Electra (1904/03/17)

Off Cape Naturaliste

Location: Bunker Bay
Electra was built in Fremantle as a 2-masted schooner with one deck, a counter stern and billet head. The first owner was John Bateman, ship-owner of Fremantle. He sold it to Francis Perrier Bell, also a ship-owner of Fremantle, in July 1898. A week later Bell mortgaged the vessel back to John Bateman for a loan of £300 at 8%. This mortgage was discharged one month later. In August 1899 the Electra was sold by Bell to Alexander Gordon, accountant of Broome, who in October 1901 sold the vessel to a consortium of Robert John Lynne, shipping agent, John Denny and James Leslie Denny, merchants, all of Fremantle. On 10 May 1890 the Electra had been blown ashore at Dongara, Edward Tuckett being washed overboard and drowned at that time, but the schooner was subsequently salvaged, repaired and returned to trading along the Western Australian coast.
The Electra had a crew of five and was under the command of Captain J. Anderson. It was carrying a cargo of timber valued at £260 for Millars in Fremantle, plus general cargo for J. & W. Bateman and other firms, and had departed Hamelin Bay on 17 March 1904. The vessel was worth £1 000.
THE LOSS
During the night of 17 March the Electra sprang a leak, and despite efforts by the crew it foundered in seven fathoms (12.8 m) of water 800 yd (730 m) from the shore at Bunker Bay. The crew’s efforts to save the ketch were hampered by the sails having carried away and the pump breaking. It sank within three minutes of them abandoning ship. They all landed safely and then proceeded to Busselton.
INQUIRY
A Court of Inquiry into the loss of the ketch Electra was held at Busselton on 21 March 1904 before A.R. Price, subcollector of Customs and E. Cross, J.P. It heard evidence from Captain Anderson and the mate, Neil Neilson, and then closed the case with no adverse findings against the master or crew.
SITE LOCATION
A wreck reported in 1984 to lie near the ‘quarries’ at the northern end of Bunker Bay may be the Electra.