Shipwrecked at 14 years old

Did you know that Tom Aubrey was shipwrecked as on his first voyage at age 14. It was on the

Glasgow Barque Fifeshire only 19 days out from Newcastle he may have wondered if he had chosen the right career direction. The newspaper reports can be found in Trove and in two New Zealand newspapers here and here.

"Among the passengers of Burns, Philp and Co.'s steamer Muniara, which arrived a Sydney last Tuesday morning from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, was the captain, officers and crew of the barque Fifeshire, which- has been wrecked on a submerged reef near Tabitewa, in the Gilbert Group.

The Fifeshire was despatched from Newcastle on August 2 last for Astoria with 2000 tons of Hebburn coal, shipped through Mr. R. B. Wallace's agency, and according to the accounts supplied by the captain, all went well until 19 days later, when the vessel suddenly, and without, warning, crashed onto a submerged reef.

It was about 5 p.m. when the mishap occurred, and the weather was fine, The vessel was traveling at a very fair' speed at the time, and the impact was very severe, and felt all over the ship. An attempt to get the barque off failed, and two boats were lowered and the crew reached Te Barabati, some miles distant, after a very, hard pull, which occupied a couple of- hours. They remained there until the 27th when the locally-owned steamer Brunner arrived, and they departed by her for Tarawa* where they waited for the steamer Muniara to come to transport them to Sydney. It is thought that the bottom has been torn out of the Fifeshire which was pounded heavily on to the rocks, but the captain does not appear to believe that she was a total wreck, although it is probable that she has become so if any boisterous weather has sprung up since, and caused her to pound her sides against the huge rocks. When last seen she was observed_ to be. standing in an upright position, and the weather was calm. Immediately on arrival Captain Nichol, who is well known locally, communicated with Messrs. Mason Bros., Ltd., the Sydney representatives, who .in turn forwarded news of the disaster to the vessel's owners.

It was stated during yesterday afternoon that the wreck had been sold for £5 to Messrs. On Cliong and Co (a Chinese business) of Sydney, (it was insured for $6000) and there is every' possibility of the cargo of coal being saved; also that the crew saved their belongings. Captain Newton held a preliminary inquiry into the cause of the disaster 'during the afternoon, 'when statements from the captain, and several of the crew were, obtained.

The Fifeshire is an iron barque of 1318 tons nett, and 1358 tons gross register, and was constructed in 1885 by Messrs. Russell and Co.,' at Port .Glasgow, to the order of1 '? Messrs. T.

Law and Co.' She was well '? known at Sydney and Newcastle,, and visited here last May, when she discharged general cargo from Glasgow, and afterwards proceeded to the northern port.

She was for a considerable period commanded by Captain Caddell, who was succeeded in the command by Captain Nichol. .

*Tarawa is an atoll and the capital of the republic of Kiribati (pronounced Kiribas).