One time master of the SS Wimmera
Newspaper image taken at the time of his retirement in 1928
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 on 24 March 1887. He served as Second Mate aboard the 964-ton ship Jessie Readman in the Colonial Trade between March 1887 and June 1888.
His First Mate’s Certificate for square-rigged vessels was obtained on 13 July 1888 in London. At that time he was described as being 5’ 11 ½” in height with a dark complexion, black hair and brown eyes.
He was granted his Certificate of Competency as Master on 10 September 1891 have spent various periods between August 1888 and March 1889 as Second Mate aboard the steamers SS Martin, SS Egret and SS Condor; and as First Mate aboard the square-rigger Canterbury, and steamer SS Matatua between October 1889 and August 1891, the latter three ships in the Foreign trade.
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Rainey’s term of command of the Wimmera was for a period of about four months from 12 December 1904 to 13 April 1905 only.
For obituary/biography of Captain Rainey see:
1939 ‘OBITUARY.’, Morwell Advertiser (Morwell, Vic. : 1888 – 1954) , 18 May, p. 3 Edition: morning., viewed 20 November, 2011, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66097053
Read on: Captain William Waller
© Ralph L. Sanderson 2009-2018
SS Wimmera 