The SS ‘Excelsior’ was a screw steamer, built in Southhampton, England, in 1882.
The SS ‘Excelsior’ was an iron screw steamer, first registered in Melbourne, Victoria, in the year of 1882. Her journey from Southhampton, England to Melbourne, Victoria is reported to have taken just 66 days. She would prove to be a very popular vessel on Port Phillip Bay, though her reign may have been relatively short as she was sunk in 1890. She was refloated sometime between 1890 to 1900 as some records state 1890, others at 1900 ?? Information regarding her function from the time she was refloated to WWII is very hard to come by . . .
SS ‘Excelsior’ on her way to Geelong
Gross Tonnage: 350
Net Tonnage: 172
Length: 186 ft 6 in (56.85 m)
Beam: 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Depth: 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)
First Owner: Huddart Parker & Co.
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Timeline:
15 Jan 1883 → the SS ‘Excelsior’ commenced the Melbourne to Geelong run
Mercury (Hobart, Tas) – 27 Jan 1940
21 Jan 1890 → the SS ‘Flora’ ran aground whilst heading out to Hobart, Tasmania, on a tight bend in the Yarra River at Spotswood. Whilst stuck fast in the mud, the SS ‘Excelsior’ ran into her stern – thankfully the damage to both vessels was only minor . . .
9 Jan 1897 → the SS ‘Excelsior’ sank the Ketch ‘Lu Lu’ on the south bank of the Hopetoun Channel near Geelong, Victoria:
” . . . Our Melbourne correspondent writes:
” At the meeting of the Marine Board this afternoon (Friday) the report of the nautical expert committee, relative to the collision between the steamer Excelsior and ketch Lulu in Hopetoun Channel, was considered. The committee recommended that the matter should be remitted to the Marine Court, and a charge of misconduct preferred against Gilbert Moore, master of the Excelsior. Mr Wilson, one of the committee, dissented. He thought in view of the nature of the evidence charges should be preferred against both masters. Mr Dickens moved an amendment to the latter effect, but it was rejected, and the report adopted.” . . . “
Age (Melbourne, Vic) – 11 Jan 1897
Source: Excerpt – ‘Geelong Advertiser’ (Vic) – Article “Town Talk” – published 6th February 1897
11 Jul 1899 → the SS ‘Edina’ sinks the SS ‘Excelsior’ during thick fog:
” . . . Shortly after, half-past 11 o’clock this, morning a serious collision took place in Port Phillip Bay between the steamers Edina (owned by Messrs. William Howard Smith and Sons), and the Excelsior (owned by Messrs. Huddart, Parker and Co.)
The Edina was on her way to Geelong, to which place she makes a trip every forenoon in the course of her trade with that port, and the Excelsior was coming up the bay to Melbourne.
Geelong Advertiser (Vic) – 29 Sep 1899
The weather was calm but thick, and a fog hung over the water. The Edina struck the Excelsior on the port side amidships, and she sank within a quarter of an hour. Both vessels carried a large number of passengers, and large cargoes, but there was very little excitement. The whole thing happened so suddenly that until the crash came those on board the steamers were not aware that any other boat was near at all.
When both vessels began to draw away after the collision it was at once seen that the Excelsior was the most seriously injured of the two, and she at once began to settle down rapidly.
Some of the Excelsior’s passengers were dragged on board the Edina at once, while the remainder, including the crew, were rescued by the boats. As far as can be ascertained no one was drowned, but some 20 or 25 were injured.
Dr. Wilson, head master of the Brighton Presbyterian Ladies’ College, was perhaps the most seriously injured of the Excelsior’s passengers. He was looking down the companion ladder ‘when the collision took place, and he was thrown violently below, sustaining a compound fracture of the right fore-arm. When attended to it was found, that he suffered severely from the shook of his fall, and was rather in a bad way.
A lady passenger by the Excelsior had her side lacerated, while another had her ancle sprained. The remainder of the others injured had either small cuts, or were suffering from shock.
The Excelsior went down stern first, and now lies in about five fathoms of water, with her bow above the surface.
The Edina is almost uninjured, but she will be immediately placed in dock, as she is making water slightly . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Bathurst Free Press & Mining Journal’ (NSW) – Article ” Collision in Port Phillip – The Edina Sinks the Excelsior – All Hands Saved – Melbourne, Tuesday” – published 12th July 1899
” . . . The steamer Edina resumed the service between Melbourne and this port yesterday, and she carried a large quantity of miscellaneous freight on the return trip, her departure being delayed about a quarter of an hour beyond her usual time of leaving as a consequence. It was the first trip of the steamer to this port since her collision with the Excelsior, and she was closely inspected by a large number of people. New plates have replaced the damaged ones near the vessel’s bows, and with other repairs she has been turned out as fit for active service as she was before the collision. In consequence of the sitting of the Marine Board to inquire into the collision, the Edina was under different officers, and Captain Chapman, of the steamer Derwent, was in charge. Captain. Patrick has not yet recovered from his indisposition, and Captain Rose was again in charge of the Courier yesterday.
Source: Excerpt – ‘Geelong Advertiser’ (Vic) – Article “Town Talk” – published 19th July 1899
” . . . The Court of Marine Enquiry sat to-day, and began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision between the steamers Edina and Excelsior on the 11th instant. Captain Moore, of the Excelsior, gave his version of the accident, which was similar in substance to the account published at the time of the collision. He claimed that when the fog settled down he reduced the Excelsior’s speed to dead slow, and when the Edina was seen bearing down he did all that could possibly be done to avert the collision . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ (NSW) – Article “The Edina-Excelsior Collision” – published 19th July 1899
” . . . TO THE EDITOR.
Sir, – In your report of to-day s marine inquiry of the Edina-Excelsior collision the chief officer, Geo. White King, states in his evidence that after taking about 20 of the passengers he saw the mate of the Excelsior leave that vessel with her crew. Now, sir, I must say that that statement is utterly false, for being an unbiassed witness, I will state the facts as I saw them, and that is that the men, including the mate of the Excelsior, worked well to save the passengers. In the first place two of the Excelsior’s men were on the bow of the Edina doing all they could to get the passengers off the Excelsior. Some of the others got the Excelsior’s boat and too a load of passengers off, and then the mate of the Excelsior got into the Edina’s boat, which was being handled very slowly, and went and took a load in that boat. During this time two of the Excelsior’s men were assisting to lower the ladies into this boat, and after all the passengers were got off the steward and stewardess were the last to come over the bows of the Edina. Then the captain and his men got into their boat from the starboard side, and came on to the starboard side of the Edina, and after shaking hands with Capt. Forbes and his own daughter, he again went on to the Excelsior and started his engines to get into shallow water. The rest you know. Hoping some abler pen than mine will take up the matter, – I am, etc.,
Thos, F. Seeley . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Geelong Advertiser’ (Vic) – Article “The Edina-Excelsior Collision” – published 24th July 1899
c 1900 → the SS ‘Excelsior’ was raised from her watery grave when:
” . . . Another large cut gives the s.s. Excelsior in dock, and shows the breach made and damage done by the Edina . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Argus’ (Melbourne, Vic) – published 1st February 1900
c 1939 → records regarding the SS ‘Excelsior’ are elusive until c 1939, when she was commissioned to relocate to Brisbane, Queensland, during the Second World War:
” . . . The Excelsior was an excursion and passenger steamer on Port Phillip. She was built in 1882, for Huddart Parker, and came to Brisbane on a voyage north during the 1939-45 War. Being unseaworthy she could not be taken further, and was used here as a workshop. After the war, she was discarded on Bishop Island . . . “
Source: Excerpts – ‘History Along The Waterways – The Abandoned Hulks of the Brisbane River & Moreton Bay’ – by Roderick McLeod – 1973
c 1946 → sometime after WWII was over, the SS ‘Excelsior’ joined many a ship in the graveyard at Bishop Island in Queensland:
” . . . GRAVEYARD OF SHIPS
Next, on the right bank, comes the graveyard of ships in Brisbane, Bishop Island. This island was formed from the spoil produced in the dredging of the Bar cutting by Captain Bishop in the dredge Hercules, 1909-1912. The island has been the site for the disposal of many ships. These were unfortunately cut down for scrap some twenty years ago, so that the remains are now much reduced in size. Ships recorded as being discarded here include the Groper, Adonis, Roderick Dhu, Excelsior, Yosemite, Maida, Civility, Captain Cook, Bingera, St. Kilda, Lucinda, Moreton, Miner, Schnapper, Lochiel, Queensland, Victoria, and Badger . . . “
Source: Excerpts – ‘History Along The Waterways – The Abandoned Hulks of the Brisbane River & Moreton Bay’ – by Roderick McLeod – 1973
Additional Resources: Websites: ‘Shipwrecks of Port Phillip & The Rip’
View other important events in the history of The Steamers of Port Phillip Bay . . .
