Freer, Mrs A.
[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
...
A. Freer, stewardess (widow) 45 South Australia
...
["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:--
...
A. Freer, stewardess;
J. McDermott, assistant stewardess.
...
["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:--
...
A. Freer, 45, South Australia, stewardess;
...
[Agreement and Account of Crew, s.s. Koombana, August 1911 - March 1912, Harbour and Lights Department, Western Australia. State Records Office of Western Australia, Consignment 1056 Item 301]
The register indicates that Mrs. Freer transferred from Bullarra to Koombana in 1911.
[Barker, Malcolm, 2001, The Truth Is So Precious, Success Print, Perth, Western Australia, page 51]
...
Passing the shelter of Rottnest Island the vessel encountered the first swells of the open sea, and the Stewardess Mrs A Freer began her ministrations to the very poor "sailor" Mrs George Miles who was travelling with her husband and children. George Miles had been the Chairman at the official opening of the Port Hedland-Marble Bar railway.
Captain Allen thumbed through the Ships Articles brought to him by his Chief Officer, Norman Jamieson, now that all the latecomers had signed on. He noted that Mrs Freer was back after missing the last trip on the Koombana. She had been a welcome addition to the crew since transferring from the Bullarra in November of 1911.
...
[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]
[img 905]
The Adelaide Steamship Co. Limited
Port Adelaide, 10th January, 1913.
T. W. Smith Esq,
Shipping Master,
Harbor & Light Dept,
Fremantle.
Dear Sir,-
In reply to your favor fo the 18th. ultimo. re addresses
of relatives of the following who were lost in the "Koombana", I
have to advise as under:-
N. C. Jamieson. Late Chief Officer
Mrs. Jamieson. (Mother)
53 Verdon Street,
Williamstown. Vic.
F. S. Peacock. Late 3rd. Officer.
Mr. J. S. Peacock. (Brother)
2 Craighouse Road
Morningside,
Edinburgh. Scotland.
Mrs. Freer Late Stewardess.
Mrs. Jeanes. (Niece).
Martin Street,
Birkenhead. South Australia.
Yours faithfully,
[signature unclear]
ACTING MARINE SUPERINTENDENT.
["Deaths", Kalgoorlie Miner (WA), Saturday 06 April 1912, page 6]
DEATHS.
FREER (nee Fleming).--On the 20th or 21st March, lost in wrecked Koombana, Anastasia, third dearly beloved daughter of the late John and Mary Critchley, Carrington, South Australia, mother of Mrs. F. G. Baker, Collins-street, Piccadilly; Nurse Annie Fleming, Perth; Edward M, Fleming, South Australia; sister of John, Patrick, and Philip Critchley, Mrs. Earl, South Australia: Mrs. Anstiss, Broken Hill; Mrs. Bermingham, Boulder City, and Nurse Critchley, Kalgoorlie. R.I.P.
["In Memoriam", The West Australian, Friday 21 March 1913, page 1]
...
FREER (nee Fleming).-In memory of our dearly loved mother, who lost her life on the s.s. Koombana, March, 1912
At rest.
Inserted by her sorrowing children.
[Personal communication, Sue Stoecker, descendant of Koombana stewardess Anastasia Freer, 12 December 2012]
From: "Sue S"
To:
Subject: Koombana passengers
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:41:21 +1030
Hi Annie,
Another Ancestry user pointed out to me that Anastasia Freer (nee Critchley, then Fleming) died when the Koombana sank. Do you have any records of whether or not her husband also perished? His name was Ernest Alfred Freer.
If you do, I was wondering why they were aboard?
Thanks,
Sue Stoecker
AB Notes:
Finally, a first name: Anastasia
some information sent, and a few emails exchanged
