Matilda (1779 ship)

History
France
Launched: 1779
Great Britain
Name: Matilda
Fate: Wrecked in 1792.
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 460 (bm)
Sail plan: Ship rig

Matilda was built in France and launched in 1779. She became a whaling ship for the British Company Calvert & Co., making a whaling voyage while under the command of Matthew Weatherhead to New South Wales and the Pacific in 1790.[1] Then in 1791, either owned or leased by Samuel Enderby & Sons, she transported convicts from England to Australia as part of the third fleet.

She departed Portsmouth on 27 March 1791 and arrived on 1 August in Port Jackson, New South Wales.[2] She embarked 250 male convicts, 25 of whom died during the voyage.[3] Nineteen officers and men of the New South Wales Corps provided the guards. On her arrival at Port Jackson the ship required repairs.

Matilda was used as a whaler after her arrival. She left Sydney for the Marquesas Islands, however was wrecked in February 1792 on a shoal, later named Matilda Island,[4] but now Moruroa. The survivors, 21 crew members and one convict stowaway were later rescued, with some later picked up by Captain William Bligh on HMS Providence at Matavai Bay, while others were picked up by Jenny and Britannia.[5]

Citations and references

Citations
  1. ↑ Clayton (2014), p.171.
  2. ↑ Bateson (1974), pp.115-6.
  3. ↑ Bateson (1974), p. 133.
  4. ↑ "The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 30 June 1857. p.3.". Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  5. ↑ "The Mercury (Hobart, Tasmania), Friday 18 March 1921. p.6.". Retrieved 20 July 2011.
References
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