Shipping a risky business

I am convinced in my own mind that ships and shipping were the primary source of Robert Henderson's wealth. The income from shipping probably gave him the capital to invest in property and other ventures. We will never know to what extent the illicit (smuggling) side of the shipping business played, but it may have been significant.

Maybe the smuggling made up for the losses that Robert suffered when his vessels were wrecked. I have identified three vessels that were wrecked while in Robert's ownership and there were likely more. This represents almost a third of the vessels that we know he owned or co-owned over his 35-year involvement in shipping. 

• Ranger was a vessel built by Robert at Brisbane Water. She sank off Sydney in 1831 with the loss of three lives. She was less than a year old. Robert himself had captained this vessel on its previous voyage.
• Maid of Australia vanished on her maiden voyage in 1834 and was presumed lost with all hands. Robert had supervised her construction and invested £1,500 in the project. This was the largest loss as far as I know.
• Catherine was another vessel built by Robert (or at least in his shipyard). I can find no trace of her after 1842, so I have presumed she may have been lost.
• The fate of the Betsey is unknown, but there were reports that she was often overloaded and unsafe, so it is a fair assumption that she went down on one of her trips to Sydney. The last mention that I have seen of her was in about 1836.
• The Fly was wrecked on the bar at Taree in 1845. Robert was the owner.
• Currency Boy was a 50-ton schooner, launched by Robert's wife Catherine in 1848. She was wrecked at Norah head in 1856 with the loss of two lives. (Robert advertised this vessel for auction in 1853 so she may not have been in his ownership when she was wrecked.)

My hypothesis is that shipping must have been a very profitable business for Robert to continue despite these losses. He may have carried insurance for the vessels, but the loss of life alone would deter most men. I have not discovered the number of crew aboard the Maid of Australia but as a 70-ton brig would possibly have had a crew of 10 or more, so the complete toll from all these wrecks would be 15 or more men.