Thompsons. (Thompson, Thomson). Cutter, wooden, 37 tons. Built Darling Harbour, Sydney 1847. Lbd 46 x 14.3 7.7 ft. Captain Wilkinson. From Adelaide to Robe, ashore, foundered, three miles south of Guichen Bay, SA, during a gale, 10 September 1849. Twenty-two lives lost. [LS],[NH - refers name as Thompson, wrecked near Cape Jaffa],[AS1 - built 1837]
Death of CAUSON brothers from Cranham
On 10 Sep 1849 just 17 days after their arrival in Adelaide, Edwin's two brothers, Charles and James CAUSON were passengers on a small cutter bound for Melbourne, the Thompsons, which was shipwrecked in a heavy gale about 3 miles south of Guichen Bay, off Robe (south of Adelaide). They were two of nine shepherds of the South Australian Company who perished. Twenty-one souls in all were lost, including the Captain Frederick Wilkinson, his wife Elizabeth and child Sarah, the mate, 3 seamen and a boy and other passengers. There were no survivors and the ship was totally wrecked. So that was the tragic fate of two young lads from the village of Cranham. Accounts of the wreck of the cutter Thompsons can be found in the South Australian Mining Journal 22 Sep 1849, The Adelaide Times 24 Sep 1849, and the South Australian Gazette and Mining Journal 4 Oct 1849
Taken from The South Australian Gazette
ADELAIDE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, 1849.
—only one body, a female, washed on shore yet From
where the boat has been found it is conjectured that the
cutter must have struck on one of the fang reefs below the
Bay, having in the night over-ran her distance. Only a few
fragments of wreck has appeared—the mast,from the step to
the ievel of the deck, and the pump, are the chief pieccs;
besides which only a few small bits of planking, not a spar,
nor yard, nor any rigging; and of the caxgo only nine bags
flour, a cask of brandy, one of wine, and one of vinegar, and
A few boxes wearing apparel belonging to the passengers.
following extracts of a letter from the Government Resident,'
Guicben Buy, rektive to the loss of tbe cutter Thomsons.
'
WRECK OF THE CUTTER 'THOMSONS.'
Colonial Secretarv*s Office. October 3. 1849.
Eor the inforraition of. toe public, bis.. Excellency the
Lieutenant- Governor has directed the publication of.tb«
following extracts of a letter from the Government Resident,'
Guicben Buy, rektive to the loss of tbe cutter Thomsons.
' By bis Excellency's command,
CHAS. STURT,
Colonial Secretary!
'It was on the afternoon of the 1 1th September, that I first beard
'rora a native of some things having been washed ashore. I imme
liately went down, with some others, to the beach, and fonnd two or
:hree casks, together with different articles of slop?, to the south of
:he Bay, which left no doubt of the wreck of some vessel. Early the
iext oiorning everybody was on the move, in different directions.
\bout two miles and a half to the south was found the boat, thrown in
imongsl the rocks; and it is on the reefs off this pan of the coast,
about two miles from the shore, that Mr Reid thinks she must have
struck : nothing more in this direction was found. In the afternoon,
one of the parly thai had gone towards tlie north came in to report
that the body cf a female bad beeu thrown up ou the beach in that
direction. 1 went to the spot, and saw the unfortunate woman lying
on her back ; she was In her nislit dress, with a sheet wrapped
around her, as it she Ind rushed from her bed on to tbe deck ; the
body bad sustained no further irjury than was caused by the birds;
she was a married woman ; two ring*, taken from her finger, together
with her description and the initials of her name, cut from tbe night
dress, are herewith transmitted. Tbe body whs brought in and
buried the next day. Near her and along the beach, towards the
north, were a great number of boxes, bags of flour, and other things
thrown up.
' In one of the boxes has been found an agreement, signed by
eight of them, and Mr Giles, Manager of the touth Australian
Company. Mr Reid, the agent, Is taking every care of the things,
by airing and drying them, and I have directed the police to patrol
daily to the north and south of the Bay, in case any more bodies
should be washed asborc.
' I forward various papers, handed to me by the agent, which may
assist in discovering tbe fi lends of tbe sufferers, some of whom ap
poar to have been emigrants lately arrived.*'Fix this text
Description of the body of a female, found on the beach, about five
miles from Robe Town, 12th September; 1849.
Age- About thirty-four years
Height —Five feet four inches
Make and form—Stout
Head- Oval
Face -Oval
'Eyes -Light blue K
Eyebrows —Very light browo
'Nose— Medium
Mouth —Medium
Neck -Short
'Hair- Light brown
Shoulders— Rather broad
Arms— Medium length
Hands —Medium size
'Feet— Medium size
Remarks.-- Stout, and rather good looking; one plain gold wed
ding ring, nearly new ; one fancy hair ring, with tbe name of
41 Margaret Thomas' upon it, on fourth finger left band; tbe attached
piece of linen was cut from her night dress, and is marked with
letters OxR, in sewing.
4 Cius. W. Kklham,