WA Rock Lobster Fishers’ Federation

** CHASING DETAILS OF FIRST FISHERMEN IN ROCKINGHAM **

The Rockingham Local Heritage Survey is currently considering an application to acknowledge the First Italian Fishermen in Rockingham at the turn of the century. We are collating a list of names and approximate arrival dates for the Survey. If you are aware of your ancestors arrival date, have stories or photos to contribute please send a message through - Lists as of September 2024 attached

** A CALL TO PRODUCE A BOOK - ALL PROCEEDS to help fund a Memorial for Fishers Lost At Sea **

Over the last 2 years, we've written and published more than 70 stories, with many other anecdotal accounts from the hundreds of photos we have collected and shared. We've been approached by many to formalise these stories into a book that can be cherished for many more generations - before it is too late.

We are now in the process of receiving quotes from publishers to have a book or book(s) produced that captures these stories. They represent the history of WA fishing, and the contribution many pioneers made to this great state.

They deserve such recognition...

If you would like to contribute your Family Story to the HISTORY OF WA FISHING Book please send me a message and we can ensure these stories are preserved in perpetuity.

Please LIKE, SHARE and FOLLOW OUR PAGE for updates as we progress this idea.

** HAPPY FATHERS DAY **

STORIES PUBLISHED to 1 September 2024

Nancy Marchesani PART 6 – Dom Marchesani
Nancy Marchesani PART 5 – Internment, Paddy Troy and Coop
San Nicola
Hjalmar “Sonny Boy” Lindquist
Len Prideaux Eulogy
Nancy Marchesani PART4 – Little Italy
The Befumo Family
Nancy Marchesani PART 3 – Lancelin, Cyril and the Snake
Nancy Marchesani PART 2 – Miragliotta Family
Nancy Marchesani PART 1 – Early Life
Bon Scott
The Miragliotta Family and the Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-op
The Novak Family
Fortunato Paratore
The Travia Family of Geraldton
The 1912 Breakwater Petition
Lavina II
Hugh Edwards
Colin Mansom Tribute
Joe Pittorino
The Golden Gleam Fishing Processing Plant
The Pensabene Family
Conquest Boats
The Thompson Family
Tony Sgherza
The Doria and the Minervini Family
Nicola Lagalla
The Rockingham Fishing Company
Barry “Tiger” Watkins
Scooters
Tonnarella
John Fernandes
Cono Glorioso
Guiseppe “Beno” Pittorino
The Fisherman and the Sculptor
The Druskovich Family
The Mafalda and the Merendino Family
The History of Leeman, the Lloyd and Wann Families
The Valenti Family
A Day in the Life of a Crayfisherman – 1910
Paddy Troy
“To the Fishermen” – The Jetty Memorial
Chinook
City of Perth
The Brozicevic Family
The DeCeglie Family
Sherry Ellen
The Summer of 1962
Oceania Trading
Corrado Amato
The Ross Boats
Internment in WW2
Len Randell
Making “Stickies”
Tony Vinci
“U Zio Carlo” Miragliotta
The Ricciardi Family
Mauro Paparella
Luigi Santaromita
Sergio Visaggio
Lady of Fatima
Fleetwing
Cinderella
The Mendolia Family
The Paino Family
The Correia Family
The Parentich Family and the Penguin Island Caves
Image Boat Builders
Marko Sambrailo
Vincenzo Carbonaro
The Cicerello Family
The Great St. Paul’s Raid

A collection of memoirs by Nancy Marchesani (nee Miragliotta) Part 6 – Dom Marchesani (Father's Day Tribute)

Dom’s family immigrated to Fremantle in 1949 from Vasto, Abruzzo. His Father was Michele and Mother Filomena Altieri. In my husband’s region of Abruzzo, they mostly took off for Canada, America and South America and São Paulo in particular.

Dom and Jimmy Camarda went to South terrace school and were mates. Jimmy and Anna still hang out with my sister Frances and her husband Carl Di Pane.

Dom in his youth was bit of a rebel - most caused by racism fights. Dom later boxed at the Fremantle Police Boys Club at the old Base Flats next to the oval in the 1950s. He had a heap of trophies when I met him in 1958. I still have his State champion medal. We married in August 1960 and we had our wedding reception at the RSL next door. My sister Frances had her engagement to Carl DiPane in the Police Boys Club.

He worked so hard for me and his 3 daughters and was very generous with us and other people. The girls can testify to all that, they say our work ethic was learned by example. He had a Master class 5 certificate in seamen ship - not a bad effort for someone who couldn’t write English and memorised all the papers and did the exam vocal with Captain Trivett.

The sea shows no mercy and like women can be unpredictable. Tragedies affecting the fishing families were never far away. Reading about all these tragedies over the years it reminds me of our own close calls. Dom and our brother-in-law Carl were off Fremantle on their way back from pulling pots when a freak king wave came up out of nowhere smashing through the wheelhouse window. A large piece glass embedded itself in Dom’s forehead and slashed his wrist. They made it to shore and home both in shock shaking. I can only imagine the trauma these boating tragedies have caused families over the years. Dom gave me a few more worries especially when he and his crew on Charring Cross outran cyclone Tracy that hit Darwin.

Dom crewed for old Peppe (Giuseppe) Pittorini on the Rondin in the early 60’s. He was a lovely old man. Dom had a lot of respect for Peppe - never mean or grumpy like some other fishermen that Dom crewed for in the early part of his fishing career. There were some that were very tight fi**ed and mean with food - measuring it out, holding back pay, and adding extra onboard expenses to dock their pay.

Dom and I purchased 60% share in the early 70’s and went into partnership with the late Tony Vinci. The Marpete LFB224 was built in 1963 at F Coleman’s in North Fremantle. It was a chine hull-built boat measuring 52 x 11.1 x 5.5 feet - 20.28 tons for Tony, Ron and Peter Vinci. It was named for Tony and Ron’s parents Maria and Peter Mar-pete. Dom mostly skippered the Marpete out of Cervantes. We had a house there in Catalonia street. Mary street was named after the vessel lost there in 1946. Dandaragan shire also named a street in Marpete’s honour. Sadly, I heard she later ended her days on a reef. I always wanted to get back to Cervantes for old times’ sake.

Dom passed away in 2016. My brother died in 2017 shortly after my husband. Claude had cancer and took a turn for the worst. I was called to FSH. Claude died with Sister Frances, his Wife, Daughter, son Frank and I at his bedside. We all left hospital I said goodbye to Frank and gave him a hug. He was wet and clammy cold - I thought strange. When I got home, I wasn’t there long and Liana came over crying – “Quick mum get ready Frank is in RPH!”. By time we got there it was four hours after my brothers death Frankie was dead too. Heart breaking double funeral.

Recently, my daughters took me to Emily Taylor’s for lunch. After lunch we were sitting in the back garden area of the warder’s cottage inhabited by my Aunty Sarina and uncle John who was a warder at Fremantle prison - their only child Carl died in that cottage age 12 months. We did a brief walk through the market and to the spot in the market where my uncle Peter Della Valle died from a massive heart attack, then the girls took me on a nostalgia cruise through Freo and I did the narrative as we went up and down the streets e.g. High St above Roma restaurant where Dad and his cousin Maria Travia were born, me giving them all the gossip and stories from long ago.

I’m now a retired widow on 10 acres in Karnup with my daughter on the same property looking out for deaf old me...(but I still have my wits!). ..

** The Federation extended a special heartfelt Thank you to Nancy for all your memories - To be cherished and preserved in perpetuity **

A collection of memoirs by Nancy Marchesani (nee Miragliotta) Part 5 – The Internment Period, Paddy Troy and the formation of the Freo Co-Op

For me growing up in Fremantle during the war discrimination was very hurtful especially at school being called some very nasty names and pushed around. I remember the discrimination and racism even though my Dad was in the army we were second class and weren’t allowed a radio because we lived in Suffolk street with my uncle Peter Dellavalle who was classified alien but not interned because he was Fremantle milkman and considered essential service.

My Mother was British born, my Father Fremantle born, his parents both born in Sicily. Dad (Frank Miragliotta) was sent to Loveday camp in South Australia conscripted into the citizens military force as cook and interpreter. My Dad, being a Fisherman, could have skippered a supply boat and stayed on the West coast during the war and been with mum but no - even though born here he and his brothers was still deemed a risk and sent to Loveday SA internment camp as cook and interpreter.

Army pay was paid to the spouse at Fremantle post office, where discrimination amongst the staff was rife. Mum would line up but when she or any other women reached the counter and said their Italian or foreign surname they were roughly told “pay not ready get to the end of the line !!” It could take nearly all day to get paid. Dad came home on leave. It happened to be pay day. Dad told mum “get in line”. Dad was in uniform and stood behind one of the big columns in Freo post office. When Mum reached the counter and was told to get back in line Dad rushed forward grabbed the post clerk by his shirt front pulling him half over the counter, telling him “do it again to any of these women I’ll come back and make you regret you ever laid eyes on me!”. After that there was never any trouble with the pay.

The war intervened for five years. Some boats for a lucky few were sold quickly, others were confiscated, and others sank at their moorings mostly in the river of the owners and crew sent to internment camps. So that’s how licences and owners got mixed up between 1939 -1945. Owners weren’t allowed to bail the boats or carry out maintenance and most of the boats were taken up the river where many sunk. After the war none of them received compensation. Some boats were auctioned off and some fishermen who had served got first preference to buy boats in particular the bigger pearling luggers that had been confiscated up the coast from Broome and had been used as army transport.

Funny story, my maternal Grandfather (Pop) served in WW1 and came out here in 1925 then served for Australia in WW2 as a peace officer guard (intelligence unit). His name was Jesse Foxen. He was a peace officer guard (intelligence surveillance), and his son-in-law was Vincenzo Zagami. My Grandfather served in WW1 and was decorated with the “military medal” for bravery in the field in the battle of the Somme. He had three Italian son-in-laws and was sent to arrest Vincenzo Zagami who lived with him and Nanna in Angwin Street in East Freo. We had a laugh in later years, but it wasn’t funny at the time. Poor Pop had to go home, arrested uncle Vince and took him to Harvey. Meanwhile Dad (the other Italian son-in-law was) at Loveday SA serving as a cook and part time translator for his relatives and friends who were interned. The other Italian son-in-law was Peter Dellavalle who was spared because he was the Freo milk man doing essential service delivering milk on his horse and cart.

Many of the Fremantle mob were taken to Loveday - some were Dads cousins (eg Joe Iannello - Joe, the barber was in the army) his brother Frank was an intern. When Joe had leave, he’d visit Frank. I had flash back memories when I saw the advertising for the latest movie “Where the boys are”. I recall family talking about interns sent to farms and market gardens etc and the results as my Dad would say, “nine months later a fart wearing a bonnet”. Some men came home to find an olive skinned dark curly haired baby; others were given up for adoption.

After the War, a new concerted effort from returning Service men and Fishermen who had been Interned, led to the formation of the Fremantle Fishermen's Co-operative. Many had now learned to read and write and had acquired new skills and contacts during their internment experience. It culminated with a key meeting in 1947.

The thing I remember about the formation meeting of the Freo coop in 1947 (conducted in Fremantle’s Trades Hall) was Dad coming home upset because more than one of the Fishermen who didn’t speak English giving their opinion and the opposition rabble rousers yelling “ Sit Down or Speak English!!”

My Father first met Paddy in the 1930’s when Captain Troy and his family lived in Geraldton and Dad was fishing the Abrolhos. They became lifelong friends. Paddy Troy became Fremantle Trade Union Activist and Communist party member. Dads cousin Tony Greco married Elizabeth (Bessie) Troy, Paddy’s oldest sister. Tony Greco was the nephew of Frank Miragliotta. Frank and family lived on South Terrace opposite Price Street (his supranome was “Zu Chiccio Beffedo”). Tony was the son of Saveria Miragliotta (Zu Chiccio’s sister who married Giacomo Greco in the USA). Tony was sent from Brooklyn age 12 to Geraldton to work as deckie for his uncle Frank.

The Marchese, Minuta and Consentino families also had connections with the Troy families. Besides all that Paddy was a gentleman. Paddy and Mabel were very caring people. Both he and Mabel knew hardship and hunger - Paddy during his youth and Mabel as an orphan. I remember many of Paddy’s acts of kindness like bringing home an old Russian seaman who had been abandoned by the shipping company in Fremantle. Paddy made a room for him in the sleep out at their crowded house in Mosman park. Mabel fed, washed and nursed him for many years till his death.

Paddy and his wife Mabel became good friends of my parents, often sharing a meal together. When Dad had a major heart attack at 60, he had to give up fishing. No business wanted to employ a 60-year-old fisherman with heart problems. Paddy found Dad employment with the Painters and Dockers doing a job he knew - splicing ropes and cables. Paddy, Mabel, Mum and Dad remained firm friends till Paddy and Mabel passed away. Our family remember them fondly. Mabel made a beautiful dress that she had hand smocked when my daughter Liana was born in 1971.

My daughter Juanita has fond memories of regularly visiting Paddy and Mabel at their home in Mosman Park with her Nonno Frank Miragliotta…he always said to me “never talk about religion or politics!”. Frank a staunch catholic and Paddy an atheist. Two complete opposites - Catholic and liberal atheist and communist who agreed to disagree. But they never had an argument and remained close friends for generations.

The History of the San Nicola (Present day Tribal Warrior)

The San Nicola started its journey as a pearling lugger named Mina. The Mina was built at Port Kennedy on Thursday Island (TI) in 1899 by Japanese shipwright Tsugitaro Furuta. Furuta is believed to have come from the Wakayama Prefecture, near Osaka, the birthplace of most of the Japanese who came to Thursday Island in the early 20th century to work in the local pearling industry. The British Register of Ships shows that Furuta built at least 41 luggers between 1899 and 1930 including the Mercia (now Penguin). The Mina was originally owned by George Smith pearling company based in TI and registered as No. 6 at Townsville in Queensland. In 1908, the Mina was sold to Hodels Ltd, also based in TI. The proprietor of Hodels Ltd was Frederick Charles Hodels. In his evidence to the 1908 Royal Commission into the Pearl Shelling Industry he stated that he owned two pump boats and two bêche-de-mer boats, indicating he was one of the many small operators in the Thursday Island pearling community. In 1912 the Mina was owned by Hugo Harper, pearler, of Broome and registered as B190. She was involved in the search for the Koombana in March. In 1917 it was the subject of a Supreme Court Dispute heard in Broome over ownership and wages owed. The Court ordered the sale of the Mina. It was sold and registered in Fremantle to “Pearl King” James Clark (based in Brisbane) as a 2-masted schooner with LBD 47 x 12.1 x 6 ft Reg No 12 of 1918. From 1918 until 1933 it was owned by James McKenzie and then Maurice Lyons, both pearling in Broome area. Typical of pearling luggers, many of the crew members were Indigenous Australians, who were skilful divers and cheap labour. The history of pearling has been a mixed one for Aboriginal people - abuses were common and the work was hazardous, with divers in the water for up to 10 hours a day.

In 1933 it was wrecked at Swan Point. In 1940 it was refloated and rebuilt in Broome by Captain Ancell C Gregory, re-engaging in Pearling again. In 1942 it was commandeered by the military from Broome for use by the US Army who fitted her with an auxiliary motor. In 1947 it was acquired by the Commonwealth Government after war service and was later sold to Alfred Morgan, another Broome pearler. In 1950 it was sold to brothers Lorenzo and Francesco Pappagallo and Santo La Rosa, fishermen of Fremantle and registered as Number 4 with the Bill of Sale being processed 22 August 1950.

Francesco had married Rosaria (Sarina) La Rosa, Santo’s daughter in 1948. In 1949 Lorenzo tragically lost his wife Maria Saveria Messina, aged 37. Lorenzo was the elder of the two brothers and had arrived in Fremantle in 1927. He had previously skippered and owned a share on the Rosella, and in 1936, nominated his 18-year-old brother Francesco to migrate to Australia. Both Pappagallo brothers were interned between 1940 and 1943 after being captured in Geraldton. They had been fin fishing the “Shark Bay” Season from Fremantle.

In 1951 Mina’s registration name was changed to San Nicola (Lorenzo and Francesco’s Father was named Nicola), and there was a change to her auxiliary motor. A new survey certificate was issued on 31 August 1951. In 1952, the San Nicola crayfished for the Fremantle Fishermen’s Co-operative, fishing the “whites” at Mandurah with Rex and Lapwing (Considered by to be the first boats to fish the “whites” south of Fremantle). In 1953 it fished south of Garden Island with Rex and Lapwing, and the three boats were the leading catching boats for the Freo Co-op. All boats later fished from Lancelin. In 1969 the San Nicola and its 150-pot license was registered to the children of the previous owners; Nina Pasqua, Chiara Mazzina (Lorenzo’s daughter), Sarina Pappagallo (nee La Rosa) and Maria Arangio. The Engine was changed, and a new registration issued 22 August 1969 under the Merchant Shipping Act. Whilst it remained in the family, Kevin “Squizzy” Taylor, Louie Rinaldi and Francesco’s son, Nick Pappagallo worked the boat.

In 1977 the vessel was sold to Vaughan Travice Hunter, a fisherman of Safety Bay. He held it for 4 years and sold it to Warren Waddel and Pilita Clark of the Northern Territory and the Ganabarr Morning Star Clan (traditional people of the Arnhem Land and Gove Peninsula area) adopted the boat. They named it Wutuku meaning "drifting wood". It was later taken over by the Tribal Warrior Association who support Indigenous community employment, based in Redfern, Sydney. It became their flagship to reclaim an Indigenous Australian presence on Sydney Harbour, known to them as Birra Birra. On Sorry Day, 1999, the Tribal Warrior underwent a traditional smoking ceremony to purify, cleanse and heal past memories.

In August 2001, after a departure ceremony at Cockle Bay, Tribal Warrior left Sydney Harbour on a 'voyage of reconciliation' around Australia, visiting every major Aboriginal community on Australia's coastline. Tribal Warrior was warmly welcomed in ports by local Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and attracted much media attention. It returned to Sydney on 9 June 2003 after a momentous 648-day circumnavigation and tied up at the Australian National Maritime Museum. The historic voyage marked the first circumnavigation of Australia by an Australian Indigenous owned and crewed vessel.

Now based in Sydney Harbour, Tribal Warrior is maintained by members of the Tribal Warrior Association and the students of the Tribal Warrior Indigenous Maritime Training Program. The Tribal Warrior Association conducts Aboriginal focused tours of Sydney Harbour and uses the boat to train Aboriginal youth to attain their Master Class V Commercial Maritime Certificate and other qualifications. The first four students completed the program in November 1999.

The gaff-rigged ketch is the oldest surviving timber working boat in the country. It is currently fitted with a Gardner 6LW diesel and when in survey can carry 20 passengers on enclosed waters. The wooden masts, bulwark rails and other timber work are carved and painted in Aboriginal motifs. On all public occasions and celebrations, the Tribal Warrior flies the Koori (Aboriginal) Flag. The special events jib sail has the words "It's a Koori harbour" and a Black Duck (Guindaring) painted in Aboriginal design. This is a totem from the Yuin people from the south coast of New South Wales.

Hjalmar “Sonny Boy” Lindquist
Died of lung disease
9 October 1965
By Susan Dhu

Hjalmar Lindquist appears to have been born in Haugesund, Norway. His headstone, placed by friends, states he was born on 9 November 1902. Not much is known about his family, and there is no record of a marriage. The West Australian electoral roll shows Sonny lived in Jose Street, Geraldton.

Although his past remains somewhat of a mystery, in Geraldton he was known as “Sonny Boy”, and he was well known as a fin and cray fisherman who worked on the coast between Bunbury and Shark Bay, and out at the Abrolhos Islands. Sonny was popular as a worker and a mate. He worked hard and played hard. He escaped multiple ocean incidents but was never deterred from working on the water.

Sonny found himself in trouble with the law after drinking with mates. On the evening of 1 August 1933, he was one of five line-fishermen arrested in Fremantle by Police Constable Quartermaine for creating a disturbance. After they had spent the night in the lockup, Prosecuting Sergeant Nisbett informed the police court the men were likely to be at sea for three to four weeks so they were given the option of a £1 each or three days in jail. Sonny paid his fine.

On 12 January 1939 Sonny (35) was arrested by Police Constables Moynahan and Harper for drunkenly using obscene language in Market Street where there were women and children. He resisted arrest so he was handcuffed and spent the night in the Fremantle lock up. The next morning the court fined him £2 and 4s 6d in costs and advised him to stop drinking.

When Sonny was 26 years old, he worked aboard Era, share fishing for Frederick George and Bertrand Winter, Morris Brandt and Charles Nelson who formed the prominent company in Geraldton: Winter, Brandt and Co. Era was an 80 ft [24.38 metres] ex-racing sail boat bought by the company in 1924. Era’s skipper was Donald “Don” Gibson (29), and the other deckhand was Albert “Bert” Griffiths (26).

Era left Fremantle with Coolgardie on 25 January 1937, with three weeks of food and ice aboard. She left Bunbury on 27 January 1937 to line fish around Cape Naturaliste. She was hit by a squall 34.7 nautical miles [64.3 kms] from Cape Leeuwin. She lost the main, mizzen and stay sails. The cabin was smashed and Don was knocked over the cabin deck. Sonny and Bert were temporarily imprisoned in the cabin by the weight of water washing over the boat. The water and flexing of the boat in the wind caused the floor decking to shift, and Era began to leak. Her ballast came adrift and moved around causing instability. The crew started the pump. Sonny and Don took an hour each alternately, tied at the waist by rope to the mizzen mast. Sonny was washed over the bulwarks but managed to haul himself back on board by his waist rope. The bulwark and the ice box cover were lost. Era limped into Albany at 10am on 13 February, beaten and much damaged. She made the news in February 1937 because the crew managed to save their catch of 600 lbs [272 kgs] of jewfish (now called dhufish) which was consigned to the Albany market.

Sonny worked in Geraldton for a fisherman who kept a market garden, Dines “Fred” Jacobsen (also known as Yob Yob). Market gardening provided work in the off season (November to March) for cray fishermen.

In 1942 Sonny was a licenced Geraldton fisherman. By 1944 he had joined the cray fishing crew of the 37 ft [11.27 metres] Suomi, a catcher/carrier boat working from Rat Island. Suomi G1, her two catcher boats Molly Ess and Lucy, and a camp on Rat Island were bought from Robert “Bob” Carlberg by Cecil Garratt.

Cecil licenced Molly Ess G58 from 1944 as a 22 ft [6.7 metre] bond wood launch with a 5ft 6inch [1.67 metres] beam. She had a 4.5 hp motor. Lucy was licenced G54 from 1943. She was an 18 ft [5.48 metres] catcher launch with the same beam as Molly Ess, and a 4.25 hp motor.

Suomi carried the cray fish for her catchers and sometimes for other boats at Rat Island. She line fished and cray fished as well. The crews who worked for the outfit were nicknamed the “Suomi Crowd”. Some crew members came and went, while others remained with Suomi for years, like the cook “Ole” Olsen. The crew shared a camp on Rat Island.

In 1946 and 1947 Sonny worked with the Suomi Crowd and lived in a camp at the north end of the island. He worked 52 pots with Frank Gibson on Molly Ess. At the end of the cray season in October Sonny boarded Patricia and left Geraldton to line fish at Fremantle and Bunbury.

Patricia was a 41 ft [12.5 metres] auxiliary ketch skippered by William “Bill” Lang with Jack Lang as the other deckhand. They left Geraldton in fair weather but a gale blew up when they reached Freshwater Point, so they sheltered in the lee of the reef. Both anchors were let go, but her cables carried away and she hit the bottom before she could get underway. The rudder snapped at the head, and she was soon thrown ashore, high and dry, bow shoreward. The crew decided to refloat her rather than lose her.

Over the next few days local Geraldton fisherman Bill Burton on Garnet and Dongara fisherman Syd Knowlen on Awanui helped to get Patricia off the beach. The anchors and cables were salvaged. Awanui towed Patricia to Port Denison with her pumps working hard. The crew recalked the hull and 18 days later, with Garnet accompanying her, she limped into Geraldton under her own power, leaking like a sieve.

Sonny went back to Rat Island on Molly Ess for the 1948 season, still share fishing for Winter, Brandt and Co. In 1949 Sonny operated Lucy with Bill Lang as his deckhand. In August that year he went aboard Betty Margaret and joined a search for Albert Gordon Kearle (24) who was fishing in his small launch when his fuel line broke. He was found drifting 11.29 nautical miles [20.9 kms] north of North Island after 39 and a half hours.

On 20 March 1951 J Howson was aboard Molly Ess with Sonny being towed over to Rat Island for the cray fishing season. Howson slipped and fell onto a protruding gear lever that pierced his body causing internal injuries. He was lifted onto Suomi, taken back to Geraldton at full speed, and admitted to Victoria District Hospital for treatment.

That year Sonny appeared before Magistrate Ansell in the Geraldton court for consigning 203 undersized crayfish from Molly Ess. He was fined £6 and ordered £1 17s 6d in costs. The prosecutor for the Fisheries Department was CE Stow. He appeared before Magistrate Hogg in the same court on 1 September 1953 with 26 other cray fishermen. They were all charged with consigning undersized crayfish. On that occasion Sonny had three charges for crayfish he consigned from Molly Ess and received fines as a penalty.

At 2am on 22 March 1952, Sonny was aboard Molly Ess with Arthur “Jumbo” Ward, with Suomi towing Lucy to Rat Island to start the crayfishing season. Thomas “Tom” Rowlands was skippering Suomi with Les Sells and W Jones on deck. They had Mrs D Davies aboard as a passenger. Suomi started to take on water. Mrs Davies was transferred to Molly Ess with Jumbo, and they headed back towards Geraldton to raise help. Sonny went aboard Suomi to help on the pump. Tom flew the distress signal, and the four men pumped, rotating between 5 minutes on the pumps and 15 minutes with buckets. Tom set off eight to ten flares from the top of the mast at intervals to attract help from any boat in the area.

Tom’s brother on the Queen intercepted Molly Ess and both boats headed towards Suomi. Queen found her at 8.30am. By 9am Queen had a towline on Suomi and set off at a good pace towards Geraldton. Even with Suomi’s mainsail up there was still too much water sloshing around in the hull for her to sail and water poured in faster than the crew could pump it out.

Tom let go 70 new cray pots to reduce Suomi’s weight. They jettisoned a drum of fuel, a drum of kerosene and anything else on the deck that was loose. When there was eight feet [2.4 metres] of water below decks Tom told the men to abandon ship. The crew salvaged the compass, barometer and anything else they could. Tom grabbed six bottles of beer and leapt onto Molly Ess just as Suomi’s decks went underwater. Dawn sailed to the stricken boat just in time to see her sink.

At 10.50am, Suomi settled by her stern, rolled and nosedived, her distress flags still flying. Five minutes after she sank the bulwarks shot to the surface. That was the end of Suomi. Dawn picked up the cray pots, and other gear that was floating around. The boats were back in Geraldton by 12.30pm.

Suomi’s owners Mr and Mrs Cecil Garratt had insured Suomi when they purchased her. She had carted 2,000,000 lbs [907 kgs] of cray fish during her career as a carrier boat. In February 1953, Cecil advertised Suomi’s harbour mooring, three Chapman marine motors, mainsail and sundries for sale.

On 4 March 1954 Sonny skippered Molly Ess again. He was on his way to Rat Island for the cray fishing season. When he failed to arrive at the island in the afternoon, the fishermen at Rat Island were concerned. Police were informed and a search planned. Before the search could commence, Sonny arrived at Port Denison. He had missed the islands in bad weather and decided to tack back to the mainland. Both he and the boat were fine.

In July 1954 an overnight storm lashed the Geraldton coast. Sonny was in Geraldton when Betty Margaret broke away from her moorings during a heavy rain squall. She was driven onto the stone seawall approximately 50 yards [45.7 metres] east of the boat slip. She hit the wall side-on and her hull was badly holed. Sonny helped tie the top of her mast to a steel post to prevent her from rolling onto the rocks. A quantity of loose gear and equipment was thrown overboard to help stop her rolling.

On 15 December that year, Sonny was line fishing aboard the Toba at Hamelin Bay on the south west coast. Skipper Martin Martinson and crew Charles Johanson and Carl Burg tried to escape strong winds and rough seas. They struck reef in a narrow passage, approximately half a mile from an old jetty on Hamelin Island. Sonny and the rest of the crew were picked up by a Bunbury fishing boat and taken to Hamelin Bay with their catch of eight cwt [406.4 kgs] which went to the Fremantle market for sale.

On 26 August 1955 Sonny skippered Betty Margaret with Frederick “Fred” Tetlow, and a Norwegian fisherman called Chris (25) on deck. They were 5 days overdue from a line fishing voyage. The previous evening Geraldton Police had received a radio message saying a boat had seen the Betty Margaret approximately 52.1 nautical miles [96.5 kms] south of Geraldton. A search was commenced, but Sonny brought Betty Margaret home before they set out.

Sonny continued to fish from Rat Island for another 10 years. He died on 9 October 1965 from a lung disease. He drank liquid morphine to manage his discomfort.

His headstone at the Geraldton Cemetery, placed by friends, states he died in Geraldton. Local fishermen talk about Sonny dying in the camp at Rat Island. The Arnold brothers from the Elizabeth May used the camp and said Sonny haunted the place. They saw someone with a torch, but when they investigated there was no one there. Things moved around the camp or were found scattered. One fisherman said he saw Sonny’s ghost. The camp was used by Laurie Kannikowski from 1959. In 1998 it was taken over by Hadley Harmer.