Martin Islet (New South Wales)

Island in New South Wales, Australia

Martin Islet (34°29′S 150°56′E﻿ / ﻿34.483°S 150.933°E﻿ / -34.483; 150.933[1]) is a small island lying just off Red Point, Port Kembla in New South Wales, Australia.

## William Martin

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The Five Islands, of which Martin Islet is one, were named Martins Isles by Matthew Flinders and George Bass after Bass's navy servant William Martin.[2] Martin was part of their three-man crew when they anchored by the island on 25 March 1796 in the Tom Thumb, having been swept a long way off-course on their way to Port Hacking.[3][4]

Little is known of Martin's life. Born December 31, 1870 in Dartford, he was baptised on March 4, 1781. He was the son of John and Ann Martin. [5] In 1794, he was employed by the navy as a loblolly boy (personal servant) to Bass who was the surgeon on board HMS Reliance for her voyage to Australia. Martin was still with Bass in 1799 at age 18 when Bass left the navy, [6] but at that point record of him ends.

William Martin as the [medical] servant to George Bass RN surgeon, on 15.02.1795 sailed on HMS Reliance bound for Port Jackson, New South Wales, arriving on 08.09.1795. On the 29.05.1799, George Bass sailed on the Nautilus to Macao, China and then from Bombay, India sailed on the East India Company Woodford to England arriving on 04.08.1800. It is not known if William Martin returned to England with George Bass.

## References

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1. ^ Martin Islet page Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine at Geoscience Australia
2. ^ Flinders, Matthew. "Narrative of expeditions along the coast of New South Wales, for the further discovery of its harbours from the year 1795 to 1799". p. 15\. Archived from the original on 2012-06-03. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
3. ^
* The Life of Captain Matthew Flinders, by Ernest Scott at Project Gutenberg, quoting Flinders' journal
4. ^ Estensen, Miriam (2005). The Life of George Bass. Allen and Unwin. ISBN 1-74114-130-3.
5. ^ "Parish records (Archdeaconry of Rochester) / Dartford Holy Trinity parish records P110, Register of baptisms, births and burials". Medway Council. p. 6.
6. ^ Muster-Table records of HMS Reliance: both George Bass and William Martin were discharged [at Port Jackson] from the navy on May 26, 1799

5\. The National Archives UK [Muster-Table Record HMS Reliance.

6\. The Journey of Tom Thumb II Bass and Flinders explore the Illawarra Coast - March 1796. Written and illustrated by Christine Hill - 2016 - ISBN 9780994470515

7\. The Lone Hand, 01.07.1913 - The Tom Thumb: Her voyages, by J. H. M. Abbott - State Library NSW https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/234029811

8\. Matthew Flinders' Narrative of Tom Thumb's Cruise to Canoe Rivulet - Edited by Keith Bowden - 1985 - South Eastern Historical Association, Victoria, Australia. ISBN 0 9500915 10