SS Catterthun facts for kids
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|} The SS Catterthun was a cargo and passenger ship from the 1800s. It sadly sank off the east coast of Australia in 1895. Many people lost their lives in this event.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 New South Wales |
|
| Name | SS Catterthun |
| Owner | Eastern and Australian Steamship Company |
| Builder | William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland, England |
| Launched | April 1881 |
| Fate | Wrecked, 8 August 1895 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage |
|
| Length | 302 ft 3 in (92.13 m) |
| Beam | 35 ft 5 in (10.80 m) |
| Propulsion | 250 hp (186 kW) compound steam engine |
| Sail plan | Schooner-rigged |
Building the Catterthun
The Catterthun was built in England at the Doxford shipyard. This shipyard was located in Sunderland. The ship was launched in April 1881.
It was made for the Eastern and Australian Steamship Company. The ship had a strong iron body. It weighed about 2,179 tonnes and was 92 meters long. A 250 horsepower engine powered the ship. This engine used two boilers that burned coal.
First Journeys
The Catterthun arrived in Australia in August 1881. It had traveled a long way to get there. Its route included places like Suez, Singapore, China, and New Guinea. Captain J. Miller was in charge of the ship.
For several years, the ship sailed between Australia and China. It carried important goods like gold to China. On its return trips, it brought back tea. The ship could carry around 40 passengers. Most of its crew members were Chinese.
The Last Voyage
The Catterthun left Sydney on August 7, 1895. It was heading to Hong Kong. There were several European passengers on board. Also, a few dozen Chinese passengers and crew were on the ship.
Just after midnight, the ship sailed into a big storm. This happened near Point Stephens Lighthouse. A few hours later, the ship hit a hidden reef. This was near Seal Rocks. The impact caused serious damage to the ship.
Sinking of the Ship
The captain quickly saw that a lot of water was coming into the ship. He ordered the lifeboats to be made ready. However, this important information was not shared with the passengers. Most of the crew also did not know.
The rough waves washed the captain and two crew members off the deck. This happened while they were trying to launch the lifeboats. The ship sank very quickly. It went down only twenty minutes after hitting the reef. Fifty-four people lost their lives in the sinking.
One lifeboat managed to reach the shore safely. It carried 26 survivors. A local sailing boat helped them get to land. The bad weather made rescue efforts very difficult. Two more crewmen were found in a lifeboat two days later.
Finding the Gold
People started planning to recover the gold cargo almost right away. There were many gold coins on the ship. Some said there were 8,000, others 9,000, and some even thought there were 11,000. The recovery operation began in mid-August 1895.
Out of about 8,000 gold coins, over 1,000 were never found. Some people believed that the divers might have kept them. They thought the coins were not given back to the ship's owners.
In the 1960s and 1970s, more attempts were made to find the missing gold. These efforts were not successful, at least not publicly. Today, the ship's wreck lies 60 meters deep in the water. It is a popular spot for people who enjoy diving.
