Amey [Emma] CROOK, daughter of Joseph CROOK (c. 1760-1828) and Elizabeth J BRIDGENS (c. 1769-1841), was born on 9 May 1803 in London, England. She was baptised on 15 May 1805 in Saint Matthew, Bethnal Green, London, England.¹ She died on 23 Nov 1819 in East Island, Kent Group of Islands, Bass Strait, Tasmania, Australia.^{2 3} She was buried in 1819 in Perhaps body lost in wreckage in Murray Passage, kent group.⁴

For the most expansive report of the tragedy of Emma/Amey Crook, read "Amey Crook: Drowning tragedy in Bass Strait PDF".

Christening Name: 1805, Amey Crook.

"The "Duke of Portland", a convict ship of male prisoners, sailed in the company of the storeship "Young William", carrying Cargo, New Settlers and Visitors and a regiment of Soldiers. Joseph's family had been able to secure passage on the "Young William" to come to Australia and be close to husband and father Joseph. They included his wife Elizabeth, sons John and Henry, and daughters Elizabeth Margaret, Sarah, and Emma. They are all listed as individual adults travelling except for Henry and Emma who are listed as two children travelling with their mother Elizabeth Crook."

"Emma sailed aboard the ship Daphne against her mothers will [re-court case re Robert Murray 1819], the term abduction was used of Assistant Superintendent of Police Robert L Murray taking Emma Crook aboard the 'Daphne' against Government orders, the ship sailed for Calcutta, India, sailing via Bass Strait stopping at several islands to purchase sealskins from sealers in the area. On 26 October a gale rose and Captain Howard sheltered in the lee of East Island. [near Deal Island of the coast of Tasmania]. Howard went ashore probably to find sealers. On arriving on shore he noticed that the Daphne was being driven towards the rocks. He returned on board but could do little to save the brig. He therefore ordered the passengers and crew to abandon ship. The passengers made it to shore safely but the Daphne was totally destroyed. The longboat was badly damaged and it took Howard and his crew some eight days to repair it. He then took his chief mate and three seamen and headed to Launceston on 4 August. Blown off course he eventually made Hobart on the 14th of November 1819 where he chartered the sloop Governor Sorell to rescue the eight passengers and crew remaining on East Island. The sloop 'Governor Sorell' set out to rescue the survivors, but disappeared without trace. Meanwhile, the schooner 'John Palmer' led by Captain Bastian, arrived at the site of the shipwrecked Daphne at East Island in the Kent Group on 23 November 1819 where it picked up three passengers from the Daphne, including Emma Crook, and a Lascar seaman. For reasons unknown the ship also picked up a bag of coin containing 400 pounds from the Daphne. As the ship attempted to beat out of the bay the ship was driven onto the rocks and became a total wreck. Emma Crook drowned, but the remaining sailors and passengers made it to shore. So it was several months before all the survivors were rescued"

Further..(About the 'John Palmer') " Vessel came across the wreck of the DAPHNE at the Kent Group, salvaged some gear and cargo and 4 passengers. Vessel wrecked while beating out of Murray Pass, with one crew and one passenger drowned. Survivors reached Launceston in boats. Wrecked: Deal Island [Kent Group]"

Also see Source 350 ,Source 351and 419

Another perspective from the shipowner's point of view:

1819 Daphne. One of Tasmanias most unfortunate early shipowners must surely have been Captain John Howard, for whom the year 1819 brought a series of disasters culminating in his death and the loss of three ships in Bass Strait. Arriving at Hobart as the master of the ship Duke of Wellington, on 22 October 1817, he had later taken over the European Store at Macquarie Point, Hobart and purchased the schooner Henrietta Packet, for the Sydney trade. The first sea going vessel built in Tasmania, the vessel was soon lengthened and renamed Young Lachlan. However on 27 February 1819 the Young Lachlan, was seized by a party of thirteen convicts, who escaped to Java in her. Three months later, Howard learned that the stock he had consigned on board the Duke of Wellington, for Mauritius had all died. He had just purchased the brig Daphne, at Sydney, and now resolved to rebuild his fortunes by selling his local assets and acquiring a cargo of seal skins for the Indian market. The Daphne sailed from Sydney for the Bass Straits Islands on the 10th. October 1819, and arrived at the Kent Group on the 26th. to shelter 35 from heavy westerly gales. Captain Howard and many of his crew went ashore in the longboat, and then noticed that the brig was dragging its anchors. By the time too order to veer out more cable had reached the ship, she was to close to the rocks for this to be done, and all hands left her in the boats. Shortly afterwards the Daphne went onto the rocks and broke up in ten minutes. The longboat managed to recover a cask of flour and some pieces of salt beef, which was all that could be recovered from the wreck. On 4 November, Howard, the chief officer and three crew left in the longboat for Port Dalrymple. They were blown eastwards by heavy gales and then headed for Hobart, where they arrived on the 14th. Howard then chartered the sloop Governor Sorell to assist those left at the Kent Group. 1819 John Palmer. On the 21st. November 1819, the schooner John Palmer on a voyage from Launceston to the Bass Strait Islands, probably sealing, put into the Kent Group to shelter from heavy gales. The eight castaways from the Daphne including two women passengers were located and four were taken on board, along with a bag of 400 dollars belonging to Captain Howard, bringing to fourteen the total complement of the schooner. While beating out of Murrays Pass two days later, however, the schooner mis-stayed and went onto the rocks at East Island. Like the Daphne four weeks earlier the Daphnes passengers as well as Captain Howards dollars were lost. The two groups of castaways did not get back together again, and the schooners Master, Captain Bastian, the owner, and part of the crew later reached Launceston in one of the boats^{1,3,4,5,6,7,8}.