| 12. |  SMALE Isaac was born Abt 1833, North Tamerton CON (son of SMALE Thomas and SHAPLIN Grace); died 8 Feb 1923, Bungaree VIC; was buried Feb 1923, Port Fairy Cemetery, Port Fairy VIC. Other Events:
- _UID: 0FA69D0BB39A4CACBC4248A3CEF3A03D29F0
- Baptism: 29 Dec 1833, North Tamerton CON
- Census: 6 Jun 1841, Inclined Plane, North Tamerton CON
- Census: 30 Mar 1851, 12 Mill Pleasant, Devonport DEV
- Occupation: 30 Mar 1851, 12 Mill Pleasant, Devonport DEV; Stonemason / Diver
- Occupation: Abt 1855; Diver
- Immigration: 1875, VIC aboard the "Nubia"
Notes:
Employed variously as a diver in the Channel Islands, Dover KEN and in India working as a clearance diver for P & O. Also known to have dived for pearls off the coast of Northern Australia. Eventually settled at Port Fairy VIC where he was also known as a diver. It is believed that he was still an active diver not long before he died so he was probably the oldest diver in the world, particularly when it is considered in the light of the fact that divers did not have a very long life expectancy. At his death an obituary appeared in the Melbourne Herald newspaper, so his exploits must have been well known.
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Geelong Advertiser, 21 April, 1875
As we hear some difficulty is being met with in obtaining really experienced and trustworthy divers for the work required at the Blencathra and other wrecks it may be mentioned that one of the most experienced divers in the P & O service, Mr. Smale, is now on a visit to his brother of the Barrabool Hills. Mr. Smale has been 15 years in the service of the P & O company and has had 20 years experience as a diver. It was he who recovered the mails from the Rangoon after she had foundered.
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Geelong Advertiser, 15 November, 1875
J. SMALE, PEARL FISHERMAN
THE PEARL FISHERIES
Some time ago it will be remembered, it was announced that Mr. J.
Smale, a diver of considerable experience and the brother of
Mr. T. Smale of the Barrabool Hills had arrived from England and had been engaged for the Pearl Fisheries in Torres Straits. The following letter which was received from him on Friday will be read with interest:-
"Cutter Peveril" Torres Straits, Oct. 15th.
Dear Sir,
Knowing how great the interest you take in our doings here in Torres Straits, I have ventured to give you a short account of my "experiences" since I left your pretty little town of Geelong. I left Sydney in the Peveril on the 19th. June last and after a long and tedious passage of 39 days we arrived safe and sound at Somerset, Cape York, having had to call in at Cardwell to repair damages sustained in a heavy gale. We remained only a few days at Cardwell which is certainly not the place in which I would choose to dwell as it is but a small place, intensely hot and sandy. But I shall ever look back to my sojourn there with feelings of pleasure for, though a perfect stranger, I was most hospitably entertained. "They took me in" in the best sense of the words. In an attempt to pourtray [sic] the scenery between Cardwell and Somerset would be a task to which I do not feel at all equal. We were constantly passing Islands, rocks and sandbanks in the sea and mountains raising there [sic] lofty heads some thousands of feet into the clouds on the mainland, the people of Queensland may well boast of their mountain scenery, it is something magnificent. Some of the islands also rose a considerable height from the sea level and most of them were covered with verdure of the richest shades of green, even some of the sandbanks were similarly clothed and could boast of trees notwithstanding the sea was constantly washing over them, strange but true. Added to this the islands were indented with beautiful little bays which afford safe havens in all weathers and, as the navigation was too intricate, in these bays we constantly sought shelter at night. When time permitted I put on my diving dress and went in for submarine exploration, the scenery of the deep however, as a rule disappointed me, although I sometimes found my lines cast in pretty places, the scarcity of fish fairly taking me by surprise. However, as I have before stated, we arrived in due course at Somerset, which, I should think, is a very healthy place. The settlement, however, is, I believe, about to be shifted to one of the islands down here, as this will be much more convenient for us pearl fishers. And now with respect to the Pearl Fisheries, there are in these Straits about 50 boats employed, averaging about 3 tons each. Thirty of these carry a diver and apparatus, some two, and they belong to various firms in Sydney and Melbourne, most of the boats have a crew of 5 men besides the diver, the crews being chiefly South Sea Islanders and fine fellows they are in boats, I can assure you, the craft being kept clean as a new pin, indeed a stranger would take them for gentlemen's yachts. There are hundreds of square miles of fishing grounds and although but few shells are being got up at present, there is undoubtedly a rich field for enterprise. The vessels forming "the station" for the boats are moored here and there under the lee of this or that island and the boats are generally absent about a fortnight at a time. When, however, we leave our ship we never know where the search for pearls will take us before we return, a roving commission being granted us, as it is all free selection, there are no vested rights, nor is the residence clause insisted upon. We let go our anchor in the most likely place, and down goes the diver. I have been diving for over 21 years, but I have been over more ground under the water since I have been here than during the whole of my career, but then my former operations have consisted in building foundations for breakwaters etc., blowing up wrecks, blasting rocks, raising sunken vessels, etc. etc. and these operations have of course been confined to certain localities. The depth of water here is from 5 to 10 fathoms and the scenery at the bottom is splendid, the surface is tolerably regular, studded here and there with coral monuments of various hues, intermixed with the far tree and other vegetation, the colours of which are beautifully displayed in the great deep. Sometimes, however, I have had to cross blocks of granite strewn about indiscriminately or piled up like so many cairns. Then again, I have fallen in with caves and caverns which would have delighted the heart of a hermit, and in these I have seen some strange looking denizens in the shape of shell fish. Here, as contrasted with the waters inspected on our voyage, we always have plenty of company under the water, in the shape of fish, some of which are very pretty, while other ugly brutes remind you of the fictions of "Verne" and "Victor Hugo". I was enjoying a long walk through one of the channels a few weeks ago, when I was very much astonished to see a very large alligator in front of me. He must have been over 15 feet long. Now, it is unpleasant enough to drop in with such sort of company on shore, you may guess how I felt when meeting the scaly monster in his own particular realm. He however, did not condescend to notice me; no courtesies were interchanged between us and I - well, I did not resent his want of common politeness more than by "shaking the dust" or rather the water, off my feet as quickly as possible, and retiring to the upper regions. Shortly after this encounter I dropped in with another ugly customer - not a veritable sea serpent but something very like one. I was walking along over a smooth bottom when I saw what appeared to be a very large dead snake. I spurned the reptile with my foot when - whew! - he came at me with a rush. Fortunately my glasses were strong, as it was at these he darted. I drew my knife at him, but he got clear. I have often seen these sorts of things before, but never had one tackle me. Another diver walked slap up to a large shark the other day as it was enjoying a dolce far niente opposite one of the afore mentioned caves, if he did not skedaddle up to the surface again it was a caution to snakes. Such are a few of the sensations we divers have to enjoy. But alligators, snakes and sharks have made me forget all about the 20 boats - 30 of the 50 I have already accounted for. The 20 carry crews of about 14 men each, chiefly natives of the islands in these straits and go where there is shallow water, say about 3 or 4 fathoms. A desirable spot reached, 12 of the crew dart like arrows down through the water cleaving it with great rapidity, and it is highly amusing to see scores of heads bobbing up and down. They obtain large quantities of hacked shell, they work say an hour, then sit smoking their pipes on deck as contentedly as possible. They are splendid divers, can remain under water a long time, and about I shall probably have more to say in my next.
It should be noted that the author of the above letter was not Mr. J. SMALE but Mr. Isaac SMALE. For obscure reasons the Geelong Advertiser used the incorrect initial.
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Baptism:
Residence: North Tamerton
Census:
Issac shown as living with his brother Thomas at 12 Mill Pleasant, Devonport DEV, Occupation: Mason Apprentice.
PRO Ref: HO/107/1882, Folio: 361, Page: 18, FHL Film: 0221031
Isaac married BOLTON Margaret Elizabeth 23 Nov 1852, Holy Trinity Church, Plymouth DEV. Margaret was born Abt 1834, Torpoint CON; died 6 Jan 1906, Port Fairy VIC; was buried Jan 1906, Port Fairy Cemetery, Port Fairy VIC. [Group Sheet]
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1943 - 1981 (38 years)