'Lady Hampden', 1943

The 'Lady Hampden' was the fourth ferry commissioned in a series of 'Lady' vessels (after the 'Lady Mary' 1892; 'Lady Napier' 1892 and 'Lady Manning' 1893) for use on Sydney Harbour. These were propellor-driven ferries that replaced earlier paddlewheel ferries.

The ‘Lady Hampden’ was built at Balmain in 1896 and was the only ‘Lady' class ferry that did not have its single funnel in the centre of the vessel.

She was sold to the Royal Australian Navy and, during World War II was anchored off Jervis Bay to act as a decoy.

During a storm in 1943 she broke away from her moorings and was driven ashore on Callala Reef where, evidently, she broke up. The navy, however, claimed she was sunk whilst being used as a naval target!

(Her sister ship, the ‘Lady Denman’ is now an exhibit at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum.)