A WALKING STICK CARVED FROM TIMBER RECOVERED FROM THE WRECK OF THE ROYAL CHARTER [1859]
of tapering form carved with foliate devices, silver cuff hand-inscribed ROYAL CHARTER / OCT 26 1859 / WRECKED -- 34in. (86.5cm.) long

The auxiliary sailing ship Royal Charter was one of the most successful early steam vessels running to Australia during the decade following the gold rush, which began in 1851. After numerous highly profitable voyages, she left Melbourne on 26th August, 1859, homeward bound and carrying 388 passengers, 112 crew and a large cargo of bullion fresh from the goldfields. Quite apart from almost 70,000 ounces of gold valued at £273,000 and £48,000 in newly minted sovereigns, she was also carrying the personal wealth of a number of passengers who had made fortunes at the diggings.

Arriving at Queenstown on 24th October after a record run of only 55 days, a large number of letters were dispatched announcing their safe arrival. As she sped up the Irish Sea, Captain Taylor ran inshore a little to allow his passengers a sight of Brunel's new monster steamship Great Eastern which was lying at Holyhead after her trials. Shortly after this minor detour, the wind started to freshen considerably. Taylor's signal rocket for a pilot at around 6.30pm. remained unanswered due to the weather and by 8.00pm. it was blowing a full gale. In an effort to gain a little more searoom, he ordered a few sails to be set but to no avail. The sheer power of the sea and the wind, which by now had veered around and was hurricane strength, was blowing Royal Charter towards the shore and her puny engine could do little to stop the drift. At 1.30am. the following morning the port anchor snapped and the starboard chain went an hour later. Swung around by the straining cable before it broke, Royal Charter was now bows on to the land and heading inshore. She grounded at about 3.30am. although little could be done to evacuate the ship until daylight. Valiant efforts to get a line for a bo'sun's chair ashore eventually succeeded, but hardly had a handful of men got off the wreck than a huge wave broke the ship in two at 7.00am. With practically all the passengers in the rear saloon, their fate was sealed; Only 40 persons survived the disaster and all were men - 22 passengers and 18 crew. Every woman and child (and Captain Taylor with all his officers) perished in the violence of the storm and those bodies which were recovered revealed the awful truth; very few had drowned, most had been battered to death on the rocky shore within feet of safety. The storm - one of the greatest of the 19th-century - became known to history as the "Royal Charter Gale".

Condition Report
fine overall condition

We are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of this property. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Charles Miller Ltd is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD “AS IS” IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE.