Namesake A partner in the firm. Launched 1816 | Type Barque Draft 5.23 m | |
Name David Clark (or David Clarke) Owner Ferguson Bros., or Ferguson and Co. Builder S. Teague, Clive Street, Hooghly River, Calcutta Fate Broken up in Batavia in 1854 | ||
David Clark was launched in 1816 and may have been broken up in at Batavia in 1854. In 1839 she carried mainly Scots assisted migrants to Australia, and was the first immigrant ship to sail from the Great Britain directly to Port Phillip. In 1842 she transported more than 300 convicts to Hobart.
Contents
Career
David Clark sailed between India and the Mediterranean, arriving in Malta in 1820, where a portrait was made, and then returning via Gibraltar to Bengal, arriving on 27 September 1821. She was involved in the East India Company's military expedition to Burma in 1824 and 1825, and was used in the Arracan campaign as a hospital ship. She continued to trade under the East India Company flag in 1830 and sailed one of the last voyages under licence by the East India Company, through Calcutta, Singapore, China, St. Helena and finally to London between 19 August 1833 to 28 June 1834. Robert Rayne was master on this voyage, the log of which has survived.
The vessel was then surveyed in London on 16 August 1834, when it was shown that she was built of teak with two decks, and had been sheathed in wood in 1829 then in copper in 1833 at Calcutta.
She next sailed the London-Calcutta and Calcutta-China routes between 1834 to 1839 but in January 1839, having left London for India, had to put in at Cowes due to leaking; she discharged her cargo before going to Greenock for a refit.
She was under the command of Capt. J.B. Mills when she left Greenock on 15 June 1839 carrying mainly Scots assisted immigrants. She arrived at Port Phillip on 27 October 1839.
This voyage to Melbourne from Scotland in 1839 with the first bounty immigrants was notable and well-recorded. As she departed on 13 June 1839, John Arthur piped her out to the tune of Lochaber No More. On 15 August 1839 she pulled in to Rio de Janeiro, where she stayed ten days. She then sailed directly to Port Phillip, arriving 27 October 1839. After a stay of about 7 weeks she departed on 19 December 1839 for Bombay.
Convict transport
In 1841 David Clarke transported convicts and troops to Australia. She departed Plymouth on 7 June, under the command of William B. Mills, and arrived in Hobart on 4 October 1841. She carried 308 convicts, one of whom died on the way.
She sailed for Bombay in ballast on 17 October 1841.
Demise
Her last voyage began on 7 September 1853, when she left from Manila to London, but heavy storms forced a return to Manila. After re-caulking, she sailed again on 23 September 1853 to London via Melbourne. However, she struck a reef during a storm in the Sunda Strait and diverted to Anjer, Java, on 31 October 1853, eventually reaching Batavia on 18 November, where she was condemned. Although Lloyd's List records her sailing to Singapore on 5 June 1854, she arrived in Surabaya on that date and returned to Batavia on 17 June, where she may have been broken up.
Legacy
Perhaps because of the early transport of Scots to Australia, David Clark has been commemorated several times. A reunion of passengers in 1939 was extensively recorded in newspapers, while a ceremony marked the 175th anniversary in 2014. Passenger lists for the 1839 voyage are available.
Illustration
"Ship David Clark Caming (sic) into the Harbour of Malta 1820"