Preston (1861/07)

Murray River

William Owston built the Preston at his yard at Preston Point on the Swan River for his own use. The vessel had one deck and a square stern. It was evidently a fast craft as the press reported that it sailed from Albany to Fremantle in only three days (Inquirer, 3 November 1858: 2f). Initially Owston used the schooner on the northern run, sailing between Fremantle and Port Gregory under the command of John Keefe. On 20 September 1855 the vessel stranded on Pelsaert Island in the Houtman Abrolhos, but it was got off in March the following year and continued trading along the coast. The Preston was stranded once again when, on 17 August 1859, it ‘was driven over the reef abreast of Nambung about 130 miles from Champion Bay, fortunately no lives were lost’ (Walter Gee to the Inspector of Police, quoted in de Burgh, 1986: 98). Again the vessel was quickly refloated.
THE LOSS
In June 1861, still under the command of John Keefe, the Preston was in danger of being overwhelmed in a gale and was deliberately run ashore on to a beach near the mouth of the Peel Inlet. The master stayed with the vessel for a while and then began to walk north towards Fremantle for help. He was later found dead on the road near Rockingham, having died of exposure. His date of death was given as 27 June 1861. Parsons (1971) quotes the registration papers as stating that the vessel sank in quicksand and defied every attempt to raise it, and was therefore abandoned.
INQUIRY
An inquest into the death of John Keefe was held by the Resident Magistrate, Fremantle, on 29 June 1861, but there appears to be no mention of an inquiry regarding the loss of the Preston.
INITIAL SALVAGE
From records it appears that although every effort was made to raise the Preston, it had sunk too far into the bottom mud and so the vessel was abandoned.
SITE LOCATION
In 1967 Jack Yates found the wreck of a wooden vessel about 14.6 m long approximately 550?m north-east of the mouth of the Peel Inlet. This was reported to the Western Australian Museum, but attempts since to locate the wreck have been unsuccessful. This wreck may be that of either the Preston, or possibly the Alert wrecked near the estuary inlet in 1875.
Another report to the Western Australian Museum (WAM File MA 206/80) states that an anchor 5–5½ ft (1.5–1.7 m) long, half upright and firmly concreted to the sea bed, covered in concretion and weed was found by some divers. Close by was the outline of boat about 50 ft (15.2 m) long, plus a straight artefact, most probably a mast. They also found some chain, links of which were brought up for analysis. This analysis showed that the chain was made from approximately three-quarter inch (19 mm) diameter wrought iron.