Downie, Joseph
[SS "Koombana": list of crew as per copy of Articles at shipping office, Fremantle, Adelaide Steamship Company, April 1912. provided to the author by Jean Northover, City Beach, Western Australia]
THE CREW AGE BIRTHPLACE
...
J. Downie, fireman 33 Glasgow
...
["Story Of The Koombana", The Sunday Times (Perth, WA), Sunday 31 March 1912, page 12, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57729211]
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W. Clarke, J. Smith, J. Brown, C. Nortin, C. Anderson, G. Furlong, H. Offord, G. Olsen, A. C. de Montfort, T. O'Loghlan, T. McDermott, Thos. Taylor, A. Bryant, J. Downie and C. Peters, firemen;
...
["The Crew", The West Australian (Perth, WA), Wednesday 03 April 1912, page 7]
The following is the complete crew which left with the vessel, according to the records in the Adelaide Co.'s office:--
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W. Clarke, J. Smith, J. Brown, C. Norton, C. Anderson, G. Furlong, H. Offord, O. Olsen, *W. Fitzpatrick, A. C. de Montfort, T. O'Loghlin, T. McDermott, Thos. Taylor, A. Bryant, J. Downie, and C. Peters, firemen.
...
["The Koombana", The West Australian (Perth, WA), Friday 12 April 1912, page 7]
OFFICIAL LIST OF CREW
The following official list of the names of the crew who signed on the s.s. Koombana's articles and who were supposed to have gone in the vessel is supplied by the Shipping Master of Fremantle (Captain T. W. Smith). The age, birthplace, and capacity of each member is given:--
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J. Downie, 33, Glasgow, fireman;
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[Passengers Arriving 1855-1922, Shipping Master's Office, Sydney. State Records Authority of New South Wales, NRS13278, X259 reel 2046, see Crew list, "Koombana", Sydney, 13 June 1909]
KOOMBANA
OF ADELAIDE, JNO. REES, MASTER, BURTHEN 4399 / 2678 TONS
FROM THE FREMANTLE via MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, 13TH JUNE 1909
Surname Given name Station Age Of what Nation Status
REES JNO. MASTER CREW
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DOWNIE J. FIREMAN 30 GLASGOW CREW
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AB notes
Downie had been with Koombana since at least June 1909. That may explain his reinstatement after the strike
[Barker, Malcolm, 2001, The Truth Is So Precious, Success Print, Perth, Western Australia, page 43]
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As stated above, on 29th November 1911, the replacement crew of 16 firemen signed on. Sadly, four of these, W Clarke, W Fitzpatrick, T McDermott and C Norlin were still aboard when it left Fremantle on 12th March 1912. Even more curiously, three firemen on that last voyage were none other than J Downie, H Offord and A Olson. These three were among the original 16 who declined to resume aboard the Koombana in protest against the presence of the the Chief Steward.
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AB notes:
Downie, Offord and Olson were part of the Koombana Firemen's Strike of November 1911,
while Clarke, Fitzpatrick, McDermott and Norlin were part of the (union-sponsored) strike-breaking team.
[Wreck of the KOOMBANA - letters re men's estates, Correspondence between the office of the Chief Harbourmaster, Fremantle, and the families of lost crewmembers, Harbour and Lights Department, 1912. State Records Office of Western Australia, AN16/5 Cons 1056 Item 062]
my img 885
S O U T H A U S T R A L I A.
MERCANTILE MARINE OFFICE,
PORT ADELAIDE,
6th August, 1912
Dear Madam,-
In reply to your letter of the 6th May respecting your
brother Joseph Downie, who you think may have been lost in the
S.S. "Koombana", I am sorry to say that in the list of the men that
perished in the vessel there appears a man named J. Downie so, that
most likely he may be your unfortunate brother.
You did not give particulars as to age and birthplace
as you should have done, but any further communication on this subject
will have to be addressed to the Shipping Master, Fremantle, Western
Australia, where all accounts were made out.
I have the honor to be
Madam,
Your obedient servant,
[signed ? ? Smith]
Superintendent Mercantile Marine.
Miss Minnie Downie,
C/o Mrs. Scott,
49, Finnieston Street,
Anderton,
GLASGOW,
S C O T L A N D.
[hand-written beneath: "Wages are to be had by application at Fremantle
by mother, father, sisters, or brothers."]
[Wreck of the KOOMBANA - letters re men's estates, Correspondence between the office of the Chief Harbourmaster, Fremantle, and the families of lost crewmembers, Harbour and Lights Department, 1912. State Records Office of Western Australia, AN16/5 Cons 1056 Item 062]
my img 887
Letter from sister Minnie Downie, to the Shipping Master, Fremantle.
Glasgow 4/8/1912
['to' address apparently washed away]
Dear sir
as i have been advised
to make an application
to you i being the
sole surviving relative
of my brother Joseph
Downie who i am very
sorry to think is
identical with the
unfortunate fireman
who was lost in
Koombana [unclear]
i may state that he is
away from glasgow
about five years he left
here in a steamer called
the Juna my father
and mother are both
deceased also my sister
Susan and my brother
George so that I am
the only heir to any
money or effects which
my unfortunate brother
may have left behind
i am sending you his
birth certificate i will
give you the best
description i can of
him he was about
5 feet seven fair hair
blue eyes and of slenda
build i am sending the
letter i received from
the ship owners also
his register Papers
if this is not enough
i will be glad to
send you any further
information in my
Power i would be
grateful if you would
write me as soon as
you can as i have
[the rest is missing]
[Wreck of the KOOMBANA - letters re men's estates, Correspondence between the office of the Chief Harbourmaster, Fremantle, and the families of lost crewmembers, Harbour and Lights Department, 1912. State Records Office of Western Australia, AN16/5 Cons 1056 Item 062]
my img 890
5th. September
Miss M. Downie,
c/o Mrs. Scott,
49, Finnieston St,
Anderston, GLASGOW.
Dear Madam,
Replying to you letter of the 4th. ult., I have
to state that and amount of £7/-/-, balance of wages due to
your late brother, has been forwarded to the Accountant General,
Board of Trade, London, to whom it will be necessary to apply
for same.
I return herewith Birth Certificate, also letter
from the Adelaide Steamship Co.
Yours faithfully,
[copy unsigned]
SHIPPING MASTER.
