Baxter, William Captain
DESCRIPTION
NameBaxter, William CaptainDate of Birthc.1810Date of Death1888OccupationMaster MarinerPlace of ResidenceShellharbour VillageBiographyWilliam Baxter was born c.1810 in Suffolk, England to William and Sarah nee Gillingham.
He came to Australia as a convict in 1828 on board the ship 'Phoenix', tried for housebreaking and sentenced to 14 years.
William received his Ticket of Leave in 1837, and three years later married Mary Martin, daughter of Thomas and Sarah nee Knowland, (her mother was the daughter of convict, David Knowland).
They lived on the Robb Estate at Jamberoo in the 1840's in the 1841 census shows them living on the Riversdale estate where he was engaged in clearing land, sawing, fencing.
William then went seafaring on a Ketch named 'Bee', trading between Kiama and Sydney, and enjoyed this life, so that in 1845 William purchased his first ship the 'Alexander'.
William and Mary Baxter purchased land from Thomas Alexander Reddall in the village of Shellharbour and his cottage is believed to be situated where Little Park is now.
William purchased many ships, most famous the 'William and Ann' and the 'Peterborough Lass' and so began the shipping trade between Shellharbour and Sydney.
Due to weather conditions several ships were wrecked one of the being the wooden ketch 'Amphitrite'.
In 1845, William is listed as the master of the coastal trading ship 'Alexander'. William commanded his own sea going vessels and became a Master Mariner: opening up the shipping trade at Shellharbour. His ship 'William and Ann' took farm produce to and from the Sydney markets, loading goods from the shore, before a jetty was built at the harbour in 1859. In 1864 a larger jetty was constructed and the harbour entrance excavated to allow access for bigger ships.
A first-rate dinner was held by Captain Baxter the following year 1865 in the new boat store at the harbour. The 300 guests toured his new schooner 'Peterborough Lass'.
William and Mary had;
William b.1849 (married Bideliena/Bidolena McDonough, died 1917, Gosford)
James Joseph b.1852 (married Catherine Leary, died 1926, Morriset)
Sarah Ann b.1854 (married John Craig, died 1932, Shellharbour)
Teresa Mary b.1856 (married Stephen Bishop, died 1945, Sydney)
Mary Elizabeth b.1858 (died 1858, Shellharbour)
David b.1859 (married Frances Farthing, died 1938, Ryde)
A letter in the Illawarra Mercury 1858, noted Baxter's importance in assisting the emigrants who arrived at Shellharbour with Caroline Chisholm. Baxter transported wattle bark to Sydney and sold it on their behalf.
William’s wife Mary died in 1876 from typhoid fever, and William developed cataracts: eventually losing his sight.
He died in 1888 leaving five children.
The death of Captain William Baxter and the decline of shipping in the village with the coming of railway, ended an era of coastal trade at Shellharbour.
Sources:
Shellharbour's Forgotten Cemetery and selected Pioneers - Wendy and Terry Nunan.
Shipping Records
Government Gazettes.
Suffolk Baptism Records.
Tongarra Heritage Files.
External LinkBirths Baxter 1858Proposed New Steam Navigation Company 1860Public Meeting 1861Shellharbour Weather 1864Mail Bag Found 1865Peterborough Lass 1865Captain Baxter's Entertainment 1865William Baxter Jnr 1872Dinner and Testimonial 1876Death Mrs Baxter 1876Narrow Escape from Drowning 1880Larceny Kate MCDonald 1884William Baxter Obituary 1888Death of Captain Baxter 1888Death of a Kiama Resident 1888Shellharbour by EA.Baxter aids Caroline Chisholm's immigrants to ShellharbourBaxter's sailing starts on the ketch Bee
He came to Australia as a convict in 1828 on board the ship 'Phoenix', tried for housebreaking and sentenced to 14 years.
William received his Ticket of Leave in 1837, and three years later married Mary Martin, daughter of Thomas and Sarah nee Knowland, (her mother was the daughter of convict, David Knowland).
They lived on the Robb Estate at Jamberoo in the 1840's in the 1841 census shows them living on the Riversdale estate where he was engaged in clearing land, sawing, fencing.
William then went seafaring on a Ketch named 'Bee', trading between Kiama and Sydney, and enjoyed this life, so that in 1845 William purchased his first ship the 'Alexander'.
William and Mary Baxter purchased land from Thomas Alexander Reddall in the village of Shellharbour and his cottage is believed to be situated where Little Park is now.
William purchased many ships, most famous the 'William and Ann' and the 'Peterborough Lass' and so began the shipping trade between Shellharbour and Sydney.
Due to weather conditions several ships were wrecked one of the being the wooden ketch 'Amphitrite'.
In 1845, William is listed as the master of the coastal trading ship 'Alexander'. William commanded his own sea going vessels and became a Master Mariner: opening up the shipping trade at Shellharbour. His ship 'William and Ann' took farm produce to and from the Sydney markets, loading goods from the shore, before a jetty was built at the harbour in 1859. In 1864 a larger jetty was constructed and the harbour entrance excavated to allow access for bigger ships.
A first-rate dinner was held by Captain Baxter the following year 1865 in the new boat store at the harbour. The 300 guests toured his new schooner 'Peterborough Lass'.
William and Mary had;
William b.1849 (married Bideliena/Bidolena McDonough, died 1917, Gosford)
James Joseph b.1852 (married Catherine Leary, died 1926, Morriset)
Sarah Ann b.1854 (married John Craig, died 1932, Shellharbour)
Teresa Mary b.1856 (married Stephen Bishop, died 1945, Sydney)
Mary Elizabeth b.1858 (died 1858, Shellharbour)
David b.1859 (married Frances Farthing, died 1938, Ryde)
A letter in the Illawarra Mercury 1858, noted Baxter's importance in assisting the emigrants who arrived at Shellharbour with Caroline Chisholm. Baxter transported wattle bark to Sydney and sold it on their behalf.
William’s wife Mary died in 1876 from typhoid fever, and William developed cataracts: eventually losing his sight.
He died in 1888 leaving five children.
The death of Captain William Baxter and the decline of shipping in the village with the coming of railway, ended an era of coastal trade at Shellharbour.
Sources:
Shellharbour's Forgotten Cemetery and selected Pioneers - Wendy and Terry Nunan.
Shipping Records
Government Gazettes.
Suffolk Baptism Records.
Tongarra Heritage Files.
External LinkBirths Baxter 1858Proposed New Steam Navigation Company 1860Public Meeting 1861Shellharbour Weather 1864Mail Bag Found 1865Peterborough Lass 1865Captain Baxter's Entertainment 1865William Baxter Jnr 1872Dinner and Testimonial 1876Death Mrs Baxter 1876Narrow Escape from Drowning 1880Larceny Kate MCDonald 1884William Baxter Obituary 1888Death of Captain Baxter 1888Death of a Kiama Resident 1888Shellharbour by EA.Baxter aids Caroline Chisholm's immigrants to ShellharbourBaxter's sailing starts on the ketch Bee
CONNECTIONS
Baxter, William Captain. Shellharbour City Council, accessed 22/07/2026, https://discover.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/1666