Robert the mariner, ship builder and ship owner

Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser,
 30 October 1830, page3

Robert Henderson was nearing 30 years old when he started his ventures into the shipping business. Over the next 35 years he would build, sail and own at least 14 vessels of various sizes, mostly for the coastal trade.

His first venture started in 1826 when he was part owner of Northumberland. 

Next, he set up one of the first shipyards in Brisbane Water, at Veteran Hall, the family farm at current-day Saratoga. He probably employed shipwrights to do the actual building, but managed the projects himself. He built at least 5 vessels between 1829 and 1836, including vessels named Sarah, Lark, Maid of Australia and Catherine.

He was able to sail vessels himself, and seems to have been a competent seaman. There is one account (see clipping right) of a rescue he made while master of the cutter Linnet. 

I have not found any evidence that he owned the Linnet but he was shown as the master on at least three other voyages into Sydney in 1830.

Robert also sailed as master on his own vessels on occasion, including Rambler, Lark and Betsey, but he usually employed professional seamen.

Coastal shipping was both a very risky and profitable business. Many of the early settlements were in coastal areas. The coastal rivers and the enclosing Great Dividing Range made land travel very difficult. Settlers depended on sea transport to get their produce to markets in Sydney, and also for most of their provisions and mail. Many also chose to travel by sea. Often, there was only one trading vessel serving a number of settlements, so there was little or no competition. Robert may also have profited from some illicit trade and was known in some circles as 'Bob the Smuggler' (that will be the subject of a separate post).

The following vessels were owned at some point by Robert Henderson:

• Northumberland, 18-ton sloop (part owner);
• Sarah, 14-ton cutter, built by Robert in 1829;
• Rambler, 18-ton cutter;
• Betsey, 12-ton sloop;
• Lark, 19-ton schooner, built by Robert in 1832 ;
• Maid of Australia, 77-ton brigantine, built by Robert in 1834;
• Catherine, 35-ton cutter, built by Robert in 1836;
• Ranger, 46-ton sloop;
• Nautilus, 43-ton schooner;
• Fly, 20-ton schooner;
• Currency Boy, 50-ton schooner;
• Australia, 46-ton 3-mast schooner;
• Wanderer, 138-ton brigantine;
• Policeman, 100-ton 3-mast schooner.

But the risks were real and many of the vessels ended their days wrecked in a storm. Robert's most significant loss was probably the Maid of Australia. Robert had personally  supervised her construction at Veteran Hall and the newspapers carried glowing reports of her first arrival in Sydney. She had cost £1,500. She sailed on her maiden voyage to Hobart on 8 June 1834 with a cargo of maize, flour, butter, fruit and timber. She was never seen again and presumed lost with all hands.

Despite the loss, Robert persevered with shipping for more than 20 years, although he gave up shipbuilding. It was possibly the wreck of the Currency Boy that was the final straw, that convinced Robert to retire from the shipping business. He had just turned 60 a few months before the tragedy. Currency Boy was wrecked near Norah Head in November 1856 with the loss of three lives. Over the next few years Robert sold his remaining vessels including the Australia, Wanderer and Policeman.

If you were wondering about the different classes of vessels, it is all about the way the sails were rigged: 

• A sloop is the most, a single mast and two sails, one in front and one behind the mast. 
• A cutter has a single mast, but is able to carry extra sails both fore and aft of the mast, improving performance. 
• A ketch has two masts with the rear one being smaller (Robert did not own ketches, but William ward did). 
• A schooner has two or three masts, and the foremast is the same size or smaller than the main mast. 
• A brigantine has two masts, but is a square rigged on the foremast. 

Many of the larger schooners and brigantines were 'clipper ships' meaning they were sleek fast-sailing vessels, the pinnacle of sailing technology. They were eventually replaced by steam power which was more reliable and required a much smaller crew.