Walking stick of Captain William Collin [1834 - 1914]

Date1870s-1910s

Object number00044513

NameWalking stick

MediumWood

DimensionsOverall: 850 x 40 mm, 316.56 g

ClassificationsClothing and personal items

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Peter Illidge

Terms

DescriptionWalking stick owned by Captain William Collin [1834 - 1914]. The stick is turned timber with four bands of pearl shell inlay near the top, two sections of copper wire binding and a black rubber cap on the tip. Sections of pearl shell inlay are missing. Captain William Collin was born in England. In 1854 he was shipwrecked off north Queensland. He settled in Sydney and lived there until 1862 when he moved to Queensland. He became a well-known salvage operator and shipbreaker and is regarded as a pioneer of the Queensland coastal and river trade. One of his most notable achievements was marking the passage through the Torres Strait for the Queensland Government.HistoryCaptain William Collin (1834-1914) was born in England, went to sea, and was shipwrecked off north Queensland in 1854. He settled in Sydney until 1862 when he moved to Queensland and operated barges in the coastal trade. He also became a well-known salvage operator and shipbreaker. He is regarded as a pioneer of the Queensland coastal and river trade, and one of his most notable achievements was to mark the passage through Torres Strait with buoys, for the Queensland Government. His reminiscences published in 1914 are an important source for the social and commercial history of early Queensland.