Gem

The cutter Gem had a 52-ton register. She was built in England in 1835 and registered in Fremantle. She had two masts and was built to specifications common to cutters used in the northwest. She was 33.5 feet [10.2 metres] long, 11.1 feet [3.3 metres] wide and drew 4.9 feet [1.5 metres] of water.

Master Charles Wilcock was in command of Gem when she left Port Irwin at 6 pm on 17 March. She had four male passengers, and a cargo of wheat bound to relieve communities in the northwest. At daybreak on 18 March lightkeeper Harp at Bunbury saw Gem in full sail sailing northwards. He looked away briefly and he lost sight of her. Using his telescope, he could just see the cross trees and the top of the main mast sticking out of the water.

The light keeper quickly notified the harbour master Forsyth who launched his vessel and started out for Straggler Rocks. Water Police launched and some other small craft got under way. The search area included Rottnest Island, Carnac Island, and the coastline. Mr T Tapper put off in Two Sons crewed by volunteers W Sweetman and J Cook to aid the search. He put a man at the mast head to watch the sea for bodies. Mounted police searched the beaches to the north and south but found nothing. The master of the pilot boat, Captain Nash took the pilot boat the search site.

There was no sign of the crew or passengers of the Gem. Macassar divers were taken to the site where Gem sank. They found no bodies. The whaleboat was still fastened to the stern of the cutter and was hanging entangled with her own stern uppermost. The whaleboat was raised. Upon examination it seemed that the crew had got into the whaleboat, but Gem sank quickly without warning and the crew were unable to get the whaleboat away. Gem had sunk in five fathoms of water with her mainsail set and ensign flying.

The whaleboat was inspected and inside was the watch and vest which belonged to Master Wilcock. Mr Tapper had taken some of his own divers to inspect the wreck. His divers found a coat tangled in the rigging. It was identified as belonging to a crew member. The divers advised Mr Tapper there were multiple large sharks around the wreck, so the diving stopped.

Gem was considered a total wreck. She was not insured and neither was her cargo. The entire loss was £1500. Her bearings were recorded. She lay three quarters of a mile inside Champion Rock, and three and a half miles from Rottnest Island.

The only survivor from Gem was a cat. It was the pet of Mrs McGann who ran a boarding house on Pakenham Street in Fremantle. The cat occasionally stowed away on a boat and returned home when ready.

Following the sinking, it seemed the grain in the hold got wet. It swelled and caused planks to burst and rapidly let in water. That was why Gem sank so quickly.

Charles Henry Wilcock had married Hannah Maguire in 1874. Hannah arrived in Fremantle via Robert Morrison as an Assisted Emigrant when she was 21 years of age. They had two daughters, one of whom became a nun. At the time Charles’ died Hannah was carrying twin daughters. Charles died intestate and Probate opened a file on 18 May 1876.