Henry Waterhouse

Captain Henry Waterhouse (13 December 1770 – 27 July 1812) was a naval officer of the Royal Navy who became an early settler in the Colony of New South Wales. He imported the first Spanish merino’s to the colony, whose wool became one of the best exports of the colony.

Henry Waterhouse
Born(1770-12-13)13 December 1770
Westminster, London, England
Died27 July 1812(1812-07-27) (aged 41)
Westminster, London, England
Buried
St John's, Westminster
Service/branchRoyal Navy
RankCaptain
Commands heldHMS Reliance
RelationsGeorge Bass (brother-in-law)

Early Life

Henry Waterhouse was the eldest son born to William and Susanna Waterhouse (née. Brewer) at Westminster, London, England on 13 December 1770.[1][2] William was a page to Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn. Henry was named for the Prince whom was also named as his godfather.[3]

In 1782 William secured his son a position in navy with Captain James Luttrell, he served under him on the HMS Portland, HMS Mediator and HMS Ganges.[2][3]

New South Wales

In 1786 Waterhouse joined HMS Sirius as a midshipman, after being recommend to Governor Arthur Phillip by Cumberland House. He sailed with the First Fleet to Australia and helped establish the settlement at Sydney Cove.[2] On 2 October 1788 Sirius was sent to pick up supplies from Cape of Good Hope, completing a circumnavigation on its return in March 1789. With third Lieutenant George Maxwell’s behaviour becoming more erratic and bizarre, he was discharged, and Waterhouse promoted to acting third Lieutenant.[2]

Waterhouse was a member of the crew when Sirius was wrecked off Norfolk Island, returning to Sydney Cove on HMS Supply to become an aide to Governor Phillip. He was present at the whale feast with natives at Manly Cove where the Governor was speared in the shoulder, Waterhouse snapped off the shaft and helped the Governor return to the boats.[2] Waterhouse returned to England with the rest of the crew of the Sirius on the Waaksamheyd in 1791.

French Revolution

Acquitted, with the rest of crew, at court-martial for the loss of Sirius and with a letter of recommendation from Governor Phillip, Waterhouse’s promotion to Lieutenant was confirmed July 1792.[2] He was posted to HMS Swallow in 1792 before transferred to HMS Bellerophon in 1793 and served in the battle of the Glorious First of June in 1794.[2]

Return to New South Wales

With former Captain of Sirius John Hunter appointed as the new Governor of New South Wales in 1794, he requested Waterhouse to be commander of the colony’s new ship, so on 25 July 1794 he was promoted to commander of HMS Reliance. Sailing in February 1795 with the new Governor, arriving in Sydney 7 September 1795.[2]

In 1796 he sailed to the Cape Colony to procure livestock for New South Wales and brought back the first Merino sheep to be imported to Australia. Subsequently, he made several voyages to Norfolk Island and was the first person to chart the Antipodes Islands in 1800.[2][4]

Later life

Waterhouse returned to Britain in 1800, promoted Captain 25 October 1800. Lived most of the rest of his life near Rochester, Kent. Waterhouse died at his father’s home Smith Street Westminster and was buried on 5 August 1812 at St John the Evangelist, Westminster.[1]

He is commemorated in the name of Waterhouse Island in north-eastern Tasmania.

Family

Waterhouse was witness to his sister Elizabeth (born 14 June 1768)[1] married his friend and associate, naval surgeon George Bass.[3]

He never married, though he had an illegitimate daughter Maria Waterhouse (1791–1875) who was born in Sydney to convict Elizabeth Barnes (1767–1794).[2][5] With the death of her mother and his return to the colony, Waterhouse arranged for Maria to be sent to live with his father in London. She was taken to England by the Lieutenant Governor William Paterson and his wife.[2]

See also

References
  1. Parish Records of St. James Church, Westminster, 1723–1786. Family History Library, Salt Lake City. Micro Film reel #1042308
  2. Parsons, Vivienne (1967). Waterhouse, Henry (1770–1812). Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  3. "William Waterhouse – Letters written by Henry Waterhouse to his father, 1788–1801; and other papers, 1782–1803". State Library of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  4. Dunmore, John (1991). Who's Who in Pacific Navigation. University of Hawai’i Press. pp. 264–5. doi:10.2307/j.ctvp7d58v.28. S2CID 242331973.
  5. "Waterhouse, Maria (1791–1875)". People Australia. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
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