Parmelia (barque)
Encyclopedia
The Parmelia was a barque
that was used to transport the first civilian officials and settlers of the Swan River Colony
to Western Australia
in 1829.
Parmelia was built in Quebec
, Canada
in 1825, and registered on 31 May of that year. She was 117 feet (36 metres) long, 29 feet (9 metres) wide and 20 feet (6 metres) deep in the hold; and she was rated at 443 tons. Johnson (1987) writes that she was more of a plain working girl than the great and beautiful lady of the sea. Parmelia was sent to London
, and on 17 November she was transferred from the Quebec to the London register. In 1826 she was used as a troop carrier. Some time in the first half of 1827, Parmelia was sold to Joseph Somes, who was also a director of the British East India Company
. For the next year, she operated under charter to the British East India Company, carrying goods and passengers between London and Bengal
.
In 1828 the British
government, at the urging of Captain James Stirling
, decided to establish a colony
at the Swan River
in Western Australia
. HMS Challenger was despatched under Charles Fremantle
to annex the colony, and it was arranged that a contingent of soldiers, officials and settlers would follow on HMS Sulphur. Stirling however argued that the passengers and goods to be carried exceeded the capacity of HMS Sulphur, and asked for an additional ship to be chartered. The government reluctantly agreed to the extra cost, chartering the Parmelia in December 1828. It was then arranged that HMS Sulphur would carry the military personnel, with the Parmelia responsible for carriage of the civilian officials and settlers.
HMS Sulphur and Parmelia sailed from England
in early February 1829, sighting their destination on 1 June. Contrary to popular belief, Stirling did not captain the Parmelia; on arrival, however, he assumed the duties of pilot. He initially tried to enter Cockburn Sound
through a passage that he had discovered in 1827, but was prevented by strong winds and a heavy swell. Instead he hove to off Rottnest Island
for the night. The following day, he tried to bring Parmelia into the Sound from the north, against the advice of Fremantle, and ran aground on a sand bank, later to be named Parmelia Bank. Despite the best efforts of the crews to dislodge her, Parmelia remained on the bank for over 18 hours, finally coming off the bank by herself early the following morning. By that time, she had lost her foreyard, rudder
, windlass
, spare spar
s, longboat
and skiff
, and was leaking at a rate of 4 inches (10 cm) per hour. Parmelia then rode out a storm at anchor for three days before finally being brought to a safe anchorage. The passengers were able to disembark on 8 June.
HMS Challenger was due to depart once HMS Sulphur and Parmelia had arrived, but Parmelia needed repairs that it could not get without access to the skilled labour amongst HMS Challenger crew. Fremantle therefore took the decision to remain and assist with the repairs, which were completed many weeks later. Later that year, Stirling chartered the Parmelia to bring food supplies from Java. In 1830, she returned to England.
For the next nine years, Parmelia was used to transport
convicts to the penal colonies on the east coast of Australia
. She made nine such voyages, each of them carrying at least 200 prisoners. In 1839, Parmelia was refitted for the purpose of carrying migrants to the Americas
. She was intended to run between Britain and Quebec, but on 3 May 1839, her refit almost complete, she was destroyed by fire in Bank's Yard, at Frank's Queery, Cremyll
. Five days later, Lloyd's of London
wrote her off; any remaining timbers were probably salvaged for other purposes.
The Kwinana
suburb of Parmelia
is named in honour of the Parmelia, as is Parmelia Bank.
Barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
that was used to transport the first civilian officials and settlers of the Swan River Colony
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in 1829.
Parmelia was built in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1825, and registered on 31 May of that year. She was 117 feet (36 metres) long, 29 feet (9 metres) wide and 20 feet (6 metres) deep in the hold; and she was rated at 443 tons. Johnson (1987) writes that she was more of a plain working girl than the great and beautiful lady of the sea. Parmelia was sent to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and on 17 November she was transferred from the Quebec to the London register. In 1826 she was used as a troop carrier. Some time in the first half of 1827, Parmelia was sold to Joseph Somes, who was also a director of the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. For the next year, she operated under charter to the British East India Company, carrying goods and passengers between London and Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
.
In 1828 the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government, at the urging of Captain James Stirling
James Stirling (Australian governor)
Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
, decided to establish a colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
at the Swan River
Swan River (Western Australia)
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. HMS Challenger was despatched under Charles Fremantle
Charles Fremantle
Admiral Sir Charles Howe Fremantle GCB RN was a British Royal Navy officer. The city of Fremantle in Western Australia is named after him.-Early life:...
to annex the colony, and it was arranged that a contingent of soldiers, officials and settlers would follow on HMS Sulphur. Stirling however argued that the passengers and goods to be carried exceeded the capacity of HMS Sulphur, and asked for an additional ship to be chartered. The government reluctantly agreed to the extra cost, chartering the Parmelia in December 1828. It was then arranged that HMS Sulphur would carry the military personnel, with the Parmelia responsible for carriage of the civilian officials and settlers.
HMS Sulphur and Parmelia sailed from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in early February 1829, sighting their destination on 1 June. Contrary to popular belief, Stirling did not captain the Parmelia; on arrival, however, he assumed the duties of pilot. He initially tried to enter Cockburn Sound
Cockburn Sound
Cockburn Sound is an inlet of the Indian Ocean on the coast of Western Australia. It extends from the south of the mouth of the Swan River at Fremantle for about 25 km to Cape Peron near Rockingham and is located at...
through a passage that he had discovered in 1827, but was prevented by strong winds and a heavy swell. Instead he hove to off Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is located off the coast of Western Australia, near Fremantle. It is called Wadjemup by the Noongar people, meaning "place across the water". The island is long, and at its widest point with a total land area of . It is classified as an A Class Reserve and is managed by the...
for the night. The following day, he tried to bring Parmelia into the Sound from the north, against the advice of Fremantle, and ran aground on a sand bank, later to be named Parmelia Bank. Despite the best efforts of the crews to dislodge her, Parmelia remained on the bank for over 18 hours, finally coming off the bank by herself early the following morning. By that time, she had lost her foreyard, rudder
Rudder
A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
, windlass
Windlass
The windlass is an apparatus for moving heavy weights. Typically, a windlass consists of a horizontal cylinder , which is rotated by the turn of a crank or belt...
, spare spar
Spar
In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fiber used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fiber used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types In sailing, a spar is a...
s, longboat
Longboat
In the days of sailing ships, a vessel would carry several ship's boats for various uses. One would be a longboat, an open boat to be rowed by eight or ten oarsmen, two per thwart...
and skiff
Skiff
The term skiff is used for a number of essentially unrelated styles of small boat. The word is related to ship and has a complicated etymology: "skiff" comes from the Middle English skif, which derives from the Old French esquif, which in turn derives from the Old Italian schifo, which is itself of...
, and was leaking at a rate of 4 inches (10 cm) per hour. Parmelia then rode out a storm at anchor for three days before finally being brought to a safe anchorage. The passengers were able to disembark on 8 June.
HMS Challenger was due to depart once HMS Sulphur and Parmelia had arrived, but Parmelia needed repairs that it could not get without access to the skilled labour amongst HMS Challenger crew. Fremantle therefore took the decision to remain and assist with the repairs, which were completed many weeks later. Later that year, Stirling chartered the Parmelia to bring food supplies from Java. In 1830, she returned to England.
For the next nine years, Parmelia was used to transport
Penal transportation
Transportation or penal transportation is the deporting of convicted criminals to a penal colony. Examples include transportation by France to Devil's Island and by the UK to its colonies in the Americas, from the 1610s through the American Revolution in the 1770s, and then to Australia between...
convicts to the penal colonies on the east coast of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. She made nine such voyages, each of them carrying at least 200 prisoners. In 1839, Parmelia was refitted for the purpose of carrying migrants to the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
. She was intended to run between Britain and Quebec, but on 3 May 1839, her refit almost complete, she was destroyed by fire in Bank's Yard, at Frank's Queery, Cremyll
Cremyll
Cremyll is a coastal village in south-east Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately one mile west of Plymouth.Cremyll is on the Rame Peninsula facing Plymouth Sound. The Cremyll Ferry carries foot passengers and cyclists from Cremyll to Plymouth...
. Five days later, Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
wrote her off; any remaining timbers were probably salvaged for other purposes.
The Kwinana
Kwinana, Western Australia
The Town of Kwinana is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 118 square kilometres in metropolitan Perth, and lies about 38 km south of Perth's central business district, via the Kwinana Freeway...
suburb of Parmelia
Parmelia, Western Australia
Parmelia is a suburb of Kwinana, Western Australia, located in the Town of Kwinana.Parmelia is one of the Kwinana suburbs named after a ship. The "Parmelia" was the first ship to arrive in June 1829 bringing settlers to establish the new colony at the Swan River in Western Australia. Its passengers...
is named in honour of the Parmelia, as is Parmelia Bank.
Passengers on the Parmelia, 1829
| Name | Quality |
| Captain James Stirling | Governor Governor of Western Australia The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;... |
| Ellen Stirling | Wife of Captain Stirling |
| Andrew Stirling | Son of Captain Stirling, 3 yrs old |
| Frederick Henry Stirling Frederick Stirling Vice Admiral Frederick Henry Stirling was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station. He was a son of Admiral Sir James Stirling, the first Governor of Western Australia and Ellen Mangles.... |
Son of Captain Stirling, born at sea on 16 April 1829. |
| George Mangles | Cousin of Ellen Stirling |
| George Elliot | Clerk to Captain Stirling |
| Thomas Blakey | Servant of Captain Stirling |
| Sarah Blakey | Wife of Thomas Blakey; servant of Captain Stirling |
| John Kelly | Servant of Captain Stirling |
| Elizabeth Kelly | Wife of John Kelly; servant of Captain Stirling |
| Peter Brown Peter Broun Peter Nicholas Broun , known for most of his life as Peter Nicholas Brown, was the first Colonial Secretary of Western Australia, and a member of Western Australia's first Legislative Council.-Early life:... 1 |
Colonial Secretary Colonial Secretary of Western Australia The Colonial Secretary of Western Australia was one of the most important and powerful public offices in Western Australia, in the time when Western Australia was a British colony. The Colonial Secretary was the representative of the British Colonial Office in Western Australia, and was usually... |
| Caroline Brown | Wife of Peter Brown |
| Macbride Brown | Son of Peter Brown |
| Ann Brown | Daughter of Peter Brown |
| Richard Evans | Servant of Peter Brown |
| Margaret McLeod | Servant of Peter Brown |
| Mary Ann Smith | Servant of Peter Brown |
| John Morgan | Storekeeper |
| Rebecca Morgan | Wife of John Morgan |
| Rebecca Morgan | Daughter of John Morgan |
| Ann Skipsey | Servant of John Morgan |
| Commander Mark Currie Mark John Currie Captain Mark John Currie RN played a significant role in the exploration of Australia and the foundation of the Swan River Colony, later named 'Western Australia'.... RN |
Harbourmaster |
| Jane Currie | Wife of Commander Currie |
| Frederick Ludlow Frederick Ludlow Frederick Ludlow was an early colonial settler in Western Australia. He is credited with the discovery of the Capel River.... |
Servant of Commander Currie |
| Mildred ("Kitty") Ludlow | Wife of Frederick Ludlow; servant of Commander Currie |
| Jane Fruin | Servant of Commander Currie |
| John Septimus Roe John Septimus Roe John Septimus Roe was the first Surveyor-General of Western Australia. He was a renowned explorer, and a Member of Western Australia's Legislative and Executive Councils for nearly 40 years.-Early life:... |
Surveyor-General |
| Matilda Roe | Wife of John Septimus Roe |
| Charles Wright | Servant of John Septimus Roe |
| Henry Sutherland | Assistant Surveyor |
| Ann Sutherland | Wife of Henry Sutherland |
| William Sheldon | Clerk to the Colonial Secretary |
| James Drummond James Drummond (botanist) James Drummond was a botanist and naturalist who was an early settler in Western Australia.-Early life:... |
Horticulturalist |
| Sarah Drummond | Wife of James Drummond |
| Thomas Drummond | Son of James Drummond, 18 yrs |
| Jane Drummond | Daughter of James Drummond, 16 yrs |
| James Drummond James Drummond (Australian politician) James Drummond was an early settler in Western Australia, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council from 1870 to 1873.Born in 1814, most probably in Cork, Ireland, James Drummond was the son of botanist James Drummond... |
Son of James Drummond, 15 yrs |
| John Drummond John Drummond (Australian settler) John Nicol Drummond was an early settler in Western Australia. He became the colony's first Inspector of Native Police, and helped to explore the Champion Bay district before becoming one of the district's pioneer pastoralists.... |
Son of James Drummond, 13 yrs |
| Johnston Drummond Johnston Drummond Johnston Drummond was an early settler of Western Australia who became a respected botanical and zoological collector.The son of botanist James Drummond, Johnston Drummond was born in County Cork, Ireland in 1820... |
Son of James Drummond, 9 yrs |
| Euphemia Drummond | Child of James Drummond, 3 yrs |
| Elizabeth Gamble | Servant of James Drummond |
| Charles Simmons | Surgeon |
| Tully Davy2 | Assistant Surgeon |
| Jane Davy | Wife of Tully Davy |
| Jessie Jane Davy2 | Daughter of Tully Davy, 8 yrs |
| Joseph Davy | Son of Tully Davy, 6 yrs |
| Henry Davy | Son of Tully Davy, 4 yrs |
| Edward Davy | Son of Tully Davy, 2 yrs |
| Emily Rose Davy | Daughter of Tully Davy, 2 months |
| James Elliott | Servant of Tully Davy |
| Patrick Murphy | Servant of Tully Davy |
| Alex Fandom | Cooper |
| Mary Fandom | Wife of Alex Fandom |
| William Hokin3 | Bricklayer |
| Mary Hokin | Wife of William Hokin |
| William Hokin | Son of William Hokin, 14 years |
| John Hokin | Son of William Hokin, 12 yrs |
| Mary Hokin | Daughter of William Hokin, 10 yrs |
| Thomas Hokin | Son of William Hokin, 8 yrs |
| David Hokin | Son of William Hokin, 5 yrs |
| Charles Hokin | Son of WIlliam Hokin, 2 yrs |
| Thomas Davis | Smith |
| Catherine Davis | Wife of Thomas Davis |
| John Davis | Son of Thomas Davis, 3 yrs |
| Charlotte Davis | Daughter of Thomas Davis, 2 yrs |
| John Davis | Nephew of Thomas Davis, 13 yrs |
| James Smith | Boatbuilder |
| Sarah Smith | Wife of James Smith |