Capsize of the ferry Pearl

Pearl ferry capsizing

The capsize of the ferry Pearl occurred on Thursday 13 February 1896 in the Brisbane River, Queensland, Australia. It was estimated that half of the 80–100 people on board the ferry died.[1]

Background

The ferry was in use as a temporary measure due to the loss of both bridges that crossed the river, the Victoria Bridge and the Albert Railway Bridge, at Indooroopilly[2] after the floods of 1893. Steamers like Pearl were then commissioned to transfer traffic across the river between Brisbane’s Queen’s Wharf and Musgrave Wharf.

The ferry was described as such:

The Pearl was a wooden screw-steamer of ten horse-power and forty-one tons register, gross. Her dimensions were: 58.7ft long, 15.1ft beam, and 5.1ft depth, and she was built in New South Wales in 1883. She had been engaged in the river trade, and between Brisbane and Redland Bay, and was formerly running between Brisbane and Humpybong. The vessel was built with an upper and lower deck, and was licensed to carry about 120 passengers in the river.[3]

Accident

On the afternoon of the disaster, at around 5pm, Pearl was re-crossing the river, which was flowing more strongly than usual due to floodwaters. To avoid a collision with another ship, Normanby, the captain cut power but the ferry was pushed downriver into the anchor chain of Lucinda, a government steam yacht anchored mid-river.

The hull breached and the ferry quickly capsized, drowning those below deck and throwing those on deck into the water, resulting in the death of many of the 80–100 people believed to be on board.[4]

Nearby small boats, including those from other ferries and one from Lucinda, raced to the site and rescued around 40 survivors, some of whom clung to the anchor chain, life buoys, or wreckage.

Aftermath

In order to salvage bodies, diving operations were also undertaken in the river.[5] Others retrieved bodies down river in the following weeks. The ship was later raised from the river on 6 March 1896.[5]

An inquest was later held into the accident with blame focusing on the captain, James Chard (who survived), who may have been drinking.[4][6] Chard had his certificates and licences to pilot steamers cancelled following the inquest.[5]

References

  1. ^ "TERRIBLE DISASTER". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 14 February 1896. p. 5. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  2. ^ McBride, Frank; et al. (2009). Brisbane 150 Stories. Brisbane City Council Publication. pp. 78–79. ISBN 978-1-876091-60-6.
  3. ^ "Pearl Tragedy - Brisbane River Passenger Ferry Disaster". 11 January 2015. Archived from the original on 11 January 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Grave Tales Australia: the series: Grace and Harry's death on the Pearl Ferry on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Sinnamon, Myles (13 February 2012). "The Pearl ferry disaster on the Brisbane River (13 February 1896)". State Library Of Queensland. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  6. ^ "ArchivesSearch | Queensland State Archives | Queensland Government". www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 12 April 2024.

Further reading

  • Seto, P. T. (2013). 1896 “Pearl” Ferry capsizing near Victoria Bridge, Brisbane River : a compilation of newspaper research from National Library of Australia, supplemented by other sources / Paul T. Seto, compiler and researcher. (2nd ed., rev.enl.). Light One Candle Publications. ISBN 9780980500318 (pbk.)

27°28′38″S 153°01′27″E / 27.4771°S 153.0242°E / -27.4771; 153.0242