Derby (1894)

Cossack Beach, Butcher Inlet

The 46 ton sailing lighter Derby (ON 75320), built on the Canning River by B. Mason in 1878, was registered at Fremantle in 1885. The vessel...had been bought by the Adelaide Steamship Company with the help of a government subsidy of £150, and stationed at Derby for use as a lighter. Having survived the cyclone of April 1887, after which it was described as a ‘condemnable wreck’, the Derby was sold in 1889 to England and Miller. According to the vessel’s register, it was lost in a storm on Cossack Beach in 1894. As there seem to be no other reports of the loss, it is most likely that the Derby was a victim of the cyclone which struck Cossack area in January 1894. (Cairns & Henderson 1995: 225)

IA severe cyclone between 28 February and 1March 1889, caused the cutter Maud (ON 52232) to drive ashore after parting its chains, smashing the steam launch Tui on the way. Though the launch was completely broken up, the Maud, which came to rest high and dry, was repairable, despite two or three holes in the hull and a snapped-off mast. The lighter Derby was also damaged when driven against the jetty (Cairns & Henderson 1995: 135)

1878: Built at Canning River, near Perth, WA. as DERBY
1885 May 14: First registered as No 2 of 1885 at Fremantle to Adelaide Steam Ship Co
Ltd of Adelaide, shipowners
1889 Apr 2: Sold to R A England of Cossack, master mariner & William Miller of
Cossack, master mariner
1894: 'Register closed 18/6/1906. Vessel lost in a storm on Cossack Beach in 1894,
vide report from Sub-Collector of Customs, Cossack 30 May 1906. Certificate of
Registry lost, owners both dead.' (Gregg et al 2012)
.