'FANNY FISHER' (1847 - 1905) - location unknown

This report prepared by Chris Borough, Graham Nicholson and Philip Pope.

 

This image shows the Fanny Fisher at an unknown location. The 1985 postage stamp issue featured whaling vessels from Norfolk island; the 5c stamp features the Fanny Fisher and has been supermimposed on the original image.

 

The Fanny Fisher.

NICHOLSON'S MASTERPIECE.

(By J.G.L. in :'S.M.Herald'). .

When Mr. John Nicholson, shipbuilder, of the Upper Manning, during the year 1845 signed a contract with Mr. Henry Fisher, merchant, of Sydney, to build for him a barque of about 270 tons burthen in his yards by the river side where Taree now stands, he undertook to do something in which the heart and soul of him were greatly concerned. Faithfully, cheerfully, manfully did John Nicholson set himself in the way of doing that shipbuilding job to the best of his ability. Who he was, where he came from, and where he served his time are matters on which I am not yet able to make any statement. All I know of the builder has come to me through the knowledge gleaned here and there in the columns of the "Herald" of many years ago, added to the story which, as a lad, with an eye for a ship and a sailor-man, I saw happening before my eyes. Mr. Nicholson's shipbuilding yard, as I said before, was at one time situated on or near to the site which Fotheringham's Hotel and the Bank of New South Wales buildings now stand, almost in the centre of Taree. Only a stone's throw away grew the giant blackbutts, ironbarks, blue gums and spotted gums which could be cut and fashioned in almost any way the clever shipbuilder desired. Ti-tree for frames and crooks also grew close at hand, and could be had for the cutting and carting away. Deep water, too, was available. There need be no trouble about launching a 20-ton cutter or a 500-ton three-masted ship. The Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales (Taree, NSW : 1898 - 1954) Sat 9 Sep 1933

 

DETAILS

Name: Fanny Fisher (named after Henry Fisher’s daughter Fanny)

Type: Wooden Barque, 3 masts

Builder: John Nicholson, Manning River - 1847

Official Number: 32488

Launched: July or August 1847 (No details located)

 

INITIAL REGISTRATION - 1847

Sydney 78/1847 13th October 1847

Length: 92.2 ft

Breadth: 22.9 ft

Depth in Hold: 14.1 ft

Tonnage: 257.5 tons (n.b. 1 shipping ton = 100 cu. ft. or 2.83 cubic metres)

OWNERS

Initial Owner: 1847-1858 Henry Fisher of Sydney (Australian General Assurance Company

April 1858 to June 1858- James Merriman (32 shares) and Henry Clarke (32 shares)

June 1858 to September 1860 James Merriman (21 shares), Henry Clarke (22 shares) and William Sullivan (21 shares)

September 1860 to April 1861 James Merriman (32 shares), and William Sullivan (32 shares)

April 1861 – December 1861 James Merriman (64 shares)

December 1861 – February 1866 James Merriman (32 shares) and William Andrews (32 shares)

February 1866 – November 1868 James Merriman (64 shares)

 

SECOND REGISTRATION - 1868

Sydney 31/1868 7th June 1868

Length: 94.6 ft

Breadth: 25.3 ft

Depth in Hold: 14.2 ft

Type: Wooden Barque, 3 masts

Tonnage: 219.14 tons (n.b. 1 shipping ton = 100 cu. ft. or 2.83 cubic metres)

OWNERS

November 1868 - James Merriman (43 shares) Hugh Fairclough (21 shares)

November 1868 - January 1875 James Merriman (22 shares), Hugh Fairclough (21 shares) and Richard Randall (21 shares)

January 1875 – April 1875 James Merriman (22 shares) Hugh Fairclough (21 shares) and John Broomfield (21 shares)

April 1875 - Hugh Fairclough (21 shares) and John Broomfield (43 shares)

April 1875 – January 1877 John Broomfield (64 shares)

January 1877 – February 1880 Angus Campbell (64 shares)

 

THIRD REGISTRATION - 1877

Sydney 16/1877 31st January 1877

Length: 94.6 ft

Breadth: 25.3 ft

Depth in Hold: 14.2 ft

Type: Wooden Barque, 3 masts

Tonnage: 219.14 tons (n.b. 1 shipping ton = 100 cu. ft. or 2.83 cubic metres)

OWNERS

February 1880 - March 1883 Archibald McLean (64 shares)

March 1883 - March 1892 Angus Campbell (64 shares)

March 1892 – May 1900 Colin Angus Campbell (32 shares) and William Richard Gainford (32 shares)

 

FOURTH REGISTRATION

Sydney 43/1892 - 21st March 1892

Length: 94.6 ft

Breadth: 25.3 ft

Depth in Hold: 14.2 ft

Type: Wooden Barque, 3 masts

Tonnage: 219.14 tons (n.b. 1 shipping ton = 100 cu. ft. or 2.83 cubic metres)

Register closed January 1907

OWNERS

Result of Death of Colin Angus Campbell – share passes to William Richard Gainford (64 shares) – May 1900

May 1900 – January 1905 William Richard Gainford (mortgage to Bank of NSW)

January 1905 - Daniel Sheedy (end of life – broken up in Middle Harbour Sydney)

 

LAUNCH

While no references to the actual launch have been located, it can be assumed to be in around August 1847.

The Fanny Fisher, which arrived on Thursday afternoon from the Manning River, is a fine new barque, having been built there by Mr. John Nicholson, for Mr. Henry Fisher, of this city, and fitted out by Captain Harrold, late of the brig Calypso. She is of about 270 tons builder's measurement, and her dimensions are 92 feet keel, 25 feet 3 inches beam,14 feet 6 inches depth of hold, and 101 feet 6 inches over all. She is a vessel that will carry a large cargo, and her sailing qualities are said to be first-rate. We believe it is the intention of Mr. Fisher to place her in the sugar trade, for which we should consider her to be well adapted. The Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List (NSW : 1844 - 1860) Sat 11 Sep 1847

 

A RACE TO SYDNEY.

A rival builder, with a big reputation, named Alexander Newton, who had launched eight or nine fine vessels from his yards twenty or more miles down the river, at Pelican, was building a barque of similar lines [Rosetta] and about the same dimensions.

Strange to say, these two new barques [Fanny Fisher and Rosetta] finished their loading, made ready for the run down to Sydney, took aboard their passengers, and crossed the Manning bar on the same tide on the afternoon of September 8, 1847, and raced south with every stitch of canvas they could fly, for the honour of then owners, their builders, and the Red Ensign of Old England.

The Fanny Fisher won the race by 24 hours. Captain Harrold, who had charge of her, outwitted Captain Patrick, of theRosetta, by entering Port Jackson early on Friday morning, while the Rosetta was well away to the southward, having overrun the port early on Thursday morning, after having run. down the 140 miles of coastline in a few minutes over 12 hours. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Sat 2 Sep 1933

 

FITTING OUT

TO SHIPWRIGHTS.

TENDERS are required for putting on copper, false keel, and other work to the barque Fanny Fisher. Specifications of the same may be seen at the City Depot during this day, and the tenders must be in by ten o'clock, Saturday, the 25th instant.

Great dispatch has also been made in the fitting out of the new barques Rosetta Joseph and Fanny Fisher, both of which will be ready to proceed to sea in the course of ten days. These vessels have Already been coppered; their cabins are being fitted up with great taste, both as regards comfort and embellishments, and indeed the whole work will be a credit to the colony. The maiden trip of the former will be to Auckland with stock, on account of her owner; the latter, we believe, will be open either for freight or charter. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Thu 21 Oct 1847

 

FIRST VOYAGE

The first voyage of the Fanny Fisher was to transport a diverse mix of livestock and numerous other items to Port Nicholson (Wellington N.Z.)

SHIPS MAILS:

FOR PORT NICHOLSON [Wellington NZ].-By the Fanny Fisher, this evening, at six. Sydney Chronicle (NSW : 1846 - 1848) Tue 14 Dec 1847

EXPORTS.

December 13. Fanny Fisher, barque, 239 tons, Captain Harrold, for Port Nicholson : 79 tons coals, 600 bushels maize, 10 hogsheads arrack rum, 6 quarter-casks and 5 hogsheads brandy, 6 hogsheads and 50 half-cases Geneva,1 case cigars, 4 hogsheads B. P. rum, 54 bags flour, 8 quarter-casks red wine, 4 half-pipes - Madeira, 60 trusses hay, 9 hogsheads porter, 20 casks bottled beer, 4 half-hogsheads vinegar, 2 cases corks, 40 boxes mould candles, 20 boxes lemon syrup, 550 sheep, 37 head of cattle, H. Fisher ; 7 casks bottled beer, etc etc. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Tue 14 Dec 1847

 

SUBSEQUENT VOYAGES

General cargo was transported to and from a wide variety of ports including the following: Batavia in the Dutch East Indies (Jakarta), Mauritius (Port Louis), Capetown, Manila, Concepcion, Guam, Adelaide, Launceston, Swan River (Perth, Fremantle), Wellington (Port Nicholson), Lyttelton (Port Cooper) Hobart, Launceston, Newcastle, Port Phillip, Sydney, Otago (Dunedin NZ), Norfolk Island,

 

WHALING

From the late 1860s through to around 1875 the Fanny Fisher was hunting whales in the Pacific around Norfolk Island and New Caledonia with some catches near Port Stephens.

PROJECTED DEPARTURES

Fanny Fisher, for whaling voyage. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) - Thu 3 Dec 1868

 

The barque Fanny Fisher, of 219 tons, owned by J. Merriman and Captain Fairclough, is out since October 25th, 1869. Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931) - Fri 8 Jul 1870

 

The whaling barque Fanny Fisher has returned after a successful voyage. She is last from the Brampton shoals, but on her passage up fastened to two sperm whales off Port Stephens, which will yield about 5 tuns oil, making her total take 60 tuns humpback, and 18 tuns sperm oil. On her arrival here she anchored in Watson's Bay, where she is now trying out the blubber. The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912) - Sat 26 Oct 1872

(Tun - a measure of capacity for wine and ale, probably also oil, with the introduction of imperial measure in 1824, = 210 imperial gallons).

The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) Fri 13 Jun 1873

THE Fanny Fisher, whaling barque, was off Norfolk Island on 9th May, with 23 tuns sperm oil -S.M. Herald, 4th inst

WHALER'S REPORT.

The whaling barque Fanny Fisher returned on 29th ultimo, after an absence of eleven months cruise. The first part of the voyage was employed whaling off Norfolk Island, where she encountered terrific weather, and with a whale alongside was caught in a violent gale and lost two boats from the davits, the greater portion of the fish being lost; Chesterfield Reef (near New Caledonia) was then visited and some fish secured. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Fri 20 Nov 1874

 

ADVENTURE AT SEA

While her voyages undertaken with little drama, the following report of the Fanny Fisher, -on her voyage from Port Cooper (Lyttelton NZ) has been kindly furnished by Mr. E. Carey, the chief officer : —

'The barque Fanny Fisher, Captain Armstrong-, left Port Cooper on the 25th of June, and when off Newcastle, at noon of the 15th instant, having Cape Stephens bearing N.E. by N. distant eighteen miles, with thick hazy weather, and rain, experienced a very severe cyclone, the barometer having fallen with, awful rapidity in twenty-four hours from 30.24 to 29.47, at which point it blew with terrific fury, the sea running fearfully high, making a clean breach over her, the vessel lying-to under bare poles and wallowing in the trough of the sea. At twenty minutes past three p.m., with a heavy lurch, the ballast shifted, careening her over on her broadside, the water foaming up to her hatches; kept away in order to trim her upright, and to clear Seal Rocks, a dead lee shore; set the top mast-staysail, foresail, and jib, but she only paid off three points; passengers and crew employed all the time in the hold trimming the ballast. At five p.m. the jib went to ribbons. At six furled foresail and topmast stay-sail, and lay to; the pumps were kept constantly going, ten inches of water above the ship. During the raging of the cyclone the ship behaved nobly, proving herself a first-rate sea boat; and her spars, though greatly imperilled at the time, were well tried, and stood stanch. Hamilton Spectator and Grange District Advertiser (Vic. : 1860 - 1870) Sat 13 Aug 1864

 

FINAL DAYS

After 57 years of operation the Fanny Fisher was finally sold at auction, taken to Middle Harbour in Sydney and left to disintegrate.

ABSTRACT OF SALES BY AUCTION THIS DAY.

FRASER, UTHER and CO.-At the City Mart, at 11 - barque Fanny Fisher. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Fri 23 Dec 1904

The well-known coasting barque Fanny Fisher has been sold by Messrs. Fraser, Uther. and Company to Mr. Dan Sheedy, of Sydney. for £100. The barque was built on the Manning River in 1847 of colonial hardwood, and is one of the oldest colonial built vessel afloat. She was constantly employed in the coal trade between Sydney and Newcastle for many years. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) Wed 28 Dec 1904

The Fanny Fisher, a very old barque, a well-known trader in the early fifties, has been sold by Messrs. Fraser, Uther, and Company to Mr. Daniel Sheedy for £100. Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931) - Tue 27 Dec 1904.

Fifty years ago the Fanny Fisher was a favourite and smart Sydney trader. Last year she was sold by auction at the City Mart. She now rests, a 'sheer old hulk,' off Folly Point Middle Harbour.] Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931) - Sat 4 Nov 1905

 

The Register of British Shipping records that she was de-registered in January 1907

 

Image Source: State Library of Western Australia au.images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=fanny+fisher+w...

 

Enhacement: Philip Pope

 

Acknowledgements. The assistance of Mori Flapan (Mori Flapan boatregister) by providing access to his extensive database is greatly appreciated.

 

All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.

 

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