Captains & Crew

The SS Wimmera had ten masters throughout her period of service. Some of them captained her on multiple occasions. In order of their year of first appointment to the vessel they were:

In addition to her master, the Wimmera carried a complement of other officers and crew whose responsibilities covered all aspects of the running of the ship, both at sea and whilst in port.

Captain Thomas Free

Having safely delivered the Wimmera from her Scottish builders to her new owners in Melbourne, Captain Thomas Free relinquished command. Free returned to his position as Huddart Parker’s marine superintendent in the company’s Melbourne office and never again captained the Wimmera. In later years he became Huddart Parker’s representative in London. Thomas Free also…

Captain Frederick Sherriff

Frederick Sheriff was born in Stockwell, Surry on 1 November 1853. On 22 November 1904, less than 48 hours after her arrival in Melbourne, Frederick Sherriff took command and the Wimmera sailed for Sydney. He had command of the Wimmera 23/12/05 Riverina took Wimmera‘s N.Z. run Sydney, Melbourne via Bluff. Captain Sherriff not having N.Z.…

Captain James Barton Rainey

James Barton Rainey was born at sea on 27 August 1865. He served as an apprentice aboard the Anglo-Norman and was a member of her crew when that vessel arrived in Sydney from Antwerp in November 1882 and from London in September 1883. He obtained his Second Mate’s Certificate for square-rigged vessels in New Zealand…

Captain William Waller

William Waller was the longest serving master of the Wimmera. He was born in New Plymouth, New Zealand on 23 February 1854, the son of Charles and Emma Waller who had arrived in New Plymouth from London, via Auckland, aboard the ship Joseph Fletcher only two years earlier. … By May 1894 he was master…

Captain William Johnstone Wyllie

Captain W.J. Wyllie Captain Wyllie was born in Forest Hill, Kent on 6 September 1869. He obtained his Second Mate’s Certificate on 31 May 1889 at the age of 19 years after nearly five years’ service as apprentice and Third Mate aboard the 1190-ton square-rigger Loch Ness of Glasgow, employed in the Australian trade. He…

Captain George Frederick Entwisle

George Frederick Entwisle was born in Blackburn, Lancashire on 13 December 1864. He obtained his Certificate of Competency as Second Mate on 11 December 1884 having served over four and a half years aboard the ship Commonwealth, first as an apprentice and then as Able Seaman. Coincidentally, the master of the Commonwealth during this period…

Captain Herbert James Graham Kell

Herbert James Graham Kell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1874. He first served on the Wimmera as her Captain in 1911-12 as the relief for Captain Waller whilst he was on shore leave. Following Waller’s retirement… He was her last master. Read on: Captain George Bernard Bates © Ralph L. Sanderson 2009-2018

Captain George Bernard Bates

George Bernard Bates was born in Newcastle, New South Wales on 31 May 1878. He obtained his mate’s certificate in…and his master’s certificate in… He joined Huddart Parker in…and was…on… He briefly took command of the Wimmera during August 1913 in her Sydney to Hobart trade?? He was in command of the Wimmera on several…

Captain Henry Lyttelton Dunsford

Henry Lyttelton Dunsford was born on 20 June 1859 in Lyttelton, New Zealand. He was the Wimmera’s first colonial-born master and was briefly appointed from September to… 1913 whilst the Wimmera was operating on the Sydney-Hobart run. Captain Dunsford stood at 5’ 10”, had brown hair and eyes and a sallow complexion. He joined his…

Captain David John Morris

David John Morris was born in Newport, Pembrokeshire on 23 March 1869. He obtained his Second Mates’ Certificate of Competency on 5 December 1890 following service aboard the steamship Athabasca of Liverpool. He had first joined the mercantile marine as an Able Seaman in April 1885 aboard the square-rigger Picton Castle of Swansea. He later…

A Master’s Duties

The duties of a ship’s master were laid down in Huddart Parker’s own Rules and Regulations – including the responsibility of ensuring each of his officers, the Chief Engineer and his subordinates also had a copy and made themselves acquainted with it. In addition to those regulations laid down by government, as a ship’s master…

Ship’s Officers and Crew Members

In addition to her master, the Wimmera was crewed by a further nine officers and over 70 crew members. The crew were organised into different departments under the management of particular officers. Seamen, who performed the roles of deck hands, lookouts and ship’s maintenance came under the First Officer or Chief Mate. He was also…