Captain John Finlayson

(1852-1935)

Captain John Finlayson, Master Mariner, was a long-term resident of East Fremantle. John was born in Scotland on 3 Jan 1852. He ran away from home as a boy to go to sea at 12, and followed that calling until his retirement in 1929. For many years he was a master of ships trading between the ports of Eastern Australia until settling in Western Australia in 1895 with his wife Elizabeth, and family, at Loch-Alsh, 24 King Street, East Fremantle. (Reference)

“A sailor might leave the sea after long experience and considerable buffeting, but the salt will still course through his veins, and during his every day and matter-of-fact life of retirement ashore, incidents of his seagoing career will oft be recalled to mind. He is, it seems, of shipping a part, and the subtle fascination of the sea and its trade will not allow him to sever his loved association by living elsewhere than at a port.” (Reference) 

John Finlayson served his apprenticeship on the sailing ship Loch Tay, in the 1860's and made many passages on the Loch Tay between London and Melbourne. In 1873 he carried his sea chest ashore at Melbourne from the ship Somersetshire, but soon resumed the sea life again. He sailed between Melbourne and New Zealand for two years as an Able Seaman.

In 1883 he married Elizabeth Munro (1856) in Melbourne and in the next 8 years they had 5 children. During this time John successfully sought his Master's certificate. For several years he worked on various vessels of the Á.S.N. Company, later the A.U.S.N. Company, and the Howard Smith Company. (Reference) 

His first experience of a steam ship was as second officer and then chief officer on the City of Melbourne, a trim vessel running between Melbourne, Sydney and San Francisco. Good fortune seemed to have smiled upon him during his early days at sea, for he was on the barque Kate Waters shortly before it was captured by Chinese pirates (Reference); and he had only been off the Ly-ee-Moon six months when this ship met a tragic fate on Green Cape, a coastal prominence twenty miles distance from Gabo Island (Eastern Victoria). The ship broke in two and several passengers, most of the officers and many of the crew were drowned. (Reference) 

In 1895 Captain Finlayson came to Fremantle with his family to work for the Western Australian Government on the Fremantle Harbour construction, where using his dredge he was reclaimed land for the future harbour. The photo of the dredge Governor, circa 1899, shows dredging in progress on the north side of the harbour, with the suction dredge Governor and a coal barge in the foreground.

Finlayson then dredged for the Railway Pier at Geraldton and made numerous trips to Bunbury and Albany. On one occasion at Albany, he went to the aid of a burning steamer, and the fire was eventually extinguished, but not before the intense heat had blistered the paint from his own vessel. He was also asked to take the tug Uraidla from Fremantle to the assistance of the steamer Kooringa which was lying helpless off Cape Naturaliste (Busselton), with her propeller blades broken. For four days, the tug stood by before a tow-line could be got on board the steamer to hold. See the photo of the Steam tug Uraidla, in 1905, in Fremantle Harbour. (Reference).

 On the 29 June 1908 he had a close call when he fell off the jetty in Bunbury:

About 9.30 on Monday night, Mr. Smith, of the Wellington Hotel, and his brother, Mr. Aubrey Smith, were returning from a walk along the jetty and were near the lighter landing when one of a group of four men whom they had just passed asked if they knew anything about helping a drowning man. Further inquiry elicited the fact that Captain Finlayson, master of the coastal steamer Una, had fallen off the jetty into the water; and that a boy had been sent to invoke the aid of the police. Mr. Aubrey Smith quickly ran down the steps and clambered along the waling piece until he reached the unfortunate mariner who was so far spent that he could only exclaim, "For God's sake don't let go of me; I'm done and I'll sink dead if you do." 

After being hauled aboard his boat by the two brothers and a policeman… 

There he was stripped and rubbed down by Messrs, Brown and A.T. Smith, the while Mr. Aubrey Smith went for first aid in the form of whiskey which duly arrived and was promptly administered with the result that Captain Finlayson having shaken hands with death overnight, is walking about as well as ever this morning... (Reference)

21 Jul 1908 His second son John ‘Jack’ Alexander Finlayson married Martha C. Hoare, at Mt Morgan, Kalgoorlie. (Reference) Tragically Jack, who became a well-known goldfields personality and owner of the famous Ora Banda Hotel (bought in 1932) died in 1937, leaving a widow and four sons. (Reference). Jack’s son Maxwell Raymond Finlayson became Mayor of Kalgoorlie/Boulder in the late 1970’s and retained the position until 1992.

In 1913 Donald James Finlayson, his son, of the Fitting Shop, W.A. Government Railways, Midland Junction, married Eva Bean. Sadly she died just two years later. (Reference)

In 1915 his younger daughter Ellen ‘Nell’ Fraser married Alick Cherborne. Alick died in 1958 and Nell in 1976.

In 1918 his daughter Elizabeth married Arthur Jeapes. Arthur died in 1967 and Elizabeth lived until 1969.

In 1920 his youngest son Roderick Thomas Finlayson married Mary Emily Leevers in Kalgoorlie. (Reference) He left Mary in 1923, moved to Sydney, was married twice more and died in 1962.

In 1929 Captain J. Finlayson, late of the dredge Governor, retired from service with the Public Works Department, where he had served for thirty years. He was 76 years of age.

Recently he was the guest of those who have been associated with him for many years, and also numerous friends who met to bid him farewell, and to pay tribute to his many years of service. During the evening, he was the recipient of a beautiful clock, and a smoker's requisites, presented by Mr. C.O.P. Morgan, resident engineer of the Geraldton Harbour Works. Captain Finlayson left Geraldton for Perth. (Reference) (See photo of the unusual clock)

In 1933 John and Elizabeth celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. John had been initiated into the King Solomon Masonic Lodge, No. 29, V.C., when he lived in Melbourne in 1894, and after coming to Western Australia,  joined the Lodge Thistle, No. 889, S.C., of which he was a member until the time of his death. (Reference) Captain Finlayson was also a foundation member of the East Fremantle Presbyterian Church, and on the board of management for many years. 

When Captain Finlayson died in 1935, he left behind a widow, three sons, two daughters and ten grandchildren. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery. (reference)

Two years later, in 1937, and soon after her son John died- Elizabeth died. (Reference)

During her 42 years residence in WA she had always lived in East Fremantle. The chief mourners at her funeral were Messrs. Don Finlayson (son), Arthur Jeapes and Alex Sherborne (sons-in-law), Malcolm Finlayson (grandson), and C.N. Collard, representing Mrs. Mattie Finlayson (daughter-in-law) and family. 

Their house at 24 King Street ( No 4), East Fremantle was demolished to make way for the road approaches to the Stirling Bridge.

Research by Neil Smithson for www.streetsofeastfreo from information prepared by Donald Finlayson - great grandson of Elizabeth Finlayson. With thanks to friend Eileen Geraghty who assisted with family tree information.