Ellen Simpson
A coal vessel lost near Cape Howe in a gale in May 1866. Nine of her eleven crew died, and two officers survived.
The story
The Ellen Simpson left Newcastle for Melbourne on 14 May 1866 with a cargo of coal and a crew of eleven. A severe gale hit and the captain decided to beach her to save lives.
According to the chief officer’s account, published in the Illustrated Sydney News on 16 June 1866, the vessel then broke up on the rocks. Nine of the eleven crew died, including the captain. The two survivors were the chief officer and the second officer, Edwin Moloney.
The Heritage Victoria record gives the loss date as 17 May 1866 and adds no casualty detail.
Where the records differ:
Date: 17 May 1866 (Heritage Victoria) or beaching on 19 May 1866 (the account the South Coast History Society summarises).
Type: three-masted ship (one Heritage Victoria reading), or barquentine (the South Coast History Society account).
Lives lost: stated only in the newspaper-based account. The Heritage Victoria record gives none.
Archive photographs for this wreck are being gathered and will be added here.
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