Smith, 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
...
J. Smith, fireman 23 Hobart
...
["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:--
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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:--
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J. Smith, 23, Hobart, fireman;
...
["Tasmanian Among The Missing", The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.), Thursday 04 April 1912, page 5]
Amongst the crew of the Koombana was a young Tasmanian named Jack Smith, attached to the engineering staff. He was a son of Mr. R. O. Smith, of the Railway Department, Hobart, and held a third engineer's certificate. He was 26 years of age, unmarried, and had been in the Adelaide Steamship Co. service for five or six years. He is the second son that Mr. Smith has lost lately, his brother Roger having died about 18 months ago as the result of injuries received at Hobart railway station. Mr. Jack Smith had been in the hospital, and had only rejoined the Koombana a few days before she left on her fateful voyage.
[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 485]
Copy.
Hobart, 10th May, 1912
The Manager
The Adelaide Steamship Company Ltd.,
Fremantle.
Dear Sir,
Will you kindly remit to me at your earliest
convenience the wages due to my late son Jack Smith, whose
death occurred in the loss of the ill-fated s.s."Koombana"
in March last, also other earnings due on his account, for
which I shall be obliged.
Yours faithfully,
R. G. Smith (father)
[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 486]
25th May 1912
The Shipping Master,
Fremantle.
Dear Sir,
Re "Koombana". Enclosed please find letter
received from Robert Smith, Hobart, claiming wages due to John
Smith, fireman, lost with the above vessel.
We have written to Mr. Smith advising him to put himself
in touch with yourself on the matter.
Yours faithfully
[looks like E Moxon]
Manager for W.A.
[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 486]
14th. August
Charles Chant, Esq.,
Solicitor,
139, Macquarie St.
HOBART, Tasmania.
Dear Sir, Re Smith & "Koombana."
I am in receipt of your letter of the 6th. inst.
and in reply have to state that the wages due to J. Smith, late
of the S.S. "KOOMBANA" have been forwarded to the Shipping
Master at Hobart for transmission to Mr. R. O. Smith and that I
hold the latter's receipt for the money received.
Yours faithfully,
[copy unsigned]
SHIPPING MASTER.