David Ashworth, survivor of the shipwrecked GENERAL GRANT
The GENERAL GRANT was wrecked in May 1866 in the Auckland Islands in the South Pacific Ocean, a week after leaving Melbourne for London with a cargo of wool, skins, pelts, and gold bullion. Drawn towards cliffs by a strong current, the ship was pulled into cave where the movement of the sea caused the vessel's masts to strike against the roof, eventually pushing them through the base of the ship and causing it to sink. 68 people, including the captain, perished.
However ten of the crew and five passengers including David Ashworth managed to get ashore and eventually find sanctuary in several huts which had been built on the islands by the whalers Samuel and Charles Enderby, who had established a colony at Port Ross, Auckland Islands.
For the next seven months the 15 survivors, Peter McNevin, Andrew Morrison, David McClelland, Chief Officer Bartholomew Brown, William Newton Scott, Cornelius Drew, James Teer, David Ashworth, Joseph Jewell, Mary Ann Jewell, William Sanguily, Arron Hayman (Harpman), William Ferguson, F P Caughley and Nicholas Allen, managed to live in freezing conditions and endure the severest hardships on the Auckland Islands.
Eventually giving up all hope of being rescued by a passing ship four of the men departed the Islands in a makeshift boat in January 1867 attempting to sail to the small town of Bluff on New Zealand's South Island. The boat and its crew were never seen again.
The remaining 10 (one died from exposure) survivors lived on the Islands for nearly 18 months before being rescued by the brig AMHERST in November 1868. Ashworth joined an attempt to return to the wrecksite and retrieve the gold and was drowned during salvage work in 1870.
The Australian National Maritime Museum undertakes research and accepts public comments that enhance the information we hold about images in our collection. If you can identify a person, vessel or landmark, write the details in the Comments box below.
Thank you for helping caption this important historical image.
Object number 00042679
David Ashworth, survivor of the shipwrecked GENERAL GRANT
The GENERAL GRANT was wrecked in May 1866 in the Auckland Islands in the South Pacific Ocean, a week after leaving Melbourne for London with a cargo of wool, skins, pelts, and gold bullion. Drawn towards cliffs by a strong current, the ship was pulled into cave where the movement of the sea caused the vessel's masts to strike against the roof, eventually pushing them through the base of the ship and causing it to sink. 68 people, including the captain, perished.
However ten of the crew and five passengers including David Ashworth managed to get ashore and eventually find sanctuary in several huts which had been built on the islands by the whalers Samuel and Charles Enderby, who had established a colony at Port Ross, Auckland Islands.
For the next seven months the 15 survivors, Peter McNevin, Andrew Morrison, David McClelland, Chief Officer Bartholomew Brown, William Newton Scott, Cornelius Drew, James Teer, David Ashworth, Joseph Jewell, Mary Ann Jewell, William Sanguily, Arron Hayman (Harpman), William Ferguson, F P Caughley and Nicholas Allen, managed to live in freezing conditions and endure the severest hardships on the Auckland Islands.
Eventually giving up all hope of being rescued by a passing ship four of the men departed the Islands in a makeshift boat in January 1867 attempting to sail to the small town of Bluff on New Zealand's South Island. The boat and its crew were never seen again.
The remaining 10 (one died from exposure) survivors lived on the Islands for nearly 18 months before being rescued by the brig AMHERST in November 1868. Ashworth joined an attempt to return to the wrecksite and retrieve the gold and was drowned during salvage work in 1870.
The Australian National Maritime Museum undertakes research and accepts public comments that enhance the information we hold about images in our collection. If you can identify a person, vessel or landmark, write the details in the Comments box below.
Thank you for helping caption this important historical image.
Object number 00042679