J H ( Jack) Whereat 1862-1938
John Hawkins Whereat arrived in Brisbane from England as a boy of 11 with his parents and soon discovered sailing on the Brisbane River. He owned several boats from a 15-footer named Bridesmaid in which he won the Southport Regatta in 1882 to a 21 or 22-footer Vendetta which he campaigned successfully from 1883 to 1888. He established a reputation as a top skipper, and in 1889 he headed a syndicate which engaged boatbuilder H McCleer of Breakfast Point to build the 22-footer Bulletin in which he immediately began to win races. To this point he had been working as a carpenter and joiner, and may have had a hand in building Bulletin because soon afterwards he set up a boatshed on Quay St Bulimba and began to build boats. A flood in February 1893 destroyed the shed and an 18-footer under construction, but Jack rebuilt and established a business that built open boats, yachts, fishing boats and motor launches.
Bulletin represented Queensland in the first Intercolonial Challenge in Brisbane in 1894. There were only two races, neither of which was designated as a Championship. Whereat won the first in Bulletin, and the second was won by Irex from NSW, so honours were evenly divided. Bulletin competed in every Intercolonial Challenge until the last one in 1899. Whereat also built an 18-footer Vera (named after his daughter) in 1895 which also competed in the Challenges from then on. Whereat retained ownership of Vera until 1899 and sailed it regularly in local races, and also sailed Bulletin regularly until sold in 1898 (but he still skippered in the Intercolonial Challenge of 1899).
John Hawkins Whereat arrived in Brisbane from England as a boy of 11 with his parents and soon discovered sailing on the Brisbane River. He owned several boats from a 15-footer named Bridesmaid in which he won the Southport Regatta in 1882 to a 21 or 22-footer Vendetta which he campaigned successfully from 1883 to 1888. He established a reputation as a top skipper, and in 1889 he headed a syndicate which engaged boatbuilder H McCleer of Breakfast Point to build the 22-footer Bulletin in which he immediately began to win races. To this point he had been working as a carpenter and joiner, and may have had a hand in building Bulletin because soon afterwards he set up a boatshed on Quay St Bulimba and began to build boats. A flood in February 1893 destroyed the shed and an 18-footer under construction, but Jack rebuilt and established a business that built open boats, yachts, fishing boats and motor launches.
Bulletin represented Queensland in the first Intercolonial Challenge in Brisbane in 1894. There were only two races, neither of which was designated as a Championship. Whereat won the first in Bulletin, and the second was won by Irex from NSW, so honours were evenly divided. Bulletin competed in every Intercolonial Challenge until the last one in 1899. Whereat also built an 18-footer Vera (named after his daughter) in 1895 which also competed in the Challenges from then on. Whereat retained ownership of Vera until 1899 and sailed it regularly in local races, and also sailed Bulletin regularly until sold in 1898 (but he still skippered in the Intercolonial Challenge of 1899).
Bulletin, built by H McCleer in 1889. Billy Golding maintained that he had sold McCleer the moulds.
One of the magnificent trophies won by Jack Whereat, this one presented by Mark Foy. This is still in the possession of the family. Colin Johnson (who made the model of Commonwealth at the SFS) is Jack Whereat’s Great Grandson
In the first decade of the 20th Century Jack appears to have concentrated his sailing efforts on a class of dinghy known as the dinghy raters, based on an American design of around 12 feet. Jack and his son Alfred (known as Toby) who had joined the boatbuilding business built the first 5 of the fleet and may have built others as the fleet reached at least 10 boats. They both competed as skippers in boats named Mist and Maud. Toby also built and steered the 10-footers Jessie and Vera. The business continued to pump out a range of boats up to small passenger ferries.
A painting of Jack’s 18-footer Vera from Colin Johnson’s collection.
AJ (Toby)’s sailing career will get more attention soon, but a brief summary is that he built and skippered several champion 16-foot skiffs from around 1920 including becoming multiple Australian Champion, and was the pioneer in removing the built heel from the 16-foot skiffs. He carried this principle into building the 18-footer Aberdare in 1932 which revolutionised 18-footer sailing. Both Jack and Toby were involved in building and sailing boats of the 21-foot restricted class, building 9 of the fleet, the third of which Moongalba Jack built for himself. Several of the boats were to Jack’s own design, including Gwylan the only boat to win the Forster Cup for Queensland, in 1934.
Toby became ill just before the 18-footer Aberdare was launched and died in December 1932 soon after commencing to build The Mistake on similar lines. Jack and employee Lance Watts completed the boat. Jack continued to build boats for several more years, until his death in 1938 at the age of 75.
Toby became ill just before the 18-footer Aberdare was launched and died in December 1932 soon after commencing to build The Mistake on similar lines. Jack and employee Lance Watts completed the boat. Jack continued to build boats for several more years, until his death in 1938 at the age of 75.
The original half-hull model of the 21-ft restricted class yacht Caress (I), designed and built by Jack Whereat.
Another trophy won by Bulletin in 1894.