Vessels and Wrecks Associated with Captain Joseph Coleman from Port Adelaide

The wooden, 3-masted barque Nene Valley was wrecked at Cape Northumberland in the south-east of South Australia on 19^th October 1854.

The incident is well-documented in “Shipwrecks in South Australia (1836-1875)” by Ronald Parsons.

Parsons leads into the tale thus:

“Masters of sailing ships often calculated making their first landfall in Australia near Cape Northumberland. Some of those who miscalculated left the bones of the ship on the rocky shores in that vicinity.”

(According to “The Sixth Eleven Tales of Robe” by PRO Kathleen Bermingham, there were “3 wrecks at Cape Northumberland within a period of 9 months (from May, 1853, to January, 1854.”)

The 333-ton Nene Valley is said to have gone ashore there whilst sailing from the River Thames in London to Portland Bay and Port Fairy.

The vessel went too close to shore at night. There were 9 passengers on board, some 22 crew and a general cargo. All passengers and crew made it safely to shore. The 2^nd Officer and 3 seamen, however, drowned the next day when their boat was swamped after returning to the ship.

The wreck site, 25 miles north-west of Port MacDonnell, was known as Maggoty Point, but it was later renamed after the Nene Valley.

The paddle steam tug Young Australian was attempting to salvage the Nene Valley 4 weeks later when it also went aground. Although its captain thought that the vessel was unsalvageable, Captain Joseph Coleman from Port Adelaide bought the wreck and re-floated it.

Garry Keywood sent me this small photo of the Young Australian paddle steam tug: -

According to Garry Keywood, the SA Register of 12^th March 1880, upon the death of Capt. Coleman, reported the salvage thus:

That report includes details about the attempted salvage of the Iron Age. The iron-hulled, 3-masted, 361 to 375-ton barque Iron Age ran ashore not far from the Nene Valley. The vessel was only around one year old when it went ashore on 15^th February 1855.

“Wrecks on the South Australian Coast” by Jack Loney provides details about the wrecks of the Iron Age and Nene Valley. This includes details about divers recovering bricks from her cargo and a few fittings of value.

Details about the Iron Age wreck are well-documented in “Shipwrecks in South Australia (1836-1875)” by Ronald Parsons.

The SA Register of 12^th March 1880 went on to report the Young Australian’s assistance with other ships in strife, thus:

The small steamer SS Corio was stranded at the Murray Mouth whilst crossing a sandbar on her first outward voyage from the Goolwa on the 20th of July 1857. It was able to be refloated. (There have, however, been other vessels called Corio.)

Garry Keywood sent me this small drawing of the Corio: -

According to Wikipedia, “Benjamin "Ben" Germein (c. 1826 – c. July 1893) was a seaman and lighthouse-keeper in South Australia who is remembered as a hero of the wreck of the steamship Admella. ……. Ben proved a remarkably clever pilot and was known for his ability to manoeuvre vessels under canvas. He was the first person to sail a ship under full sail the length of the Port River. He commanded the S.S. Corio between Port Elliot and Goolwa for River Murray Steam Navigation Company multiple times during 1857 until she foundered at the Murray mouth and the company disposed of her.”

The wooden, 2-masted schooner Alice Martin was stranded at Port Willunga in 1855. Again, the incident is well-documented in “Shipwrecks in South Australia (1836-1875)” by Ronald Parsons. Parsons reports that Captain Joseph Coleman briefly owned the Alice Martin from 1856-7.

Parsons also details the wreck of the Alice Martin in “Ketches of South Australia”

The Robert Clyde may actually be the Robert Clive. “South Australian Shipwrecks – A Data Base 1802-1989” by Peter Christopher reports that a wooden, 2-masted brigantine called the Robert Clive was wrecked 2km north of the mouth of the Onkaparinga River on 25^th November 1856.

Details about the Robert Clive wreck are well-documented in “Shipwrecks in South Australia (1836-1875)” by Ronald Parsons.

According to Ships Nostalgia, “The brigantine Robert Clive was wrecked just north of the Onkaparinga River mouth 25 November (1856). Salvaged and converted to a hulk, which wasd finally broken up in 1859.”

The Manderan may actually be the Mandarin, but ships by either of these two names have been difficult to research.

Garry Keywood also provided me with this piece from The News of 12^th June 1929:

There was another Young Australian, a schooner built in 1864 and wrecked during a severe storm near Peterborough, Victoria in 1877.

My thanks go to Garry Keywood for the following details: -

Captain Joseph Coleman’s father was Captain George Coleman, the master of the 95-ton steamer Corio in 1859-60.

George Coleman was born to parents William Coleman & Rebecca Featherby at Ramsgate, Kent, England on 23^rd October 1829. He was baptized on 15^th November 1829 at St Georges Church, Ramsgate, Kent, England. He arrived in Adelaide from Victoria in 1852.

He married Mary Ann Middleton on 26^th August 1857. They had 5 children – George (1858), Eleanor Letitia (1863), Charles Joseph (1865), Mary Ann (1868) and Emma (1870, died 1872).

Mary Ann Coleman (nee Middleton) was b. 1836, d. aged 54 in Port Pirie 6^th February 1890. Mary and her son George Jnr. were both publicans for the Globe Hotel in Solomontown at the time - 6th February 1890.

George Snr. died in Adelaide 12^th June 1872 after a long and painful illness. He was buried in the Alberton cemetery.

Captain George Coleman & Capt. William “Billie” Wells were the agents (as Coleman & Wells) for the Corio, Young Australian and Robert Clive.

The Young Australian was “The first effective privately owned steam tug in Port Adelaide. It was a “wooden, one cylinder paddle tug”.