The circumstances surrounding the loss of the Queen of Hearts are little known. It appears that the vessel left Fremantle on Monday 13 June 1887 on a fishing excursion (West Australian, 17 June 1887:3a). The quartermaster on board the Meda stated that he had seen the boat about 11.00 a.m. that morning, but on looking for it about half an hour later could not see any sight of men or boat.
When the pair had not returned the following day the Rescue was sent to search for them. The search area included both Garden and Carnac islands but proved unsuccessful. It was surmised that the boat had capsized and the two men drowned. In July 1887 a newspaper reported:
It is reported that Mr Arthur Clarke found on the beach, yesterday, about twenty miles to the northward of Bunbury, a boat’s mast, with sails attached. From the description given, it appears that the sail is one that is used with a gaff. To the mast is attached a piece of coir rope on which is a small iron grapnel, also a fishing line. It is surmised that the mast is probably that of the Queen of Hearts which the two men, Andrew Scott and his mate, Roderick [sic], left Fremantle some three weeks ago, and who, it is thought, were lost, as they have not been heard of since. No doubt the mast and sails, if the surmise is correct, can be identified (West Australian, 15 July 1887: 3a).
Nearly two months later another report stated:
A box containing candles, jams, etc. and a copy of the War Cry dated April 30th, 1887, was found on August 20th on the North Beach, about eighteen miles from Bunbury, by the daughter of Mr B. Pigot. Sub-Inspector Pigot who reports the matter, thinks it is likely this box belongs to the boat Queen of Hearts, the wreck of which was found near where the box was picked up (West Australian, 9 September 1887: 2h & 3a).
It is possible that this actually refers to the finding of the mast and sail on 14 July rather than the vessel itself, as there appears to be no other information on the wreck of the Queen of Hearts having being found.