Albatross (1868/06/15)

Opposite the mouth of the Irwin River

Rig type: Lighter, cutter rigged

William Garrard launched the Albatross in Geraldton as one of three vessels built from the timber of the African, which had been damaged on African reef and subsequently declared a constructive total loss at Champion Bay. Daniel Chapman dismantled the African just north of the Chapman River, and Garrard obtained some of the timbers to use in his boat building business. Albatross was built as a sailing lighter to carry cargo out to ships anchored in Champion Bay, and was licensed to operate only within the harbour limits.
THE LOSS
On 15 June 1868 the schooners Sea Bird and Twinkling Star were driven ashore by bad weather at Port Irwin. The Government Resident at Geraldton, Thomas Brown, chartered the Albatross under the command of William Garrard and sent it to Port Irwin with salvage gear and men to help the stranded schooners, despite this seeming to be contrary to its licence. The salvage was accomplished successfully and the Albatross sailed for Geraldton on 24 June with eleven crew and passengers, including a woman and a whaling team employed by John Bateman. Strong headwinds prevented the Albatross from rounding Point Moore and so it was turned to run back towards Port Irwin. About a mile off shore and almost opposite the mouth of the Irwin River, the Albatross was swamped by a large wave. The mast carried away, and everything on deck including the passengers and crew washed overboard. The vessel was then rolled over and over in the surf and fetched up on the sand-bar at the mouth of the Irwin River. Of the eleven people aboard only three survived. These were Alexander Pead, one of the crew, and two whaling crew, Edward Lewington, and Burdee, an Aborigine. Those drowned were the vessel’s builder and master, William Garrard, six whalers and the woman, Margaret Allender.
The bodies of Thomas Aaron (Eron) alias ‘Scolly’, Margaret Allender and Nabbra (Neebrow), an Aborigine, were recovered two days after the wrecking. On 29 June the body of John Bryan (Brian) was also found; however ,two more bodies recovered the day after that could not be identified. The remaining two victims were never found, although the beaches were patrolled for weeks. Those drowned but not named were ‘Moke’, an Aborigine, William Adams and William Woodward.
INQUIRY
An inquest on three of the victims, Thomas Aaron, Margaret Allender and Nabbra, records that they had ‘been drownded’.