Theme: “ BASIC EDUCATION AND LITERACY MONTH
Lookout Reserve Maintenance Roster:
30/9/18 – 6/10/18 Geoff Chandler, 7/10/18 – 13/10/18 Peter Cullen.
14/10/18 – 20/10/18 Gary O’Donnell, 21/10/18 – 27/10/18 John Paton,
28/10/18 – 3/11/18 Dick Clay
Report of Meeting: 25/9/2018
Guests: Heather Willson, RC of Wyndham. Jenny Templeton (prospective member)
Trish Emselle, David and Renna Bayne
President: DG Anthony Olson will visit the Club on 2/10/18. This will be a partner’s night, (so you must apologize if you or your partner are not coming). Members are encouraged to wear a hat in recognition of mental illness in the ‘Lift the Lid’ campaign. Members are reminded that Paul Harris regalia should be worn.
Announcements: Nominations for a President Elect for 20/21 are called for.
** Rod Bush suggested that the upgrades to IPhones and Mac. Computers should be installed.
Administration: Marion Walton asked members to give names and addresses of senior citizens who could be invited to the Seniors Christmas evening.
Fundraising: Lynne Carlson has a calendar that features local views. Each calendar sold will raise $1.00 for the Club.
Art Show Sub Committee: John Calnin reminded members that Raffle tickets for the Art Show should be sold ASAP and stubs and money should be given to Geoff Brentnall.
Foundation: Centurian donation boxes are available for $2.00 deposits per week.
Social: All enjoyed the lunch at the Wayawa Winery on the Bellarine Highway on Sunday 23/9/18 was a great success and the tasting plates were very good with great variety. Thanks to John Calnin for organizing this event.
Footy Tipping: Rod Bush won again this week.
Guest Speaker: David Bayne “The Wreck of the William Salthouse.”
David heard a short story about the puzzling loss of The William Salthouse and her cargo after she ran aground in 1841. Her cargo was particularly important as it consisted of casks of alcohol valued in 1841 for 12,000 pounds ($1.8 million today), which was being transported from Canada to Melbourne.
David had three criteria that had to be met with this research; it had to have occurred before Victoria and New South Wales were separated, it had to be connected to the Bellarine and there had to be some mystery as to why the ship was sent from London to Canada and then Melbourne. The research had to be done in the context of the vast change in social values that existed then and now.
After the disappearance of the ship and cargo in 1841 the bureaucrats in NSW wanted nothing to do with the vanished ship despite correspondence with Governor Latrobe from some of the crew asking for assistance as their livelihood had gone. There were 24 crewmembers and all were rescued. The hated Navigation Act may have meant the ship would be breaking the law if she sailed directly from London to Melbourne and smuggling, fraud or use as a coffin ship was suspected. The ship was old, built in 1824 and when she sailed she carried excessive cargo, which was well insured.
The act of smuggling was not really a problem in Melbourne but sailing through the very turbulent waters of the Rip, lack of pilots, poor maps of the reefs, fairly primitive navigation aids and the cost of lighterage complicated a successful conclusion to the venture. She hit a reef, lost her rudder and despite the efforts of a pilot she foundered on the sand island of Popes Eye. The insurance company sold her to a Captain Cole who was interested in the timber in her hull as well as her cargo. He found that this had diminished in size.
The William Salthouse reappeared in 1982 and most of her hull was intact, as she had been lined with copper. Much of the cargo that had not been looted in 1841 was still in the hull and was believed to be the largest known collection of casks ever seen. Most of this was looted before the Heritage Act came into force. David believes she survived so well for 141 years was due to where she sank. The area is very active and the ship was quickly covered by sand. Dredging of the channel may have caused a change in the currents and a consequent emergence of the ship. A dive group found these remnants of ship in 2017 and a positive identification was made.
It is fit and proper that the William Salthouse despite all the trials, mistreatment and vicissitudes has gained recognition and has become part of the history of the Bellarine.
The presentation was very well researched and obviously done with care and a love of the subject.
David acknowledged the assistance given to him by Heritage Victoria and the Marine Museum in Queenscliff
APOLOGIES ARE NECESSARY! IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND A
MEETING. THOSE WHO DO NOT CONFORM WILL BE SENT A BILL, AS THE CLUB HAS TO PAY IF NO APOLOGY IS REGISTERED.
Thank you: A George.
