Answers to Quiz 3: Ships
1. What was the name of the ship that brought to what is now Western Australia the first British officer to claim the territory for the Crown?
The Amity. Major Edmund Lockyer of the 57th Regiment claimed Western Australia for the British Crown on 21 January 1827, his 43rd birthday, at Frederickstown - later Albany - having arrived on board the brig Amity.
2. What was the name of the ship on which James Stirling arrived in March 1827 to investigate the possibility of establishing a colony on the Swan River?
The Success. Stirling left the Success at anchor in Gage Roads and went up the Swan River in a couple of small boats, approving of what he saw.
3. What was the name of the ship on which Charles Fremantle arrived in 1829 to claim - once again - the western part of the continent for the British Empire.
The Challenger. He anchored south of the river mouth and came ashore at Bathers Bay on 2 May 1829.
4. What was the name of the ship on which James Stirling arrived at the beginning of June 1829 to begin setting up the Swan River Colony?
The Parmelia. Her master was Capt Luscombe, not Stirling himself. She ran ashore on a sandbank, which was consequently named the Parmelia Bank. The new settlers first landed on Garden Island, tho Stirling had a proclamation read by Major Irwin on the mainland on 17 June to proclaim the annexation of the colony by the British Empire.
5. What ship arrived 23 August 1829 with 104 passengers, and was wrecked at the Arthur Head end of Bathers Bay 4 September? Its name was given both to the point on which it was wrecked and also to the one at the other end of Bathers Bay. For extra points, what use was the wreck used for?
The Marquis of Anglesea arrived 23 August 1829 and was wrecked on Anglesea Point on 4 September - and the point was consequently named after the ship. The other (northern) end of Bathers Bay was named Point Marquis. The Government used it as: the Governor's residence; the Harbour Master's office; the Post Office; a prison for refractory servants; and the colonial store. The wreck later became the colonial gaol, housing up to twenty seven prisoners. For a time it also housed a mental patient, the deranged surgeon Nicholas Langley. Its final use was as a grain store.
6. What ship brought the military who accompanied the first settlers, arriving 8 June 1829? You might know the name of the military commander, as his wife chopped down (or pretended to) that tree in Barrack Street Perth. You know—the one in the painting.
HMS Sulphur brought the military who accompanied the first settlers, 8 June 1829. They were under the command of Commander William Dance. His lieutenant was William Preston, and the surgeon (doctor on board) was Alexander Collie. Mrs Dance 'chopped down' the tree to symbolise the foundation of Perth.
7. You may not be familiar with the names of the Hooghly and the Gilmore (or Gilmour) — two of the three ships that brought Thomas Peel's settlers to the colony. But you certainly know the name of the third ship, as it was given to a significant locality. The ship in question was driven on shore and wrecked. What was its name?
The Rockingham was wrecked at Clarence, the town Peel planned to build, which was near the present Woodman's Point.
8. We've already looked at the Parmelia. Its name was given to one of Kwinana's dormitory suburbs. What are the other suburbs there named after early ship arrivals? (I think there are five altogether.)
Others are Orelia, Calista, Success, and Medina. I see there's also a Leda Nature Reserve in the area, probably named for the ship. The Calista arrived 5 August 1829, bringing Lionel Samson and Daniel Scott. The Orelia arrived (for the first time) 19 May 1830. The Medina arrived 6 July 1830, bringing 52 passengers including John Bateman.
9. What was the ship that brought the first transported convicts? You should also try to guess the year?
It was the Scindian, in 1850.
10. What was the name of the steamship which 'sailed' into the new Fremantle Harbour (in the Swan River) to mark its opening, 4 May 1897?
It was the SS Sultan.
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 22 September, 2020 and hosted at freotopia.org (it was last updated on 27 April, 2024), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.