The Clarence (1841-1850)
This was partly to protect Britains monopoly on trade. It was also feared that convicts would steal the ships or develop the skills to build their own ans sail to freedom. In the 1820's shipbuilding began to flourish whereby many small vessels were built on the banks of rivers, as well as in the ports of NSW and Tasmania. Early records show that between first European settlement and 1850, 134 ships were built in Sydney. Most ships were built by the rule of thumb, without the benefits of models and plans. As a result, few records have survived and we unfortunately know very little about the early ship building techniques used by the early ship builders. Wrecks, such as the Clarence are therefore a very important shipwreck in providing evidence of the early ship building construction and design techniques dating back to the last century. Ships ConstructionThe Clarence was a 67 ton, two masted wooden schooner measuring only 50ft. It was built in 1841 on the Williams River in northern NSW.Excavation of the Clarence by the Maritime Archaeology Unit has shown that the ship was shoddily constructed. It was made from Eucalyptus timber and had makeshift fittings and fastenings. There was no copper sheathing to prevent marine creatures settling on the hull, instead it seems that a paste of calcium carbonate (lime) was applied to the ships hull. Until caparisons are made with other early Australian built ships, it wild not be known wether the Clarence was constructed roughly with very little regard for detail or finishing or whether it was typical of that vessels era. Obviously new settlers including boat builders had to learn how to use the hardwood timbers of the Australian forests. The short supply of other materials meant that the only other materials to use were from other salvaged shipwrecks, traditional fastenings and ship riggings would have been in very short supply and some improvisation wild have been necessary. A Trading and Passenger ShipFor nine years, the Clarence carried timber, cattle, sheep, and other cargo to Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Launceston, Port Albert, Warnambool and Twofold Bay.Early records also show that it visited the Treasury Islands in the Pacific and the Bay of Islands New Zealand. In 1847, the Clarence almost wrecked when it was stranded near Warnambool. Newspapers at the time suggested that the master and part-owner, Captain Ainslie had deliberately left the vessel stranded in order to collect $900 pounds in insurance. This charge was never proven. The vessel was salvaged and sold at auction. It was then refitted to carry passengers. In 1848, the Clarence resumed service as a cargo vessel sailing between Port Fairy, Port Phillip and Launceston. The Final Voyage of the ClarenceOn 2nd September, 1850, the Clarence was carrying a cargo of 132 sheep from Melbourne to Hobart when it ran aground in Port Phillip Bay.The vessel had anchored for the night in coles channel near St Leonards when a fresh south-west to wind blew up. At 9pm, the anchor cable broke and the Clarence was wrecked on a sand bank between Coles and West Channel, about 2 miles south of St Leonards. After the wrecking of the ship, there was a dispute over salvage rights between the vessels owners and Geelong residents who had rescued the cargo of sheep. The outcome of the dispute was never recorded.
Check the "Clarence" on the Shipwreck Map
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