- William Cossar
The "William Cossar" was a small 20 ton wooden Australian Colonial Government
schooner that was wrecked in 1825.The ship was named after the Government master boat builder, William Cossar, was eventually dismissed from Government service in 1818. [ [http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/digital/lema/maritime/ships-list/w.html Lachlan Macquarie Ships List ] ]
On 7 July 1817 a party of convicts stole the "William Cossar" from Newcastle,
New South Wales . [ [http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~ausnavy/1810.htm Rootsweb timeline] ] In late November the ship was seen to have been driven ashore atPort Stephens . The "Nancy" was sent to investigate and on 10 December 1818 the "William Cossar" was found to be lying on a beach at the high tide mark. The rigging, sails, gaffs, booms, bowsprit and rudder were missing, as was most of the copper sheathing. There were no signs of the convicts. They may have been killed by aborigines although it was reported that one survivor returned to Sydney on1 May 1819 . [ [http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~ausnavy/1810.htm Rootsweb timeline] ] The ship was repaired and refloated after much effort.On 11 March 1824, the ship capsized near Port Macquarie, Sydney harbour, in a squall, and three men drowned. The ship was righted and repaired but then on 14 February 1825, while under the command of Captain Wise was wrecked on the
Sow and Pigs reef in Sydney Harbour, after towing the ship "Mangles " out to sea. [ "Australian Shipwrecks - vol 1 1622-1850",Charles Bateson , AH and AW Reed, Sydney, 1972, ISBN 0 589 07112 2 p57 ]References
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