SPENCER'S GULF Steamship Co
Formed in Adelaide in 1876 the company merged with the Adelaide Steamship Co in 1882>
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FLINDERS 1874-1928>
| ROYAL SHEPHERD 1853-90>
| ROYAL SHEPHERD Australia Post Issue>
| FRANKLIN 1880-1902>
| KANGAROO 1863-84>
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FLINDERS postcard image (I believe) to be the vessel closet to wharf in foreground ROYAL SHEPHERD image courtesy State Library Victoria EMU image courtesy State Library Victoria>
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FLINDERS 489 gross tons, 278 net. Lbd: 195'7" x 25' x 12'1". Iron steamship built by J Laing, Sunderland as a passenger/cargo vessel for Thomas Elder & Partners., Port Adelaide. Held compounded engine producing 90 horsepower. Arrived at Port Adelaide 14 March 1875. Elder and others had established a limited liability Company with 'Flinders' in the forefront and placed her upon the run to Melbourne. December 1876 of the Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd working the Spencer Gulf as well as the successful Melbourne run. The success in fact led to the formation of the Adelaide Steam Ship Company of which T Elder and others within Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd were shareholders. During 1876 a conflict of interests between Management & major shareholders of the Adelaide S S Co with 'Flinders' owners, however closely aligned, saw 'Flinders' removed from the Melbourne run. Acquired 1886 by the Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd and made the occassional 'intercolonial' voyages. Sold November 1900 to W Collins & Sons Ltd., Brisbane and employed on the Brisbane - Maryborough - Bundaberg run. At times was chartered to the Australasian United S N Co., Sydney. Laid up during 1925 and register finally closed 1928 upon advice the vessel had been demolished
ROYAL SHEPHERD 265 gross tons, 184 net. Lbd: 148'1" x 19'8" x 10'5". Re-measured July 1857 (presumably when bowsprit removed etc) as 331 gross tons, 245 net. Lbd: 139'9" x 19'8" x 10'5". (42 metres long and 6 metres wide). Built by Blackwood & Gordon at Paisley, Scotland, in 1853. 3 masts and an oscillating engine producing 60 horsepower. Passenger vessel accomodating 60. Owned in 1854 by the Launceston Steam Navigation Co., registered in Launceston. July 1857 owned by G Fisher & Partners (Launceston and Melbourne Steam Navigation Co). Intended for the Bass Strait run, she had little success, and was sold December 1864 to Joseph Darwent of Port Adelaide. Darwent was a grain factor, shipping agent and clearly a shipowner. Vessel has one mast removed 1866. A regular on the Wallaroo service. 1871 sold to Andrew Tennant (pastoralist) & Others, Adelaide. Sold again in December 1876 to Spencer's Gulf S S Co, working the Spencer Gulf in South Australia, continuing that service following the takeover/merger by Adelaide Steamship Co, Adelaide. H J Cattanach, W A Firth, and T Elder have all been named by various sources as having ownership during her South Australia career. October 1885 sold to J Warburton and Son of Pyrmont, Sydney. Another source states J Mitchell, Sydney as owner from October 1885. Intended as a collier but found other work until converted into a collier October 1889. Was towing a sailing ship to Wollongong when she sank after collision the steamship Hesketh 14 july 1890 off Sydney Heads. No lives lost
FRANKLIN 730 gross tons, 395 net. Lbd: 200' x 26'3" x 11'7". Iron steamship built by D & W Henderson at Patrick, Glasgow. Compounded engine = 280 horsepower by builder. First owner - Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd., Port Adelaide. Capable of carrying 60 passengers, she serviced the outports of South Australia until December 1882 when taken over by Adelaide Steamship Co, and serviced many of their coastal routes. Wrecked April 18 1902 at Point Malcolm, Israelite Bay, Western Australia when operating as a mail steamer between Albany and Esperance
KANGAROO 227 gross tons, 186 net. Lbd: 136'6" x 20'5" x 11'2". Iron steamship built by J Wigham Richardson & Co., Low Walker on Tyne. Of 2 cylinder engine = 45 hp and rigged as a 3 masted schooner. First owner - J A Lloyd, Sydney who placed her on the New South Wales coal trade. Sold February 1865 to J Beeby, Port Adelaide who utilised her in passenger-cargo capacity on the South Australian gulf services. November 1865 owned by J Yeo & Partners. A regular on the Wallaroo service. July 1867 of Elder & Smith & Partners. December 1876 of the newly formed Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd, Port Adelaide. 1877 saw new tonnages (refit perhaps?) as 248 gross and 186 net. November 1881 sold to W H Dickson, manager Westport Colliery and registered at Dunedin, New Zealand. 1883 owned by Westport Coal Co Ltd. May 2 1884 when on passage from Westport to Lyttelton New Zealand, struck a rock off Cape Campbell and eventually sank near Bowlers reef. There were 16 crew and one passenger
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EMU 1876-1901>
| EVA 1876-1903>
| INVESTIGATOR 1882-1918>
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EMU 616 gross tons, 362 net. Lbd: 179'4" x 25'1" x 11'7". Compounded engine = 96 hp. Built by Blackwood & Gordon Port Glasgow for R W Osborne & Partners, Port Adelaide. September 1887 Euro Steamship Co Ltd., of which was formed at least in part by R W Osborne. December 1881 of the Spencer Gulf Steamship Co Ltd. December 1882 of the Adelaide Steamship Co as result of merger. Circa 1898 chartered by Circular Saw Line. Sold September 1901 with Australian registry closed. New owners seem to be S A Union of Noumea. Lloyds of London had her classed as a 'pontoon' until 1924. Another independant source claimed she was abandoned as a hull in Baie de la Moselle, Noumea
EVA 8 tons. Wooden steamship built for the Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co, in 1876 by the White Brothers in Williamstown, Victoria. The vessel was 11.8m long, 2.8m beam and 1.6m deep. The engine was 7 horsepower. (11.8m long, 2.8m beam and 1.6m deep.) Owned by Adelaide Steamtug Co in 1899, and others (unknown) in 1896, and 1903. The Eva was travelling from Port Adelaide to Beachport, crossing Backstairs Passage in heavy seas a leak was discovered. At 4 am on 4th September 1903 the vessel was beached at Antechamber Bay and broke up near Cape Willoughby, Kangaroo Island, 4th September 1903
INVESTIGATOR 583 gross tons, 345 net. Lbd: 210'3" x 28'3" x 12'5". Compouned engine = 80hp, boiler - 80psi. Passenger Cargo Vessel built by D & W Henderson Ltd Glasgow for Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd, Port Adelaide. Could carry 32 passengers in servicing the 'gulf' region. February 1883 (officially) of the Adelaide Steamship Co., and serviced a greater range of ports outside of Spencer's Gulf, including a run (the Company's first) to Western Australia. 1903 passenger accomodation removed. Wrecked 24th April 1918 at Wardang Island South Australia (Source: unashamedly from R Parsons book "Australian Coastal Passenger Ships') see links for availability
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LUBRA 1st image courtesy State Library New South Wales 2nd & 3rd images courtesy State Library Victoria>
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LUBRA 246 gross tons. Lbd: 147' x 22'2" x 10'5". Iron steamship built by Laurence Hill & Co., Glasgow for H H Ward of Glasgow. Later A L Elder of London. Jan 1863 Thomas Elder, R B Smith & others of Port Adelaide. Operated on the Spencer Gulf ports trades. February 1877 of the Spencer's Gulf S S Co Ltd, and refitted as Lbd: 167'3" x 22'2" x 10'4" with increased tonnage as 321 gross. December 1882 Adelaide Steamship Co. Wrecked Jurien Bay West Australia 3rd January 1898. (Lubra aboriginal word for 'Woman')
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Note: Upon the 'Gulf' trades of South Australia were many steam and sail only vessels. Here then I have prioritised the better known concerns for their notoriety, essentiality and their rivalry with the Adelaide Steam Ship Company which ultimately prevailed. To find individual owners just look at 'South Australia owners' webpage listed elsewhere upon this website. To find a particular vessel just look at the A-Z Ship Name webpage upon this site As this website is still building, on the basis of time, resources and expenses in acquiring essential data and images, not ALL vessels and shipowners are listed. Therefore I ask your patience, understanding and perhaps assistence where practible
Finally and very specificially, much of my data comes from Ronald Parsons publications, this page in particular sourced from his 'Yorke Peninsular Shipping' booklet which I purchased via Goulds Genealogy (See links) unto both which I recognise as invaluble historical source and material source>
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2007-09 ©John E Hoskin/Flotilla-Australia
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