Sarah and Esther

Profile manager: Stephen Arnold [send private message]

Sarah and Esther

The Sarah and Esther was a 47 ton Lighter, built in Peppermint Bay, Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) in 1850.^[1]

She could carry a dead weight under hatches, of 80 to 90 tons^[2]

Her length was 67.4 feet, breadth, 14 ft and depth 7 ft. (20.54m x 4.267m x 2.13m).^[3]

She had one deck, two masts, and her length from the inner part of the main-stem to the fore part of the stern-post aloft, was 66 2-10 feet; her breadth in midships, 14 feet; and her depth of hold in midships, 7 feet; had standing bowsprit; square sterned; carvel built.^[4] and flat bottomed^[5]

PORT AND DATE OF REGISTRY. Dunedin 1862
Owners. Provincial Govt. of Otago
International Code Signal Letters. SCBW
Official Number. 36,975
^[6]

She was probably built of Blue Gum and other hardwood eucalypt species, with a softwood mast of huon pine^[7]

Various descriptions from the following including:
FINE FAST-SAILING KETCH,
Barge;
Lighter,
Topsail Schooner
and
"Floating Cullander" [colander] (derogatively in reference to her leakiness).

Her first 11 years were spent as a lighter in the waters around Melbourne, only venturing as far as Geelong on at least one occasion, until sold and floated to New Zealand for use as a lighter there.

On her voyage to New Zealand she rode the waves "like a duck", except when struck by lightning and hit by a sudden gale, when she stood on her beam ends.^[5][8]

1850-11-16: barge Sarah and Esther, 53 tons, Clarke, for Port Phillip, with timber^[9] or
1850-11-19: Sailed the barge Sarah and Esther, 53 tons, Clarke, for Port Phillip, with timber. ^[10]

1850-12-03: ARRIVED. [Port Phillip] December 3.—Sarah and Esther, schooner, 50 tons, James Clarke, master from Hobart Town 18th instant. No Passengers. F. H. Beaver, agent.^[11]

1852-11-01: (to be sold) W M TENNENT & CO have received instructions from Messrs Raleigh, Locke, Thorpe, & Co, to sell by public auction, at the Queen's. Wharf, on MONDAY, 1st NOVEMBER, At Twelve o'clock, The following Lighters, viz:— Sarah and Esther, carries dead weight under hatches, 80 to 90 tons^[12]

1853-01-06 Working as a lighter, (unloading ships) ^[13]

1853-06- 24: OCHTERTYRE. From Liverpool. CONSIGNEES are informed that the lighter Sarah and Esther is now discharging on the Wharf, and expenses incurred from their neglect of their goods, will have to be defrayed ^[14]

1853-08-12: to be sold^[15]

1854-08-31: NOTICE to Consignees.—The following Lighters will discharge at their risk this day:—Sarah and Esther, ex Cuthberts^[16]

1854-09-27: LIGHTER for Charter.—The SARAH and ESTHER is open for hire on reasonable terms to an industrious person.^[17]

1854-11-04: NOTICE.—The following lighters will this day be discharging at consignees' risk:— Sarah and Esther, ex Hilja [or Hilga]^[18]

1855-05-25: THE FINE FAST-SAILING KETCH SARAH AND ESTHER, STUBBS and SON will sell by public auction, at their rooms, Queen street, on Friday, 25th inst., at twelve o'clock precisely, The SARAH AND ESTHER, of fifty two 6-130 tons register. The handy and useful little craft was built at Peppermint Bay, in Van Diemen's Land, in 1850. She has one deck, two masts, and her length from the inner part of the main-stem to the fore part of the stern-post aloft, is 66 2-10 feet; her breadth in midships, 14 feet; and her depth of hold in midships, 7 feet; has standing bowsprit; square sterned; carvel built. [The next day's edition incorrectly says "canoe built"] This vessel, used as a barge, would be found most suitable for the river trade; has the usual stores on board, and will be found in all respects ready for immediate use. The Sarah and Esther is now lying in Salt Water River. Terms at Sale. ^[19][20]

1857-08-12 A black clinker built boat was stolen from the Sarah and Esther at Sandridge wharf.^[21]

She was sold to work as a lighter in New Zealand.

1861-12-22 After about a 3 day wait off the Williamstown Battery, for favourable winds and tide she set sail at 6am, Sunday 22nd December 1861.^[5]

Her only paying passengers were J. H. Watmuff, his diary is ambiguous as to whether his friend Harry Dight was crew or passenger, he was a carpenter, who knew Thomas Henry Downes, they had been apprentice carpenters together. Thomas was the son of the captain, Thomas Sylvester Downes.^[5]
Three crew members were diggers and former sailors.
A friend of the captain (Brett) also embarked under alcoholic inspiration, but left the vessel at Swan Island.
The rest if the crew were diggers heading for the Otago goldrush.

Passengers and crew of the Sarah and Esther:
1) Captain Thomas Sylvester Downes (~56 yrs),
2) Bob _ _ _ (chief mate),
3) Peter Tolin (cook),
4) Thomas Henry Downes 20 years old, (a carpenter),
5) Harry Dight (a carpenter),
6) Dave Magher,
7) Mike ---- ,
8) Brett, Williamstown Bellman/Public crier.
9) J.H. Watmuff, (passenger), whose journal describes the voyage of the "floating cullander" in graphic detail.^[5]
Not much thought seems to have been put into provisioning the vessel, the skeleton of a couple of ducks is mentioned, and some food brought by the "passengers", their provisions were nearly done by arrival. After an epic voyage she arrived Port Chalmers 9th January 1862 and was towed to Dunedin N.Z Friday 11th January and run up on the beach.^[5]

On board she had 52,000 feet of timber.^[22]

An account of her voyage was kept in Journal 2 of John Henry Watmuff, beginning page 539 leads up to the voyage.

Highlights of the voyage were the discovery the barge was leaking badly, breaking the spar and seeking shelter at Swan Island, visiting the lighthouse there and being hit by a sudden squall off Cape Saunders during which five were knocked over by a lightning strike, one crippled for life.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. Lyttelton Times, 18 January 1862, Page 4
On Thursday afternoon a serious accident occurred off Cape Saunders, on board the schooner Sarah and Esther, while making for Port Chalmers. Three men, who were employed on deck, were struck by lightning. One of them lost the use of his arm, another was thrown down, and a third received severe burns over the half of his body. As soon as the schooner dropped anchor, Captain Downs fetched Dr. Halley on board, who dressed their wounds and administered restoratives. We learn from the doctor that the shock, though severe, is not likely to prove fatal. Attention should be directed to this accident, because there seems to be an opinion among the old residents that lightning in New Zealand is unattended with danger. A portion of the flannel shirt worn by the man who is so severely burnt has been forwarded, to us for inspection. It presents a completely charred appearance.^[23]

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18620208.2.5

Search results of New Zealand newspapers indicicate her history after arrival. Most are advertising her as a lighter.

1862-03-12- At Work as a Lighter

The following advertisement first appears 1863-09-28 and is repeated 'till 1863-12-12

1863-09-28- At Work as a Lighter

An accident involving s anothert vessel's launch Otago Daily Times 14 March 1864 Some alarm, and a great deal of amusement, was created on Saturday by an incident attending the launch of a schooner intended for lightering purposes, which had been built by Mr Isbister for Mr Edward Perkins in the vicinity of his slip in Carey's Bay, where the stern-wheel steamer Tuapeka was lately obstructed and successfully launched. Mr Perkins had been liberal in his invitations for the occasion and numerous guests assembled both on the shore and on the deck of the vessel to witness the usually pretty sight of a vessel being launched. Up to a certain point the scene was thus made rather attractive, and the pleasure of thr spectators was at its height when the vessel began to move, when the young lady who was deputed to name her broke the bottle on her bow, and when the burgee exhibiting her Welsh name "Cymraes" was unfurled. Unfortunately, just at this moment a hitch occurred, and there was nearly being a painful tragedy. From some reason or other the vessel, which was being launched broadside on to the water, did not go off evenly. While the bows took the wafer, the stern hung, and the ways being rather steep, the effect was to cant the vesel so much over on her side as to precipitate several of those on deck into the water and others into her hold, all of them being knocked off their feet and considerably alarmed, as also were the surrounding spectators, who were in momentary expectation of seeing the vessel turn keel up. The first person to come to grief was Captain George Thomson, Marine Surveyor, who was precipitated overboard, and, becoming entangled with the vessel and floating wood about her, caused a great deal of alarm to his friends, and some amusement to hardened spectators by the peculiarities of his action in the water. Another person, Mr Griffiths Jones, had the same ill-luck; and there is no saying what might have happened the two men had not Sergeant Mallard, of the Water Police, with exemplary pluck and gallantry, jumped in after them, and assisted them both in keeping head above water. Of those who remained on board, the worst-fated was Capt. Leys, formerly of the brig Tyra. There were a number of children on deck, kept together by some ropes and planking, and tended by Capt. Gleadhow, As the vessel lurched, Capt. Gleadhow and his young charge were thrown down, his face coming in contact with a stancheon, and receiving some severe injury, including a black eye. Noticing their danger, Capt. Leys, regardless of his own safety, released his hold and rushed to save them from getting over, and probably under the vessel, when her way was suddenly checked by her coming in contact with the lighter Sarah and Esther, and he was hurled head-foremost into the hold, and against the sharp edged timber of her bottom. When raised he was found to be bleeding from numerous slight wounds and excoriations about the face, and he was so severely shaken and bruised that he had to be conveyed ashore in the Water Police boat; he has since been confined, and is suffering considerably, though his injuries are not so serious as was at first supposed. By these and other accidents, a good deal of alarm was temporarily created among the spectators, and the participators in the launch, but, as it was discovered that no irretreivable risk to life or limb bad been incurred, there was an agreeable change of feeling, and Perkins's launch is accepted as the liveliest interruption to the chronic monotony of the place, which has for a long time occurred.^[24]

1864-04-11 Change of Agents

Otago Daily Times 26 January 1866 Page 4 The schooner Sarah and Esther, recently damaged by collision with the steamer Claude Hamilton, has been taken up on Isbister's slip for examination and repairs. ^[25]

Otago Daily Times 14 January 1868
The schooners William and Margaret, and Sarah and Esther, arrived from the coast yesterday afternoon ; they beat up against a fresh S.W. breeze, and continued their course to Dunedin without stopping at the Port. ^[26]

Otago Daily Times 7 September 1868 Page 1
WANTED PURCHASERS for the Lighter Waratah and 44-64 of the Sarah and Esther, now lying at Port Chalmers. Apply C. CLARK and CO. ^[27]

Otago Daily Times 5 January 1869 Page 5 Joseph Silva was brought up on the information of James Normun, with having on the 2nd inst. feloniously stolen four bank notes and onr sovereign, of the value of L 5. Hr pleaded not guilty. James Norman deposed that he worked on the lighter Sarah and Esther. On Saturday night last hr and the prisoner went on board that lighter together. While there informant put his purse, containing the notes (four LI notes, Bank N.S.W. Nos. 80,238, 82,703, 91,665, 92,701) and the sovereign—a Sydney mint one—under his bed, and then went ashore with the prisoner. Hr missed the money the following morning. Detective Golder stated that he arrested the prisoner on Sunday night, and found on him L4 2s 6d in silver, and a Sydney mint sovereign. He was remanded for a week.^[28]

Otago Daily Times 17 June 1872 Page 2
Adam Brebner, master of the lighter Sarah and Esther, was charged by the Harbour Master with neglecting to remove the said lighter, when ordered to do so by Mr Pilot Louden. The pilot, in his evidence, stated that he was unable to berth the s.s. Rangitoto in the position he desired, in consequence of the neglect of the defendant. After a great deal of evidence had been heard, defendant was fined 20s and costs.^[29]

Last entry as a lighter.
Evening Star 29 January 1874 Page 2
The p.s. Samson, from Oamaru, arrived last night. After landing her passengers she steamed alongside the Christian M'Ausland, to discharge part of her wool, the remainder being for the Dunfillan, but this vessel not being quite ready to receive it, the wool was transhipped into the lighter Sarah and Esther— ^[30]

Otago Daily Times 4 March 1874 Page 2
All of the immigrants excepting the single men — 55 in number — were disembarked from the Carnatic yesterday, and removed to the Quarantine Station. They were, together with their effects, placed in the ship's boats and towed to the island by the steamer Result. The single men will be removed tomorrow morning, by which time the lighter Sarah and Esther will have been fitted up to receive them. She is to be moored off Goat Island, on which, as we stated in yesterday's issue, the immigrants are to be employed in erecting suitable barracks as extra accommodation for quarantined persons.^[31]

Otago Witness 7 March 1874 Page 19
All the immigrants excepting the single men — 55 in number — were disembarked from the Carnatic on Tuesday, and removed to the Quarantine Station. They were, together with their effects, placed in the ship's boats and towed to the Island by the steamer Result. The single men have been removed to the lighter Sarah and Esther, which has been fitted up for them. She is moored off Goat Island, on which the immigrants are to be employed in erecting suitable barracks as extra accommodation for quarantined persons, ^[32]

Evening Star 10 April 1874 Page 2
The s.s. Phoebe haying been cleaned, and having had her bottom coated with anti-fouling composition, was taken out of the Graving Dock last night, and moored alongside the railway pier, where she received her cargo and passengers and sailed for the Northern ports this afternoon, was not long idle, for as soon as Phoebe was hauled out the lighter Sarah and Mary was taken in for repairs and this morning the lighter Sarah and Esther, which has lately been purchased by the Government, was taken in to be repaired, and fitted up for a prison hulk.^[33]

SHIPPING TELEGRAMS. Wellington Independent, Volume XXIX, Issue 4077, 13 April 1874, Page 2
We hear that the Provincial Government has purchased the lighter Sarah and Esther, for the purpose of converting her into a prison hulk. Latterly the vessel has done duty as a sort of quarantine station at Goat Island, and now she is to be applied to a kindred purpose in a moral sense. She is to be taken into dock to-day, to be caulked and otherwise prepared for her new occupation. "Otago Daily Times," April 10. [1874]^[34]

Otago Daily Times 8 May 1874 Page 2
The brigantint! Sarah and Mary and the lighter Sarah and Esther were undocked yesterday. The former, as we described in a farmer issue, has been very effectively repaired, and the latter has been converted into a prison hulk. She is fitted to accommodate 32 prisoners below, and has a house on deck to serve as officers quarters. ^[35]

SHIPPING SUMMARY. Otago Daily Times , Issue 3839, 6 June 1874, Page 2
The Government Graving Dock has been scarcely unoccupied during the month. No sooner was it clear of the schooner Sarah and Mary and the prison hulk, Sarah and Esther, than the barque Cezarewitch was taken in to have her copper patched, and to be generally looked to. She was followed by the Trevelyan, which was docked to be cleaned and re-coated with anti-fouling composition.^[36]

New Zealand Times 25 December 1874 Page 2
The Gazette, issued yesterday contains a proclamation declaring that the hulk Sarah and Esther, now moored off Tahita Point, in the harbor of Dunedin, is to be used as a public prison.^[37]

Otago Daily Times 30 March 1881 Page 2
The prison-hulk Sarah and Esther was hauled off Fletcher's Slip yesterday afternoon^[38]

Evening Star 7 January 1887 Page 4
The hulk Sarah" and Esther, at Otago Heads, has ceased to be a prison. ^[39]

South Canterbury Times 7 January 1887 Page 2
Wellington, Jan. 6. A proclamation in the “Gazette ” declares that the hulk “Sarah and Esther.” on the Sandspit at Otago Heads has ceased to be a prison.^[40]

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16691, 8 November 1917, Page 4
An ancient craft of considerable notoriety in pioneer days is now experiencing at Port Chalmers the final stage of a lengthy and varied career. The Sarah and Esther was her name when, as a topsail schooner, she traded to Otago Harbour. Subsequently she became in turn a harbour lighter, a prison hulk, a boating-club shed, and finally a dwelling-house. As a prison hulk the Sarah and Esther lay at anchor at various places in the harbour while the prisoners were engaged in forming the harbourside roads. When not further required for this purpose she was acquired by the Queen's Drive Boating Club as a boating shed. After a time the now decrepit Sarah and Esther was sold and converted into a dwelling-house, which is now being broken down and used for firewood.^[41]

Trove List for Sarah and Esther

== Sources ==

1. ↑ http://issuu.com/anmmuseum/docs/the_register_of_australian_and_new__ab6e2a205e2216
2. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Fri 22 Oct 1852 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4787797
3. ↑ http://issuu.com/anmmuseum/docs/the_register_of_australian_and_new__ab6e2a205e2216
4. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) Wed 23 May 1855 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4808479
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5} J H Watmuff Journals
6. ↑ http://issuu.com/anmmuseum/docs/the_register_of_australian_and_new__ab6e2a205e2216
7. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155009175
8. ↑ on her beam ends is nautical idiom for: heeled over on its side; almost capsized
9. ↑ Launceston Examiner (Tas.) Wed 20 Nov 1850 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/36267500
10. ↑ The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859) Wed 20 Nov 1850 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2961791
11. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Wed 4 Dec 1850 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4772755
12. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Fri 22 Oct 1852 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4787797
13. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Fri 7 Jan 1853 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4788757
14. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) Fri 24 Jun 1853 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4793759
15. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/255611864
16. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Thu 31 Aug 1854 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4797094
17. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) Wed 27 Sep 1854 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4798199
18. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. ) Sat 4 Nov 1854 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4799842
19. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) Wed 23 May 1855 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4808479
20. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Thu 24 May 1855 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4808530
21. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154830727
22. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18620113.2.3?items_per_page=10&phrase=2&query=Sarah+and+esther&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA
23. ↑ SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. Lyttelton Times, 18 January 1862, Page 4 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT18620118.2.9
24. ↑ Otago Daily Times 14 March 1864 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18640314.2.5
25. ↑ Otago Daily Times 26 January 1866 Page 4 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18660126.2.6
26. ↑ Otago Daily Times 14 January 1868 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18680114.2.6
27. ↑ Otago Daily Times 7 September 1868 Page 1 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18680907.2.2.3
28. ↑ Otago Daily Times 5 January 1869 Page 5 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18690105.2.25
29. ↑ Otago Daily Times 17 June 1872 Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18720617.2.17
30. ↑ Evening Star 29 January 1874 Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18740129.2.3
31. ↑ Otago Daily Times 4 March 1874 Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18740304.2.9
32. ↑ Otago Witness 7 March 1874 Page 19 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW18740307.2.61
33. ↑ Evening Star 10 April 1874 Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18740410.2.3
34. ↑ Wellington Independent 13 April 1874 Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WI18740413.2.3.1
35. ↑ Otago Daily Times 8 May 1874 Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18740508.2.3
36. ↑ SHIPPING SUMMARY. Otago Daily Times , Issue 3839, 6 June 1874, Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18740606.2.10
37. ↑ New Zealand Times 25 December 1874 Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18741225.2.8
38. ↑ Otago Daily Times 30 March 1881 Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18810330.2.3
39. ↑ Evening Star 7 January 1887 Page 4 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18870107.2.33
40. ↑ South Canterbury Times 7 January 1887 Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SCANT18870107.2.13
41. ↑ New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16691, 8 November 1917, Page 4 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST19171105.2.10