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Tasmanian Seafarers' Memorial
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Perserverance (1875)
The plaque reads ...
'Perserverence'
Tragic family boating excursion when
waterman's boat caapsized with 8 aboard
returning to Hobart from Kangaroo Pt.
on public holiday 9 November 1875.
Those drowned were Frank Hutchinson,
Louise Farr, Kate Farr, Cecil Farr,
Nellie Pink and Frank Sansom.
The public holiday of November 9, 1875, ended with a tragic accident on the River Derwent resulting in the loss of six lives.
Early in the afternoon a party of young people had proceeded to Bellerive in one of the watermen's boats. The group was comprised of C. Matthews (2nd officer on the barque Lufra ); Frank Hutchinson (a native of Banff, Scotland and an apprentice on the barque Lufra ); Frank Sansom, son of Captain Sansom of Macquarie St., who worked in the law office of Mr. J. S. Dodds; Miss Nellie Pink, daughter of Mrs. Pink of the Salutation Hotel, Liverpool St.; Miss Easther of Launceston; Misses Louise and Kate Farr, daughters of Mrs. Farr, Fitzroy Place; and Cecil Farr, son of Thomas Farr of New Zealand and grandson of Mrs. Farr of Fitzroy Place.
Having spent a few pleasant hours on the beach below Kangaroo Bluff, the party then sailed up as far as the Bluff where they went ashore and had tea. At about 6.30 pm they started for home in a stiff NW wind, thinking to tack over to Battery Point and then to pull up to the harbour.
About mid-river a sudden gust of wind struck the sail and young Sansom commenced slackening the sheet but it fouled and the boat capsized. Although everyone regained hold of the boat, the wind kept catching it, causing it to roll heavily in the water and exhaustion set in. In spite of desperate efforts to save everyone, Mr. Matthews efforts were defeated by the elements and he was only able to hold onto Miss Easther until spotted by the master of the river craft Uncle Tom and rescued.
A search for the missing was undertaken the next day by the Marine Board's two boats manned by members of the crew and volunteers including the survivor Mr. Matthews - a relative of the Farrs, Captain James Farr - brother of the Misses Farr and uncle of Cecil Farr, and Captain Sansom - father of Frank Sansom. Throughout the day, the ensigns and house-flags of the vessels in port, and the flags at several buildings in the city, were lowered to half-mast, and many places of business had shutters put up as a mark of respect to the memory of the drowned.
The searchers found the remains of the boat on rocks at South Arm and a lady's hat on the beach at Gellibrand Point.
The next day Bellerive police found on the beach at Ralph's Bay 3 ladies' hats and 3 gentlemen's hats, 2 oars and a water keg belonging to the boat. The hats were identified by relatives and Miss Easther as belonging to the missing. All hope of finding the bodies was given up and the search was abandoned
Archive Office of Tasmania: Colonial Tas. Family Links:
- Kate Clara Farr b. 1854 Hobart; died 1875 Hobart - drowned
- Frances Louisa Farr b 1856 Hobart, drowned 1875 Hobart.
Their siblings were:
- James Farr b. 1839 in Ireland; m. Isabella Henderson 1873,
- Thomas Farr born 1843, NSW ; Death: 1925 - Hobart, Married1865 Hobart to Sarah Matthews (b in 1842 - England)
Their children: Thomas Cecil 1865, Walter Ernest 1867, Eva 1869; Alma Gertrude 1871; Harry Norman 1873
- Elizabeth Ann Farr b. 1848 Norfolk Is. Tasmania (?), died 1912 Hobart;
- John Moffat Farr b. 1850 Hobart;
Their parents were: Elizabeth Ford b. 1819 Ireland; died 1899 Hobart; Married 1838 Ireland to Thomas Farr b. 1810 in Ireland; died 1858 Hobart.
- Thomas Cecil Farr born 1865, drowned 1875, eldest son of Thomas and Sarah (nee Matthews) Farr.
- Frank Sansom: thought to be Francis Henry Sansom b. 1858 Hobart.
- Nellie Pink: may have been Ellen Pink b. Hobart 1860 ; daughter of George Herbert & Sarah (nee Cox) Pink.