James Kelly
1791: James Kelly was born in New South Wales.
1803: Kelly was apprenticed as a junior mariner at the age of 12. He made voyages to Fiji, India and many sealing trips. Kelly made one sealing trip to Macquarie Island where the ship was wrecked. He was rescued and made it back to NSW. Where he married and became a master mariner.
1812: Sealing in Bass St.
1813-1818: Employed as a mariner who sailed between all the colonial ports. He bought a house near Hobart Rivulet for his growing family.
1815: James Kelly set off with four convicts from Hobart to complete a circumnavigation of Van Diemen’s Land. He encountered some aboriginal Tasmanians. He dodged stones and spears. Many aborigines lived in unsettled parts of colony. He named Gordon river and Port Davey. Thylacines were alive at the time.
The trip increased his knowledge of whaling, sealing and the Huon pine tree. His employer gained a monopoly over trade in the Huon Pine tree.
1819-: Kelly was made pilot and harbour master for Hobart. He made a living from catching whales and seals. One trip resulted in five whales caught in the Derwent River. At the time whale oil was most valuable commodity exported from Hobart.
1831: His wife died.
1834: His ship Australian was wrecked.
1834: Kelly subdivided his land in Battery Point for workers in the whaling industry. The main industry in Hobart.
1840: Kelly’s steps were built. Steep and constructed of sandstone, the stairs connect Kelly Street and Arthur Circus to Salamanca Place.
They have an inscription stone dated 1840 with the initials JK, referring to Captain James Kelly.
1841: His eldest son was killed by New Zealand Maori.
1859: James Kelly, better known as Captain Kelly, died suddenly. He dropped down dead in the street.
At about ten o’clock Mr. Kelly, who held the office of wharfinger, left his residence as usual to proceed to the New Wharf, and when near the junction of Liverpool and Argyle-street, he was seen to stagger and fall.
His name was the most well known in the colony. He was the main pilot of the port of Hobart. He was a welcome sight after a long voyage and he often boarded the arriving ship with a present from his farm at Bruny Island.
He had his name engraved next to his wife’s name on a stone in St David’s cemetery. He used to say: All filled up but the date.
Photo: His house. No longer present.
Photo: His steps. Present.
1803: Kelly was apprenticed as a junior mariner at the age of 12. He made voyages to Fiji, India and many sealing trips. Kelly made one sealing trip to Macquarie Island where the ship was wrecked. He was rescued and made it back to NSW. Where he married and became a master mariner.
1812: Sealing in Bass St.
1813-1818: Employed as a mariner who sailed between all the colonial ports. He bought a house near Hobart Rivulet for his growing family.
1815: James Kelly set off with four convicts from Hobart to complete a circumnavigation of Van Diemen’s Land. He encountered some aboriginal Tasmanians. He dodged stones and spears. Many aborigines lived in unsettled parts of colony. He named Gordon river and Port Davey. Thylacines were alive at the time.
The trip increased his knowledge of whaling, sealing and the Huon pine tree. His employer gained a monopoly over trade in the Huon Pine tree.
1819-: Kelly was made pilot and harbour master for Hobart. He made a living from catching whales and seals. One trip resulted in five whales caught in the Derwent River. At the time whale oil was most valuable commodity exported from Hobart.
1831: His wife died.
1834: His ship Australian was wrecked.
1834: Kelly subdivided his land in Battery Point for workers in the whaling industry. The main industry in Hobart.
1840: Kelly’s steps were built. Steep and constructed of sandstone, the stairs connect Kelly Street and Arthur Circus to Salamanca Place.
They have an inscription stone dated 1840 with the initials JK, referring to Captain James Kelly.
1841: His eldest son was killed by New Zealand Maori.
1859: James Kelly, better known as Captain Kelly, died suddenly. He dropped down dead in the street.
At about ten o’clock Mr. Kelly, who held the office of wharfinger, left his residence as usual to proceed to the New Wharf, and when near the junction of Liverpool and Argyle-street, he was seen to stagger and fall.
His name was the most well known in the colony. He was the main pilot of the port of Hobart. He was a welcome sight after a long voyage and he often boarded the arriving ship with a present from his farm at Bruny Island.
He had his name engraved next to his wife’s name on a stone in St David’s cemetery. He used to say: All filled up but the date.
Photo: His house. No longer present.
Photo: His steps. Present.