The Merksworth was an iron steamer screw built in 1874 at, Paisley, that was wrecked when it swamped whilst carrying coal between Newcastle and Sydney and was lost off Stockton Beach on 7 May 1898.

This was the most important item in the instructions of the directors in sending for a vessel that could convey or bring from Morpeth, on the Hunter River, a large cargo on a given draught, and they have been most fortunate in securing a suitable craft in so short a time.

Having watered, etc, she left again on the 18th January, and ran down her easting on a parallel between latitude 39° and 42° S, with moderate winds and weather, passing the meridian of Cape Otway on 21st instant.

On Sunday night the Merksworth, the first of these, arrived at Morpeth, and commenced to load Anvil Creek coal on Monday morning at six o'clock.

She left Wollongong on the 12th, and on the 14th a tremendous gale set in attended with a high cross sea, in which she laboured heavily, and shipped a great deal of water.

At 4 p.m. Captain Owen managed to get the vessel before the sea, and with the valuable assistance Mr. Miller, the chief engineer, the cover of the steam heater was placed over the flue, and one of the ventilators was used as a funnel.

At 2 a.m. On the 17th another muzzier in the shape of a hard south-west gale was encountered, and, there being a high sea on, great quantities of water were shipped, and little or no headway was made.

A Day after this incident the steam collier Merksworth ran onto the South Reef in Port Jackson at night, and received some damage causing the vessel to be beached at Watsons Bay, and then refloated and towed into dock for repairs.

After the accident McKellar did not appear to be much injured, but the next day as the vessel was about to go to sea, the master deemed it advisable to have him removed as he was considered as very dull in his manner.

Whether the engines were not stopped in time or the vessel failed to answer her helm is not known, but the Merksworth instead, of slowing forged slowly ahead and struck the Illawarra on the forward sponson, which was crushed and caused a dent in one or two plates.

[13] During this refit a boilermaker named Thomas Harrison, aged 21 years, residing in Wentworth Park-road, Glebe, was working at the side of the steamer, cutting rivets, when a piece of iron flew off and destroyed the sight of his left eye.

[17] Friday 18 December 1896, The Ferry Manly struck a sliding blow with the collier Merksworth which commenced to promptly start sinking Between 1 and 2 pm yesterday the steam collier Merksworth, bound from the Wallarah Coal Company’s mine, laden with coal, was heading up the harbour making a course for Miller's Point or somewhere about there, where she usually gets orders as to what wharf or ship she is to discharge her cargo at, when she met with a disastrous collision.

The fact remains that the well-found steam collier the Merksworth received such injury as ended her career for the time being in her particular sphere of usefulness.

The accounts given by some of those who were aboard the Merksworth differ in minor details, though they are unanimous in that they were ahead until the nose of the Manly was poked into the midship part of their ship, smashing the bridge and some of the upper works It came as a surprise, and after realising that they had been struck nobody suggested that the blow was serious until the hissing caused by the inrush of water below into the boiler room was heard, and it came in quickly, for before the Merksworth could reach Kirribilli Point she was doomed, and the best that could be done was done under the circumstances, namely, head her for the nearest land and jam her head there, thus saving risking the lives of the men The other steamer, Manly, was by that time well up tho harbour on her way to the Manly wharf “They hit us on our starboard side," said one of the crew of the Merksworth, “and we didn't think there was much in it, but she has a projecting propeller head, and that must have rammed us underneath" And that is the accepted theory of the cause of the sinking of the Merksworth

All were silent on the ferry-boat when official reports were asked for, but the passengers were less disposed to be reticent "The thing was all done in a moment," said one " There was some whistling and singing out, but the hit was not a loud one, and we really thought the other boat was but little damaged Imagine when, after arriving in the city, we heard that the collier had sunk We had no idea of such a. thing As to who was in the right or the wrong I should be sorry to say Naturally we were a bit scared, and there was some excitement, but nothing very, sensational " On being seen by a reporter, the master of the Manly declined to make a statement

The water police were quickly on the scene Inspector Hyem, in reply to an inquiry, said " It was lucky there were no lives lost We brought ashore eight of the crew, the captain and four others remained by the wreck The men brought their baggage, and they saved the Merksworth cat, s which seemed to have been a sort of pet on board” The Manly, the new Steamer which originally was built for the now Co-operative Company and the name changed subsequent.)

Captain T. A. Capurn, of the harbour steamer Manly, had his certificate suspended for three months owing to the collision with the collier Merkswerth in the harbor.

half N. course, and when abreast of the spot where the Adderley was wrecked only last year the Merksworth was sighted drifting steadily but surely towards the fatal beach.

Although it was very evident that the collier had been abandoned it was deemed prudent to make assurance doubly sure, and the lifeboat was towed in a circle round the scene of the disaster with a view to rescuing anyone who might perchance be aboard.

Had she continued to drift for half an hour longer she would have gone ashore on that portion of Stockton Beach between the scenes of the wrecks of the Adderley and Fitzroy (1897)32°48′12″S 152°03′30″E / 32.80333°S 152.05833°E / -32.80333; 152.05833.

[24] Just 12 weeks after the sinking of the vessel and the death of Robert McIndoe his wife gave birth to a daughter at her residence, 37 Merriman street, Miller's Point on 11 August 1898 [25] While in September 1952 the sole survivor of the ship died He was Mr. Johan Simon Johanson, 82.