Innes, William Booth ("Jock")
[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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W.B. Innes, chief engineer 37 Aberdeen
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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]
"W. B. Innes, chief engineer"
["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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W. B. Innes, chief engineer.
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[Passengers Arriving 1855-1922, Shipping Master's Office, Sydney. State Records Authority of New South Wales, NRS13278, X259 reel 2046, see Crew list, "Koombana", Sydney, 13 June 1909]
KOOMBANA
OF ADELAIDE, JNO. REES, MASTER, BURTHEN 4399 / 2678 TONS
FROM THE FREMANTLE via MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, 13TH JUNE 1909
Surname Given name Station Age Of what Nation Status
REES JNO. MASTER CREW
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INNES W.B. 2nd ENGINEER 34 ABERDEEN CREW
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AB notes:
Innes was 2nd Engineer aboard K in June 1909. Did he leave for Yongala and return as Chief Engineer?
["Interview with Captain Mills", Broome Chronicle (WA), Saturday 06 April 1912]
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In conversation with the Chief Engineer of the Minderoo (Mr. Jamieson) it was ascertained that his comrade on the Koombana (Jock Innes) was a fine stamp of a Scotchman, and it was only just prior to her last trip they met in Fremantle, when Jamieson asked for a photo of the old ship. "I have only one left, but you are welcome to it. It now hangs in the Chief Engineer's cabin on the Minderoo. He also gave Jamieson the last photo he had of himself.
["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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W. B. Innes, 37, Aberdeen, first engineer;
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[Research file "s.s. Koombana", 1973-. Department of Maritime Archeology, Western Australian Museum, 189/73/4]
Referred to in an email from Vivienne Moran, Curator/Manager, Maritime Museum of Townsville,
to Michael McCarthy, WA Maritime Museum, 21 October 2005
"He and his wife lived in Hampton Rd in Fremantle during his short time in the West."
A grandson of W.B.Innes is:
Gordon Innes, Contracts Supervisor - West Africa
[address & telephone numbers withheld]
<<>> photoes in from Gordon Innes
One of the postcards is sent from Cossack, October 5th, 1910. That makes it Trip #21.
Message:
Had lovely weather all the way up nice & cool - and we are right up to time this trip.
Am feeling A.1. myself. How are you and the bairns doing. This is a photo of the ship at Wyndham Jetty so keep a hold of it and don't let those terrors get a hold of it. Love to you all, Will.
["Wills", The Sunday Times (Perth, WA), Sunday 02 June 1912, page 21]
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William Booth Innes, late of Fremantle, marine engineer, to Margaret Gerrie Innes, £516 18s.
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