Offord, H. (probably Henry)
[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
...
H. Offord, fireman 30 London
...
["Story of the Koombana", The Sunday Times (Perth, WA), Sunday 31 March 1912, page 12]
...
W. Clarke, J. Smith, J. Brown, C. Nortin, C. Anderson, G. Furlong, H. Offord, G. Olsen, A. C. de Montfort, T. O'Loghlan, T. McDermott, Thos. Taylor, A. Bryant, J. Downie and C. Peters, firemen;
...
["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:--
...
W. Clarke, J. Smith, J. Brown, C. Norton, C. Anderson, G. Furlong, H. Offord, O. Olsen, *W. Fitzpatrick, A. C. de Montfort, T. O'Loghlin, T. McDermott, Thos. Taylor, A. Bryant, J. Downie, and C. Peters, firemen.
...
["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:--
...
H. Offord, 30, London, fireman;
...
[Barker, Malcolm, 2001, The Truth Is So Precious, Success Print, Perth, Western Australia, page 43]
...
As stated above, on 29th November 1911, the replacement crew of 16 firemen signed on. Sadly, four of these, W Clarke, W Fitzpatrick, T McDermott and C Norlin were still aboard when it left Fremantle on 12th March 1912. Even more curiously, three firemen on that last voyage were none other than J Downie, H Offord and A Olson. These three were among the original 16 who declined to resume aboard the Koombana in protest against the presence of the the Chief Steward.
...
AB notes:
Downie, Offord and Olson were part of the Koombana Firemen's Strike of November 1911,
while Clarke, Fitzpatrick, McDermott and Norlin were part of the (union-sponsored) strike-breaking team.
[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]
Mrs J. Brown,
60, Hubble Street,
EAST FREMANTLE.
Dear Madam,
I believe you have some effects in your possession
belonging to the late Mr. H. Offord who was a fireman on the
"Koombana" and I shall be much obliged if you will forward
same to me at this office, together with any letters or papers
you may have which belonged to him. His relatives are making
inquiries for these articles, therefore a reply at your earliest
convenience will be esteemed.
Yours faithfully,
[no signature on this copy]
for SHIPPING MASTER.
Hand-written below
Mrs Brown
called & said that
effects sent home by
mailboat.
J.W.
[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 img 850
scrawly hand-written letter
Dog & ??? Inn
Nth Stifford?
Grays?
Gentlemen,
In reference to
the question asked in my
my previous letter dated
June 12th 1912.
I herewith enclose
Birth Certificate and
my Declaration as a
claim to amount due
in wages.
Believe me
Yrs truly
Henry W. Offord
Adelaide S.S. Co.
Currie St
Adelaide
Sth Australia.
[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.
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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.
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...
