Harris, Francis Hedley
[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
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F.H. Harris, purser 28 Moonta
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["Officers and Crew", The Sunday Times (Perth, WA), Sunday 31 March 1912, page 1]
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Mr. W. B. Innes, the chief engineer, is an old servant of the company, while Mr. F. H. Harris, the purser, and Mr. F. W. Johnson, the chief steward, have served in their respective capacities in several of the ships in the Australian fleet.
Mr. Black, the pantryman, is thought to be a son of Mr. James Black, of Penola, South Australia.
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["Story of the Koombana", The Sunday Times (Perth, WA), Sunday 31 March 1912, page 12]
"F. H. Harris, purser"
["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:--
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F. H. Harris, purser.
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["Personal", The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA), Saturday 06 April 1912, page 14]
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Three of the officers of the Adelaide Steamship Company's steamer Koombana, in addition to Captain Allen, were natives of South Australia.
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Mr. F. H. Harris, the purser, was born at Port Adelaide, and was a son of Mr. F. J. Harris, of the Customs Department. His wife is a daughter of Mr. Samuel Booth, of Alberton, and there is one child. Mr. and Mrs. Harris, the parents of Mr. F. H. Harris, will leave for Western Australia to-day by the Pilbarra.
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["The Lost Koombana", The Register (Adelaide, SA), Friday 05 April 1912, page 5]
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The Purser.
The purser of the Koombana, Mr. Francis Hedley Harris, came from Port Adelaide. He was 26 years of age, and the son of Mr. F. J. Harris, of H.M. Customs, Adelaide. He first joined the Adelaide Steamship Company's service as secretary to Capt. Dingle, and later was purser successively on the Rupara and the Wollowra. For a year he was in the company's, office at Cairns, and he was only transferred to the Koombana a few months ago. He was held in high esteem at Port Adelaide, where he was a well-known athlete and cricketer. At one period he was secretary of the Central Football Club, the members of which presented him with a large framed photographic group on his retirement. Three years ago he married Miss Booth, eldest daughter of Mr Samuel Booth, of Alberton. There is one child. Mr. Harris's parents will proceed to the west by the steamer Pilbarra on Saturday.
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["The Koombana", The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA), Monday 08 April 1912, p10]
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MOONTA NATIVE ON BOARD.
The Kadina and Wallaroo "Times" states:--Mr. F. H. Harris, eldest son of Mr. Frank Harris, formerly of Moonta, occupied the position of purser on board the ill-fated Koombana. Mr. Harris, who had been on the Koombana since November last, was appointed to go on the ill-fated Yongala on occasion of her last trip, but by a mere accident was prevented from doing so at the last moment.
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["Murchison Passengers", The Murchison Times and Day Dawn Gazette (Cue, WA), Thursday 11 April 1912, page 3]
MURCHISON PASSENGERS.
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The purser of the Koombana, Mr. Francis Hedley Harris, a nephew of Mr. W. Harris, of Katanning, was formerly purser of the also ill-fated Yongala. Mr. Harris was on board the Yongala up to within a few hours of her last voyage when he heard of his transfer to Koombana.
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["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:--
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F. H. Harris, 28, Moonta, South Australia, purser;
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["Announcements", The Western Mail (Perth, WA), Saturday 27 April 1912, page 23]
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DEATHS.
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HARRIS.--Purser on s.s. Koombana, Hedley,
beloved eldest son of Frank J. Harris, H.M. Customs, Adelaide, nephew Mrs. E. E. Butson, Mrs. A. Mundy, and Messrs. A. D., J. B., W. J., J. E. Harris, and grandson of Mrs. E. C. Harris, North Fremantle, aged 26 years.
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["In Memoriam", The West Australian, Thursday 20 March 1913, page 1]
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HARRIS.-In loving memory of Hedley, purser of Koombana, and eldest son of Frank J. Harris, H.M. Customs. Adelaide, who was lost at sea March 20, 1912.
Not now, but in the coming years,
It may be in the better land,
We'll read the meaning of our tears,
And there, sometime, we'll understand.
-Inserted by his loving aunts, Emmeline. Pollie, and Rose, and grandmother, Mrs. E. C. Harris.
["In Memoriam", The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA), Thursday 20 March 1913, page 8]
Births, Marriages and Deaths.
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In Memoriam.
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HARRIS.--In memory of our esteemed club mate, Hedley, who was a victim of the s.s. Koombana disaster on the coast of Western Australia, March 20, 1912.
"Though lost to sight to memory ever dear."
--Inserted by members of the Balmoral Social Club, Port Adelaide.
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