Thomas MusgraveFRGS (10 May 1832 – 7 November 1891) was the captain of an Australian ship and later a lighthouse keeper, who was wrecked with the brigantine Grafton in the subantarctic Auckland Islands, and cast away there for over 18 months.
Musgrave was born in Durham, in north-eastern England, the eldest son of Richard Musgrave and Margaret Bailie. He first went to sea at the age of 16, from Liverpool in 1848. He married Catherine Halcrow Sinclair in 1854 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. He moved with his family to Australia in 1858 where he was based for the rest of his life.[1]
Shipwreckedit
Musgrave's final voyage as a ship's captain began in 1863, leaving Sydney on 12 November on a prospecting and sealing expedition to Campbell Island and the Auckland Islands south of New Zealand. The ship was wrecked in Carnley Harbour, Auckland Island, at the beginning of January 1864, and the ship's company of five people were stranded until they were able to refashion the ship's dinghy, with three of them, including Musgrave, sailing it 400 km to Stewart Island in July 1865 to obtain rescue.[1] He subsequently wrote Castaway on the Auckland Isles about his experiences.
Musgrave died at the age of 59, seven months after the death of his wife, with whom he is buried at Queenscliffe, Victoria. During their 37-year marriage Catherine Musgrave bore 16 children, including three sets of twins. Nine of their children predeceased them, many in infancy.[1]
Macdonald, Malcolm S. (1997). . PRISM Feature Story. Lighthouses of Australia Inc. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
Further readingedit
Druett, J. (2007). Island of the Lost - a Harrowing True Story of Shipwreck Death and Survival on a Godforsaken Island at the Edge of the World. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. ISBN978-1-74175-368-4.
Musgrave, T. (1866). Castaway on the Auckland Isles: A Narrative of the Wreck of the "Grafton" and of the escape of the crew after twenty months suffering. London: Lockwood & Co.
thomas, musgrave, castaway, thomas, musgrave, frgs, 1832, november, 1891, captain, australian, ship, later, lighthouse, keeper, wrecked, with, brigantine, grafton, subantarctic, auckland, islands, cast, away, there, over, months, 1866, depiction, thomas, musgr. Thomas Musgrave FRGS 10 May 1832 7 November 1891 was the captain of an Australian ship and later a lighthouse keeper who was wrecked with the brigantine Grafton in the subantarctic Auckland Islands and cast away there for over 18 months 1866 depiction of Thomas Musgrave Contents 1 Early years 2 Shipwreck 3 Lighthouse keeping 4 References 4 1 Footnotes 4 2 Sources 5 Further reading 6 External linksEarly years editMusgrave was born in Durham in north eastern England the eldest son of Richard Musgrave and Margaret Bailie He first went to sea at the age of 16 from Liverpool in 1848 He married Catherine Halcrow Sinclair in 1854 in Saint John New Brunswick Canada He moved with his family to Australia in 1858 where he was based for the rest of his life 1 Shipwreck editMusgrave s final voyage as a ship s captain began in 1863 leaving Sydney on 12 November on a prospecting and sealing expedition to Campbell Island and the Auckland Islands south of New Zealand The ship was wrecked in Carnley Harbour Auckland Island at the beginning of January 1864 and the ship s company of five people were stranded until they were able to refashion the ship s dinghy with three of them including Musgrave sailing it 400 km to Stewart Island in July 1865 to obtain rescue 1 He subsequently wrote Castaway on the Auckland Isles about his experiences Lighthouse keeping editAfter being reunited with his family in 1865 Musgrave promised his wife that he would never go far out at sea again In 1867 he started work as a maritime pilot at Lakes Entrance Victoria In 1869 he began his career as a lighthouse keeper along the Victorian coast when he was put in charge of Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse Subsequent postings were to the lighthouses at Gabo Island 1878 Cape Schanck 1884 Cape Otway 1887 and finally to Point Lonsdale Lighthouse 1 Musgrave died at the age of 59 seven months after the death of his wife with whom he is buried at Queenscliffe Victoria During their 37 year marriage Catherine Musgrave bore 16 children including three sets of twins Nine of their children predeceased them many in infancy 1 References editFootnotes edit a b c d Macdonald 1997 Sources edit Macdonald Malcolm S 1997 Captain Thomas Musgrave Lighthouse Keeper Wilsons Promontory 1869 PRISM Feature Story Lighthouses of Australia Inc Archived from the original on 3 February 2012 Retrieved 29 January 2011 Further reading editDruett J 2007 Island of the Lost a Harrowing True Story of Shipwreck Death and Survival on a Godforsaken Island at the Edge of the World Sydney Allen amp Unwin ISBN 978 1 74175 368 4 Musgrave T 1866 Castaway on the Auckland Isles A Narrative of the Wreck of the Grafton and of the escape of the crew after twenty months suffering London Lockwood amp Co External links edit nbsp Works by or about Thomas Musgrave at Wikisource Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Musgrave castaway amp oldid 1201392725, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
