I went to Fremantle in Western Australia to visit the hotel that accommodated the survivors of a shipwreck 116 years ago. I found an incredibly rewarding story. I told a version of this story live on Ipswich’s West Bremer Radio.

When the steamship Pericles was launched in 1907 she was the largest ship on the Great Britain to Australia route with lavish accommodation described as a floating palace.

Her voyage in 1910 was under the command of Captain Alexander Simpson. He had travelled more than two million miles at sea, which was probably a mercantile marine world record, and he had never lost a man at sea nor met with any serious accident.

The cargo was insured for £750,000 or around $300 million today. It included 600 tons of lead ingots containing gold, platinum and silver.

The Pericles set out from Brisbane with a good contingent of Ipswich citizens. She was travelling at fourteen knots in clear weather and good visibility when at 3.32pm on Thursday the 31^st of March 1910 she struck an uncharted rock off the most south-westerly point of Western Australia. The damage to the forward plates was so severe that within three minutes there were five metres of water in the forward hold and the order was given to abandon ship.

The news quickly spread across Australia. In Ipswich, crowds gathered outside of the newspaper office where updates were posted on the noticeboard.

Ipswich passengers included Thomas Goleby who was a son of the mayor of Ipswich. He was going on a ten-month trip to the old country for educational and business reasons.

Then there was Mr. Fitzwilliam Williams who was going to visit his sisters in North Wales and West London.

There was Mr. George Williams, his brother Mr. Alfred Williams, and son Dr. Charles Williams the superintendent of the Mackay District Hospital.

There were Mr. and Mrs. William Hicks from Silkstone. Mr. Hicks was chairman of the Silkstone state school committee.

When the Pericles sunk, there was only one fatality and that was Nelson, which was the ship’s one-eyed cat that went down with the ship.

The passengers were rescued and taken directly to the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle. That’s why I’ve come to Fremantle, to see this historic hotel.

It’s on the site where in 1850 convicts lived while building the Fremantle Prison. The earliest part of the hotel dates from 1875 and even has a “Ball & Chain” bar as a nod to its convict past.

Thomas Goleby sent from the hotel a telegram to his father saying that he was safe but had lost everything. Thomas later went into business with his father and he’s the “Son” on the “F. Goleby & Sons” building in Ipswich today.

Fitzwilliam Williams sent a telegram to his wife saying that he had saved his money from the wreck but had lost everything else. And Dr. Charles Williams, he went on to have a very successful medical career and be awarded an O.B.E. for his services.

But there was another Ipswich passenger onboard the Pericles who had the biggest impact of all.

He was Queensland’s man. His name was Mr. William Robert Black. He was the proprietor of Ipswich coalmines the Aberdeen Colliery at Tivoli, the Blackheath Colliery at Bundamba, and the Caledonian Colliery at Walloon. He was on the Pericles for a two-year tour of Europe. 

W.R. Black was also the state’s greatest philanthropist. Following the First World War, women and children were facing increased domestic violence and poverty due to alcohol used to self-medicate by men damaged from the war. In 1928, Black donated £41,000 or more than $16 million today to the then Queensland Prohibition League to build the dry Canberra Hotel in Brisbane. The donation was so big that the government tried to tax it.

You can still see W.R. Black’s generosity at work today through the charity Drug ARM. People who donate to the charity today are helping the community – just as was done by W.R. Black who survived the shipwreck with other Ipswich identities 116 years ago.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO A VERSION FO THIS STORY LIVE ON WEST BREMER RADIO.

Next month I’m heading north of Darwin to the Timor Sea for my Tiwi Islands Hike for Health. I’m going to the iconic Tiwi Islands football grand final where you’ll see that footy can be enjoyed alcohol-free. This is so important for the health safety of our kids. And so I’m raising money for Drug ARM which works to reduce the harms of alcohol and other drugs. Please donate to Drug ARM by following this link to make your tax-deductible donation – money goes to help those Street Outreach vans that you see going where help is needed.

Photo credits:
The last of the Pericles – Queensland Times, Ipswich, 23rd April 1910, page 10 – photo repaired with Copilot.
Captain Alexander Simpson – Advertiser, Adelaide, 9th April 1910, page 16.
The last of the Pericles – Queensland Times, Ipswich, 23rd April 1910, page 10.
Frederick Goleby, Mayor of Ipswich Council, 1906 – State Library of Queensland.
Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, 2026 – Harold Peacock 20260611_115528.
F. Goleby & Sons building 7 West Street, Ipswich, 1991 – Picture Ipswich.
William Robert Black c1898 – State Library of Queensland.
William Robert Black – State Library of Queensland.