HM Colonial Brig Prince Leopold (1818)

HM Colonial brig Prince Leopold was launched was launched in 1815, or earlier, as Rosetta. The government in Van Diemen's Land (VDL) purchased her in 1818 to serve the settlements. She then carried timber other supplies, and transferred both prisoners and soldiers between VDL and Port Jackson, and to and from Maria Island. In July 1831 the government sold the brig. Her new owners named her Mary Elizabeth, or Mary and Elizabeth. She was wrecked on 30 May 1835 at Port Sorell, Tasmania.

History
United Kingdom
Name: Rosetta
Owner: Jonathan Griffiths
Builder: Jonathan Griffiths, Richmond, Tasmania
Fate: Sold November 1818
United Kingdom
Name: HM Colonial Brig Prince Leopold
Namesake: Leopold I of Belgium
Acquired: November 1818 by purchase
Fate: Sold July 1831
United Kingdom
Name: Prince Leopold
Owner: Messrs. Kelly & Lucas
Acquired: July 1831 by purchase
Renamed: Mary Elizabeth
Fate: Wrecked 30 May 1835
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 82, or 90 (bm)

Career

Rosetta

The first mention of the brig Rosetta occurred in December 1815. When convicts took over Trial on 12 September 1816, the government chartered Rosetta for £200, put a detachment of troops from the 46th Regiment on her, and sent her in pursuit.[1][2] Rosetta was unsuccessful.[3]

On 14 April 1818 Rosetta's master took a boat and acted in concert with a party of soldiers advancing overland to capture a boat that seven or 17 escaped convicts had sailed from Hobart to Port Dalrymple.[4]

Prince Leopold

The government in Tasmania purchased Rosetta circa November 1818 to service the settlements in Van Diemen's Land, and renamed the brig Prince Leopold.[5] The government paid £1200 15s for her.[6]

Around midnight on 28 October 1822 Actaeon, from Mauritius and bound for Sydney struck the rocks in D'Entrecasteaux Channel and the crew abandoned ship. The officers and some of the crew took the longboat and made for Hobart, where they reported the wreck. Deveron and Prince Leopold went to salvage as much cargo as possible and pick up the remaining crew. Some 300 barrels of pork were salvaged from Actaeon's mixed cargo of wine, spirits, coal, pork, soap, and other goods.[7] A gale totally wrecked Actaeon and three men from Prince Leopold drowned when their boat upset.[8]

In mid-1825 Prince Leopold underwent a thorough repair.

On 27 March 1826 Prince Leopold arrived at Hobart from Launceston. She was carrying five bushrangers who had been captured: Matthew Brady, Goodwin, Patrick Bryant, Thomas Jeffries, and John Perry.[9] (On 4 May 1826, Brady, Bryant, Perry, and Jeffries were hanged at the old Hobart gaol.)

On 29 June 1827 Hope, of 231 tons (bm), Cunningham, master, grounded on a beach opposite Betsey's Island as she was coming into Hobart from Sydney. The ship was wrecked. Prince Leopold and Recovery came out and were able to save about two-thirds of the cargo.[10]

The government sold Prince Leopold for £1250 on 12 July 1831 in an auction.[11]

Mary and Elizabeth

Prince Leopold returned to Hobart on 30 July with a full cargo of oil that she had gathered at Adventure Bay.[12] On 4 September she brought in another cargo of oil, this time from Trumpeter Bay.

By early 1832 her owners had renamed Prince Leopold Mary Elizabeth.[13]

On 9 July 1834 Mary and Elizabeth arrived at Hobart, in ballast. Her crew had deserted her in Cloudy Bay, New Zealand.[14] While Mary Elizabeth, Lovatt, master, was at Cloudy Bay the local Maori took her boat, gear, dead whales, and whatever else they could.[15]

Fate

Mary and Elizabeth, of and for Hobart Town, Capt. Kelly, was wrecked at Port Sorell, on 30 May 1835. All her crew were saved. She was carrying whaling stores to Portland Bay when winds started to drive her ashore. Captain Kelly then ran her ashore to save the lives of the crew, which were saved, but with difficulty. The wreck was to be sold for the benefit of the underwriters.[16]

Citations
  1. "SYDNEY". Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 14 September 1816 Page 2.
  2. "GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS". Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 8 February 1817 Page 2.
  3. "SYDNEY". Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 28 September 1816 Page 2.
  4. "SYDNEY" Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 30 May 1818 Page 2.
  5. "SYDNEY". Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 28 November 1818 Page 3.
  6. "GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS". Hobart Town Gazette and Southern Reporter 19 June 1819 Page 2.
  7. Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen’s Land Advertiser, 2 Nov 1822, p2.
  8. "HOBART TOWN" Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser 23 November 1822 Page 2.
  9. "SHIP NEWS" Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser 31 March 1826 Page 2.
  10. "Memories of the Past". Critic (Hobart) 16 September 1911 Page 4.
  11. "THE LONGITUDE". Tasmanian 16 July 1831 Page 8.
  12. "The Courier". Hobart Town Courier 6 August 1831 Page 2.
  13. "DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE". Sydney Herald 27 February 1832 Page 3.
  14. "SHIP NEWS". Colonist and Van Diemen's Land Commercial and Agricultural Advertiser 15 July 1834 Page 2.
  15. "DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE". Sydney Herald 18 August. 1834 Page 3.
  16. Cornwall Chronicle 13 June 1835 Page 2.
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