HMS Sirius (1786) facts for kids
HMS Sirius was a very important ship in the British First Fleet. This fleet carried people who had been sent away as punishment, called convicts, along with soldiers to Australia. Their job was to start a new settlement there, which was a type of prison colony. This journey marked the beginning of European settlement in Australia.
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About the Ship
The Sirius was a ship weighing 520 tons. It was built in 1781 on the River Thames in England. At first, it was called the Berwick. It was originally made to carry timber in the Baltic Sea. The Royal Navy later bought it to use as a supply ship.
The ship was then prepared for its long trip to Australia and renamed HMS Sirius. Lieutenant Philip Gidley King said the ship was named after the brightest star in the Orion constellation.
The Sirius had six carronades, which were short cannons used to fire large, heavy shots to damage enemy ships. It also had four six-pounder guns. Ten more six-pounder guns were stored in the cargo area. These were meant to help protect the new settlement once they arrived. The HMS Sirius was about 89 ft (27 m) long and 32 ft (10 m) wide. Its hold, where cargo was kept, was about 13 ft (4 m) deep.
The Crew and Commanders
Arthur Phillip was the main commander of the HMS Sirius. John Hunter was the second captain. Phillip was in charge of the ship while it was part of the First Fleet. Once they arrived and Phillip started setting up the new settlement, Hunter would take over command of the ship.
Other important officers included lieutenants King, William Bradley, and George William Maxwell. The ship had a crew of about 160 men.
Journey with the First Fleet
The HMS Sirius carried all the guns and ammunition for the entire First Fleet. No weapons were kept on the ships carrying the convicts, just in case of a mutiny (a rebellion by the crew or passengers).
The Sirius left England on May 13, 1787. It sailed to Australia, making stops along the way at Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, and Cape Town. The ship finally arrived in Botany Bay on January 20, 1788. It then reached Port Jackson on January 26, which is now Sydney.
While at Cape Town, eight guns were moved from the ship's deck into the cargo hold. This was done to make space for building stalls to hold cattle. The guns were put back on deck after the ship reached Sydney. Later, they were taken off again and placed in a fort at Dawes Point to help protect the new settlement.
Helping the New Colony
In October 1788, HMS Sirius sailed east all the way to Cape Town again. Its mission was to get more food supplies for the new colony. Leaving Cape Town in January 1789, it kept sailing east. It used the strong west winds, known as "the Roaring Forties", to help it travel. This meant the ship sailed completely around the world before returning to Sydney in May. During this journey, rough seas near Tasmania broke the ship's figurehead (a carved figure at the front of the ship) and badly damaged the front of the vessel.
In March 1790, the Sirius went to Norfolk Island. It was carrying more marines, convicts, and supplies. The ship successfully unloaded the people. However, bad weather made it impossible to get the supplies ashore. Four days later, Captain Hunter tried again to land the supplies in Sydney Bay. The ship drifted too far into the bay and was wrecked on a reef on March 19. Luckily, all the crew members were rescued. Over the next two weeks, most of the important supplies were also saved from the wreck.
It took another 11 months for another ship to arrive at Norfolk Island. This ship finally took the crew of the Sirius back to Sydney. Captain Hunter then returned to England. An investigation found that the shipwreck was not his fault.
Anchor and Cannons
Some cannons from the wrecked Sirius were saved in 1790. In 1795, Lieutenant-Governor Philip Gidley King gave four of these cannons to Captain Hogan of the ship Marquis Cornwallis. Eight other cannons were sent back to Sydney to be used in a fort in 1804. In 1924, two cannons from the ship were placed in front of the Norfolk Island court house.
One of the 12 anchors from HMS Sirius was found at the wreck site. In 1907, it was put on display in Macquarie Place, Sydney. The anchor is in good condition, even though the ends of its arms broke off while it was being brought up from the wreck. Work was done on the anchor in 1992 to help keep it in good condition. The anchor is about 2.5 m (98 in) long, 0.5 m (20 in) wide, and 100 mm (4 in) deep. Next to the anchor is one of the cannons from the HMS Sirius. This was one of the cannons originally taken off the ship to guard Sydney in 1788.
In 1983, archaeologists explored the wreck. In 1985, they found several objects, including a carronade (a small cannon) and another anchor. In 1987, more than 600 objects were brought up from the ship. These items are now on display in the Maritime Museum on Norfolk Island.
Images for kids
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The HMS Sirius memorial in the Sydney suburb of Mosman.
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Anchor from HMS Sirius in Sydney.
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Monument erected in memory of HMS Sirius at Appley Park, Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK. The fleet sailed from offshore of this location.
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