MARY 1868–1879

A wooden schooner of 38 tons, AD Edwards Collection, State Library of South Australia, PRG-1373-41-33

Description:

Schooner; one deck and an elliptical stern

Owner:

William Edward Marmion, John Tuckey and Samuel Pearse

Construction:

Wood

Sunk:

5 June 1879

Size:

Length: 65.6 ft (20 m) Beam: 17 ft (5.2 m) Draft: 7.6 ft (2.32 m) Tonnage: 48.5 gross, 46.85 under deck

Underwater:

The remains of the Mary lie close to the jetty piles, about 40 m from the shore. When the site was inspected by the Western Australian Museum in December 1970, the keel and sternpost of the Mary were visible, together with some frames projecting above the sand, a heap of ballast stones and some planking. An inspection in February 1989 showed that much of this material had either disappeared or been buried under the sand.

Built:

James Storey, Fremantle

Location:

Lockeville jetty

Sinking:

Approaching bad weather caused the Mary to seek shelter at Lockeville and she was tied up alongside the jetty. As the weather worsened the schooner was removed to the West Australian Timber Company’s mooring about 180 m from the jetty. By 2.00 am the next day heavy seas were breaking over the vessel and the mooring dragged. The Mary hit a jetty pile and then went broadside on to the jetty. In this position it was impossible to manoeuvre the vessel into the lee of the jetty, so Waldron payed out cable so the schooner could be backed gradually into shallow water. After striking the bottom a number of times the masts fell. The crew then scuttled the vessel to steady it and diminish the pounding but the vessel became a complete wreck.

Longitude:

115.409537

Latitude:

-33.617207

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