The Fanny Nicholson was built in Hartlepool, England in 1855, weighing 285 tons. She came to Sydney, New South Wales as a coal trader, sailing between Sydney, China and the Pacific Islands under the captaincy of Captain James Smith. In 1869 he sold her to a Hobart whaling syndicate which was headed by Captain McArthur. She arrived in Hobart, Tasmania Australia on the 4th December 1869 and was then transformed into a whaler.
The next year was maiden voyage as a whaling vessel, a long cruise lasting twelve months, she returned back to Hobart with one man lost at sea and also a whale boat; however she carried 53 tuns of oil back to port. A "tun" is a cask holding the equivalent to 52.5 Imperial gallons.
She set off for another voyage, this time off the coast of Western Australia which was to be her last. The Hobart Mercury reported on the 18 December 1872:
“The total wreck of the whaling barque Fanny Nicholson of 285 tons register, commanded by Captain Gaffin and owned by Captain McArthur and others of this port. The Fanny Nicholson sailed on April 20, 1872 and when last reported on October 13 she had 40 tuns of sperm oil on board. At the time of her wreck he was at Albany, King George’s Sound. She had on board 70 tuns of sperm oil and at the time of the wreck had a large whale alongside. The vessel and cargo were partly insured in Hobart's Town offices. The oil has been saved.”
Early in 1873 the barque Free Trader was sent to salvage whatever could be recovered from the wreck. On March 3, the Mercury newspaper recorded the vessel’s return.
“The barque Free Trader, Captain Robinson with 52 tuns of sperm oil and a quantity of spars, rigging and gear, recovered from the wreck of the whaling barque Fanny Nicholson arrived in port on Saturday morning. Captain Robinson reports that he sailed from King George’s Sound after loading the oil and gear from the wreck, on February 3, and experienced head winds until the 14th.”
The Fanny Nicholson