Lady of St. Kilda: The Famous Schooner Which Transplanted a Scottish Island Name in Australia

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The topsail schooner ‘Lady of St Kilda’ was built in 1834 for the wealthy Devon landowner Sir Thomas Dyke Acland. She was to become a key part in the development of the City of Melbourne at a time when untold prosperity was accelerating the growth of the City.

Designed as a ‘fruit schooner’ she served as a private yacht until she was sold to Pope & Co of Plymouth when she sailed out to Port Phillip Bay, Australia in1841. There she undertook several trading voyages for the merchants and shipping agents J B Were Brothers.

In 1842 she was prepared for a long trading voyage to Canton. A record of this is to be found in the ships Log Book which provides fascinating details of life aboard a small sailing ship.

The final voyage of the ‘Lady of St Kilda’ began late in 1843 when she sailed to Tahiti where she was wrecked.

The new suburb of Melbourne was named St Kilda in honour of this famous schooner.

The firm of J B Were & Co were to flourish on account of the Victoria Gold Rush, and became the largest wealth management company in the Southern Hemisphere.