Dwyer, Michael (Jack)

[SS "Koombana": list of crew as per copy of Articles at shipping office, Fremantle, Adelaide Steamship Company, April 1912. provided to the author by Jean Northover, City Beach, Western Australia]

THE CREW AGE BIRTHPLACE

...

M. Dwyer, A.B. 25 Dungavon

...

["Story of the Koombana", The Sunday Times (Perth, WA), Sunday 31 March 1912, page 12]

"P. Clinton, F. Wilson, H. B. Rea, C. Stanley, T. McDonnell, William A. Farnell, W. Carton, M. Ryan, M. Dwyer, P. Jenkins, J. McGuckin and F. Gunning, A.B.'s"

["The Crew", The West Australian, Wednesday 03 April 1912, page 7]

The following is the complete crew which left with the vessel, according to the records in the Adelaide Co.'s office:--

...

P. C. Clinton, F. Wilson, H. B. Rea, C. Stanley, T. McDonnell, William. A. Farrell, W. Carton, M. Ryan, M. Dwyer, P. Jenkins, J McGuckin, and F. Gunning, A.B.'s.

...

["The Koombana", The West Australian, Friday 12 April 1912, page 7]

OFFICIAL LIST OF CREW

The following official list of the names of the crew who signed on the s.s. Koombana's articles and who were supposed to have gone in the vessel is supplied by the Shipping Master of Fremantle (Captain T. W. Smith). The age, birthplace, and capacity of each member is given:--

...

M. Dwyer, 25, Dungarvon, able seaman;

...

[Barker, Malcolm, 2001, The Truth Is So Precious, Success Print, Perth, Western Australia, page 52]

...

Other crew newly signed on for this trip were noticed:

Name Rank Age Place of Birth

F Peacock 3rd Officer 27 Edinburgh, Scotland

J Levins Bos’n 33 Drogheda, Ireland

M Dwyer A.B. 25 Dungarvan,Ireland

P Jenkins A.B. 25 Stirling, Scotland

J McGuckin A.B. 35 Harrington, England

F Gunning A.B. 32 Bristol, England

F Herbert Fireman 18 Victoria, Australia

A de Montfort Fireman 25 Jersey Island

T Taylor Fireman 31 Dundee, Scotland

A Bryant Fireman 31 Victoria,Australia

H Stanberg Second Cook 28 Sweden

J Jackson Kitchenman 22 Belfast, Ireland

S Reynolds Steward 27 Adelaide, Australia

W Smith Steward 22 Clapton, England

AB notes:

newly recruited, according to Barker

[Wreck of the KOOMBANA - letters re men's estates, Correspondence between the office of the Chief Harbourmaster, Fremantle, and the families of lost crewmembers, Harbour and Lights Department, 1912. State Records Office of Western Australia, AN16/5 Cons 1056 Item 062]

my image 825

16th. July 1912.

THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS,

FREMANTLE.

I return you herewith papers in connection with

M. Dwyer, lost in the S.S. "Koombana" and have to state that

as Mrs. Dwyer has communicated direct to this office, the

wages of her late son are being sent home per today's mail

and I attache herewith a copy of my letter to Mrs. Dwyer.

[this copy unsigned]

enc. DEPUTY SHIPPING MASTER.

[Wreck of the KOOMBANA - letters re men's estates, Correspondence between the office of the Chief Harbourmaster, Fremantle, and the families of lost crewmembers, Harbour and Lights Department, 1912. State Records Office of Western Australia, AN16/5 Cons 1056 Item 062]

my image 828

A very prompt(!) letter from a solicitor on behalf of Mrs Dwyer.

?? P Williams, LL.D., Solicitor.

Dungarvon, Co. Waterford

Ireland

4th June 1912

Dear Sirs,

Mrs Bridget(?) Dwyer of Abbeyside Dungar-

von received today a letter from Fremantle West

Australia informing her of the fact that her son

Michael Dwyer was drowned on the S.S.

Koombana. On her behalf I am instructed to

claim from the Company any balance of wages

which were due to him as well as to put forward

her claim for the kind consideration of the Company

in her affliction and for a share of any fund

which may be raised for the relatives of those who

perished. My client is a woman of humble cir-

cumstances whose husband now an advanced

man in years still follows the sailor's life for a

living & the poor fellow who is gone was a great

help to her financially. In the Circumstances I

hope for considerate treatment for her.

Yours faithfully

En. P Williams

The Adelaide SteamShip Company

Fremantle

West Australia

[Wreck of the KOOMBANA - letters re men's estates, Correspondence between the office of the Chief Harbourmaster, Fremantle, and the families of lost crewmembers, Harbour and Lights Department, 1912. State Records Office of Western Australia, AN16/5 Cons 1056 Item 062]

my image 829

16th. July 1912.

Mrs. B. Dwyer,

c/o E. P. Williams, Esq.,

Solicitor

DUNGARVON, co.Waterford,

I r e l a n d.

Dear Madam,

I enclose herewith a Bank Draft for £6/8/-,

being the balance of wages due to your late son, lost

on the s.s. "Koombana".

Kindly furnish me with the necessary receipt

for same.

Yours faithfully,

[this copy unsigned]

DEPUTY SHIPPING MASTER.

enc.

[Wreck of the KOOMBANA - letters re men's estates, Correspondence between the office of the Chief Harbourmaster, Fremantle, and the families of lost crewmembers, Harbour and Lights Department, 1912. State Records Office of Western Australia, AN16/5 Cons 1056 Item 062]

my image 926

?? P Williams, LL.D., Solicitor.

Dungarvon, Co. Waterford

Ireland

21st August 1912

S.S. Koombana

Michael Dwyer dec'd

Dear Sir,

I acknowledge receipt of yours of 16th

ult enclosing Bill for Mrs. B. Dwyer

mother of deceased for £6:8:0 which I

have passed over to her and for which I

[unclear] send a formal receipt

Thanking you for your kindness

Yours faithfully

En P Williams

Stamped as received "Harbor & Light Department 17 SEP 1912"

[Wreck of the "Koombana" - photocopy of material relating to, Harbour and Lights Department, Western Australia, 1912, State Records Office of Western Australia. Series 1618, Cons. 5055, Item 001, see Koombana Relief Fund correspondence]

EXTRACT FROM LETTER RECEIVED FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE

"KOOMBANA" RELIEF COMMITTEE, PERTH

Dated 31st July, 1912.

--------------

"I give you hereunder a list of persons in Great Britain

to whom the Perth Committee has allotted amounts, and shall be

glad if you will communicate with the Agent-General, requesting

him to pay the sum mentioned in each case, out of the amount he

has in hand, and forward the receipts to me at the earliest

possible opportunity:-

Miss Wardlaw, 36 Bank Street, Hillhead, Glasgow, £47.

Mrs. W. C. Dick, 4 James Park, Burntisland, N.B., £47.

Mrs. W. Clarke, Chestnut Grove, off Marsh Lane, Boudel

Liverpool, England, £65.

Mrs. Levins, 87 Strand Street, Cloyerhead, Drogheda,

Ireland, £11.

Mrs. M. Dwyer, King Street, Abbyside, County Waterford,

Ireland, £11.

Mrs. W. Carton, Droghed, County Louth, Ireland, £11.

Mrs. J. Kearne, 36 Malcolmson Street, Springfield Road,

Belfast, Ireland, $11.

Mrs. Rea, 21 Conderton Road, Loughboro Junction, Camberwell,

London, S.E. £11.

----------------------------------

Further names since received:-

A. Dellar (? English address)

- Clinton ( " Local Committee making enquiries

- Offord ( " " " decline applica-

tion for assistance.

W. Burkin ( " Nothing done so far.

----------------------------------

...

["In Memoriam", The West Australian, Thursday 20 March 1913, page 1]

...

DWYER.-In sad and loving memory of my dear brother, Jack Dwyer, who was lost on s.s. Koombana, after leaving Port Hedland, March 20, 1912.

-Inserted by his loving brother, James Dwyer.

...