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The '''Parmelia''' was a barque that was used to transport the first civilian officials and settlers of the Swan River Colony to Western Australia in 1829.
''Parmelia'' was built in Quebec, Canada in 1825, and registered on 31 May of that year. She was 117 feet (36 metres) long, 29 feet (9 metres) wide and 20 feet (6 metres) deep in the hold; and she was rated at 443 tons. Johnson (1987) writes that she ''was more of a plain working girl than the great and beautiful lady of the sea.'' ''Parmelia'' was sent to London, and on 17 November she was transferred from the Quebec to the London register. In 1826 she was used as a troop carrier. Some time in the first half of 1827, ''Parmelia'' was sold to Joseph Somes, who was also a director of the British East India Company. For the next year, she operated under charter to the British East India Company, carrying goods and passengers between London and Bengal.
In 1828 the British government, at the urging of Captain James Stirling, decided to establish a colony at the Swan River in Western Australia. ''HMS Challenger'' was despatched under Charles Fremantle to annex the colony, and it was arranged that a contingent of soldiers, officials and settlers would follow on ''HMS Sulphur''. Stirling however argued that the passengers and goods to be carried exceeded the capacity of ''HMS Sulphur'', and asked for an additional ship to be chartered. The government reluctantly agreed to the extra cost, chartering the ''Parmelia'' in December 1828. It was then arranged that ''HMS Sulphur'' would carry the military personnel, with the ''Parmelia'' responsible for carriage of the civilian officials and settlers.
''HMS Sulphur'' and ''Parmelia'' sailed from England in early February 1829, sighting their destination on 1 June. Contrary to popular belief, Stirling did not captain the ''Parmelia''; on arrival, however, he assumed the duties of pilot. He initially tried to enter Cockburn Sound through a passage that he had discovered in 1827, but was prevented by strong winds and a heavy swell. Instead he hove to off Rottnest Island for the night. The following day, he tried to bring ''Parmelia'' into the Sound from the north, against the advice of Fremantle, and ran aground on a sand bank, later to be named Parmelia Bank. Despite the best efforts of the crews to dislodge her, ''Parmelia'' remained on the bank for over 18 hours, finally coming off the bank by herself early the following morning. By that time, she had lost her foreyard, rudder, windlass, spare spars, longboat and skiff, and was leaking at a rate of 4 inches (10 cm) per hour. ''Parmelia'' then rode out a storm at anchor for three days before finally being brought to a safe anchorage. The passengers were able to disembark on 8 June.
''HMS Challenger'' was due to depart once ''HMS Sulphur'' and ''Parmelia'' had arrived, but ''Parmelia'' needed repairs that it could not get without access to the skilled labour amongst ''HMS Challenger'' crew. Fremantle therefore took the decision to remain and assist with the repairs, which were completed many weeks later. Later that year, Stirling chartered the ''Parmelia'' to bring food supplies from Java. In 1830, she returned to England.
For the next nine years, ''Parmelia'' was used to transport convicts to the penal colonies on the east coast of Australia. She made nine such voyages, each of them carrying at least 200 prisoners. In 1839, ''Parmelia'' was refitted for the purpose of carrying migrants to the Americas. She was intended to run between Britain and Quebec, but on 3 May 1839, her refit almost complete, she was destroyed by fire in Bank's Yard, at Frank's Queery, Cremyll. Five days later, Lloyd's of London wrote her off; any remaining timbers were probably salvaged for other purposes.
The Kwinana suburb of Parmelia is named in honour of the ''Parmelia'', as is Parmelia Bank.

Contents

Passengers on the ''Parmelia'', 1829

Notes

References

Passengers on the ''Parmelia'', 1829

'Name'	'Quality'
Captain James Stirling	Governor
Ellen Stirling	Wife of Captain Stirling
Andrew Stirling	Son of Captain Stirling, 3 yrs old
Frederick Henry Stirling	Son of Captain Stirling, born at sea on 16 April 1829.
George Mangles	Cousin of Ellen Stirling
George Elliot	Clerk to Captain Stirling
Thomas Blakey	Servant of Captain Stirling
Sarah Blakey	Wife of Thomas Blakey; servant of Captain Stirling
John Kelly	Servant of Captain Stirling
Elizabeth Kelly	Wife of John Kelly; servant of Captain Stirling
Peter Brown1	Colonial Secretary
Caroline Brown	Wife of Peter Brown
Macbride Brown	Son of Peter Brown
Ann Brown	Daughter of Peter Brown
Richard Evans	Servant of Peter Brown
Margaret McLeod	Servant of Peter Brown
Mary Ann Smith	Servant of Peter Brown
John Morgan	Storekeeper
Rebecca Morgan	Wife of John Morgan
Rebecca Morgan	Daughter of John Morgan
Ann Skipsey	Servant of John Morgan
Commander Mark Currie RN	Harbourmaster
Jane Currie	Wife of Commander Currie
Frederick Ludlow	Servant of Commander Currie
Mildred ("Kitty") Ludlow	Wife of Frederick Ludlow; servant of Commander Currie
Jane Fruin	Servant of Commander Currie
John Septimus Roe	Surveyor-General
Matilda Roe	Wife of John Septimus Roe
Charles Wright	Servant of John Septimus Roe
Henry Sutherland	Assistant Surveyor
Ann Sutherland	Wife of Henry Sutherland
William Sheldon	Clerk to the Colonial Secretary
James Drummond	Horticulturalist
Sarah Drummond	Wife of James Drummond
Thomas Drummond	Son of James Drummond, 18 yrs
Jane Drummond	Daughter of James Drummond, 16 yrs
James Drummond	Son of James Drummond, 15 yrs
John Drummond	Son of James Drummond, 13 yrs
Johnston Drummond	Son of James Drummond, 9 yrs
Euphemia Drummond	Child of James Drummond, 3 yrs
Elizabeth Gamble	Servant of James Drummond
Charles Simmons	Surgeon
Tully Davy2	Assistant Surgeon
Jane Davy	Wife of Tully Davy
Jessie Jane Davy2	Daughter of Tully Davy, 8 yrs
Joseph Davy	Son of Tully Davy, 6 yrs
Henry Davy	Son of Tully Davy, 4 yrs
Edward Davy	Son of Tully Davy, 2 yrs
Emily Rose Davy	Daughter of Tully Davy, 2 months
James Elliott	Servant of Tully Davy
Patrick Murphy	Servant of Tully Davy
Alex Fandom	Cooper
Mary Fandom	Wife of Alex Fandom
William Hokin3	Bricklayer
Mary Hokin	Wife of William Hokin
William Hokin	Son of William Hokin, 14 years
John Hokin	Son of William Hokin, 12 yrs
Mary Hokin	Daughter of William Hokin, 10 yrs
Thomas Hokin	Son of William Hokin, 8 yrs
David Hokin	Son of William Hokin, 5 yrs
Charles Hokin	Son of WIlliam Hokin, 2 yrs
Thomas Davis	Smith
Catherine Davis	Wife of Thomas Davis
John Davis	Son of Thomas Davis, 3 yrs
Charlotte Davis	Daughter of Thomas Davis, 2 yrs
John Davis	Nephew of Thomas Davis, 13 yrs
James Smith	Boatbuilder
Sarah Smith	Wife of James Smith

Notes

# Brown later adopted the spelling ''Broun''.
# Tully and Jessie Davy were lost overboard and drowned on 25 April 1829.
# ''Hoking'' also used.

References

★ The beginning, Appleyard, Reginald and Toby Manford, , , University of Western Australia Press, 1979, ISBN 0-85564-146-0

★ The Parmelia Barque, Johnson, G. L. (Les), , , Early Days, 1987