Henry Simpson (shipping)

Henry Simpson (1815 – 26 April 1884), often referred to as "Captain Simpson", was a ship's captain, ship owner and businessman in South Australia.

Henry Simpson, who may have been born in Hull, arrived at Kangaroo Island 1836 as second officer to Captain Martin of the 105 ton two-masted schooner John Pirie (which brought Charles Sturt to South Australia), then captain of the Orwell 1842, the South Australia Company's schooner Victoria in 1943, and by 1844 captain of the John Pirie. He was later made captain of the barque Lord Hobart. According to A. T. Saunders he was known by the nickname "Cocky".

He was appointed wharfinger at the Old Port, then transferred to the New Port.

He started acting as a shipping agent around 1850, for a time involved with millers Phillips and P. A. Horn, and with Henry Giles (partnership dissolved January 1853). He left South Australia for the goldfields of Victoria mid-1853 and when he returned two years later, having already dealt in coal from Newcastle, started in a small was as a coal merchant, anticipating the rapid increase in coal-fueled steam power. He leased the Queen's wharf and store, and the No. 4 bond store, and founded the Black Diamond line of colliers, and by 1866 had a fleet of 14 colliers, all sailing ships.Fairfield (1864, wrecked 1874),Koh-i-noor, Julie Heyn (barque wrecked off Gerringong May 1865), Kadina (originally Jeanie B. Payne) 1865–1879, Moonta 1865, Frowning Beauty, Bosphorus (barque) 1866, Wallaroo, Meander (1866–1875), Contest (wrecked 1874),Verulam 1869, Exonia. By 1871 the Julie Heyn, Moonta and Frowning Beauty were no longer counted among their number.Lanercost, Saxon, Stag (1872), J. L. Hall, Athena, Planter (Plantea?) and Ardencraig were acquired later. Simpson was curiously slow in adopting steam power for his little fleet of ships, introducing Ridge Park in 1879, Birksgate in 1881, and Tenterden in 1883. The Tenterden was sold in 1884. The naming of these steamer was significant: "Ridge Park" was the name of Simpson's residence in Glen Osmond; "Tenterden" was for a time the family home in Woodville, later the home of his son James. "Birksgate" was a residence owned by his business partner Thomas Elder.

...
Wikipedia