Recently, a member of the Docking family kindly donated a photograph of their ancestor, Jack Schumann, to the Albany Historical Society. Seeing him kitted out in diving gear from yesteryear, my interest was kindled and I was inspired to research Jack’s life and share his remarkable story with you.

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Official records record Jack’s name as John however he was fondly known as Jack. Jack was a colourful Albany identity in the late 1800’s and into the 1900’s. Well respected and valued for his advice on diving and matters concerning aspects of maritime life.

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Jack’s stories of his adventures at sea held his listeners captive and with a decided twinkle in his friendly eyes, Jack reminisced about his sea faring days.  Where there has been varying accounts surrounding Jack’s life, I shall endeavour to enlighten the reader with particulars I have examined.

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‘Trove’ provides details of an interview held with Jack on 16th November 1939 which has been a prime source of information. To me, it is vital that individuals like Jack are not forgotten from Albany’s history hence the notion to write this article and share with a wider audience.

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So let us begin with Jack’s beginnings in Germany where he was born on 6th August 1867 in Weimar. Jack’s name was Johann Henry Carl Ludwig Schumann. Johann is the German equivalent of ‘John,’ and he became known as Jack here in Australia. By the age of ten, Jack was already at sea in a German barque of 700 tons calling into various European ports over a twelve month period. Apparently, Jack jumped from ship to ship trying his chances and exploring the world with each port he sailed into.

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Returning to his fanatically religious home, Jack’s father was none too impressed when Jack celebrated his homecoming with a tipple of rum. Jack having acquired a taste for the ‘pick-me-up’ during his time at sea! Three weeks later Jack had returned to sea and this time was landlocked in the frozen waters at Copenhagen in a Danish sloop.

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Jack was soon back on a multiple of voyages and experienced three shipwrecks in the Baltic Sea and North Sea, respectively. In 1882, Jack made his voyage in the steam powered vessel, General Wardar, (3,000 tons) from Southampton to Alexandria in Egypt. Jack arrived on the eve of the bombardment of the forts in Alexandria. Having got the troops safely ashore, the ship General Wardar was ordered to standby at sea while the battle raged. Jack witnessed the combat firsthand from a safe distance off shore. The British had chartered the General Wardar from Germany to transport 1,500 troops during the Anglo-Egyptian conflict of 11th July – 13th July 1882.

 

Jack had begun his diving career at the tender age of fifteen while he was in Norway. Initially Jack wondered if he would like the experience and so began Jack’s long diving profession. A little while later, Jack was on hand in Mauritius to assist with the recovery of machinery which had sunk overboard. Jack states that this was his deepest dive of 21 fathoms or 126 feet. He received ‘a tenner’ as payment for his diving services.

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Then in 1885, Jack was in Melbourne and still a young man in his late teens. Joining the construction firm of David Munro, the contractor assigned to build Prince’s Bridge over the Yarra River, Jack dived five days a week. Injury forced Jack to terminate his employment, and he left for Brisbane. Leaving Brisbane shortly after his arrival, Jack travelled inland and decided to try his hand at horse breaking on a station, even though he had never ridden a horse beforehand! Working tirelessly, Jack made ready horses for the Indian market enduring numerous tussles with the horses and suffering many a bruise and scrape.

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Moving on, Jack went to Broken Hill for three months and then in 1889 sailed to the shores of Albany. Choosing to have a go at something else, Jack travelled to Jarrahdale and was employed at the saw mill for a period. Relocating back to Albany, Jack assisted the pilot boats and then commenced bricklaying for a few months. Jack certainly had a passion for trying something new, a real sense of adventure must have been in his veins.

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Come the 1890’s, and the Coolgardie gold rush was in full swing, Jack took himself to the goldfields to try his luck. Returning to Albany by 1893, Jack was given the task of overseeing a smallpox patient, Ike Allen. This was at the request of well known Albany doctor, Dr Frederick Ingoldby.

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The patient, who had contracted smallpox in Perth, had recently arrived in Albany. The sick man had been isolated to Grasmere, about eight miles from Albany and his recovery seemed almost hopeless. Jack was requested to prepare a coffin and dig a grave. Using cut slabs of jarrah, Jack set to work and when finished, reckoned he had made a fine, sturdy coffin. 

 

Treatment for the ailing man was a feather dipped in carbolic oil and placed up the nostrils. Amazingly, Ike Allen recovered and as Jack said jokingly, “cheated us thanks to our drastic treatment.” Sometime later, Jack happened to meet Ike Allen in Perth and the pair had much to discuss.

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In 1893 or 1894, records differ, Jack wed Albany lady Mary Elizabeth Mooney at Scots Church in Albany. They had eleven children: eight daughters and three sons. (Another account states eleven daughters and I did read elsewhere that there were thirteen offspring).  Jack returned to diving once again in order to have a steady income to provide for the family. One of his first assignments was to retrieve a beacon in thirty-six feet of water in the Albany channel, which was successful.

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Then Jack salvaged pearl shell that had been lost when being transferred from a north-west schooner to a mail boat in the harbour. Another remarkable feat of Jack was laying the underwater cable from the mainland to the Breaksea Lighthouse. This was an enormous undertaking yet once more, typical of Jack, he took everything in his stride and carried out the work.

This was the catalyst that cemented Jack’s name in Albany and beyond too. In maritime circles, the mention of the name ‘Jack Schumann’ was instantly spoken of with awe and the highest of respect.

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Jack claimed he had never encountered a shark, yet he admitted to having quite a battle with an “old-man octopus” while diving. It’s worth noting that Jack’s diving gear was immensely heavy and cumbersome, severely restricting his movement. His vision was extremely limited, which makes it all the more remarkable how skillfully he managed to manoeuvre underwater. Jack was adept at applying his hard-earned skills to any situation and had the ability to remain calm when under intense pressure.

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A near death diving experience just prior to World War 1 (1914-1918) saw Jack fighting for his life. Commissioned to dive and search for the anchor from the steamship Katoomba, which made regular visits to Albany; Jack was diving at the Deepwater Jetty when the pump providing oxygen to Jack failed. When brought to the surface, Jack was black in the face and near death from oxygen starvation. This was on a Monday and typical of Jack’s tenacity, he returned to work on Friday.

 

Next in Jack’s long list of maritime adventures was the treacherous work Jack had to perform when the ship, Dunster Castle, ran aground on 7th July 1916. This took place six miles west of Shoal Cape at remote Fanny Cove about 86 kilometres by today’s National Route 1 from Esperance.

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A salvage operation was commenced, and Jack had the onerous commission of securing a line from the stranded Dunster Castle to the Government owned vessel, Eucla. The idea was to pull the Dunster Castle off the beach and refloat the vessel, but the weather was against the bold venture. The elements were perilous and only the foolhardy would attempt such a gamble.

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Jack was ready for the challenge as no one else would risk their lives but characteristic of Jack’s determination, he once more rose to the occasion. Disaster struck quickly when the boat Jack was in capsized in the heavy waves and Jack was swept into the sea. The boat was hauled back to the Eucla, leaving Jack fighting for his life in horrendous conditions. The currents were strong and the violent waves consumed Jack continuously. The sea wanted to claim another victim by dragging Jack down into oblivion, but Jack persisted.

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Thankfully, Jack miraculously managed to get himself ashore and lived another day albeit a very close encounter with death. Jack’s career also took him to Middle Island in the Recherche Archipelago about 120 kilometres south-east of Esperance. This occurred in 1920, when the ship, Penguin hit a reef and was wrecked. The ship’s captain, Captain Talbot had been requested to assess the potential of fishing grounds for the State Government. Captain Talbot was attempting to avoid a tumultuous storm, but the elements overcame the valiant crew, and the Penguin was doomed.

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Requested to salvage goods valued at approximately 2,000 pounds, Jack dived into action and retrieved the items. Jack went onto explain that he had assisted many a ship in Albany harbour with broken propellers, mending holes and a variety of other underwater work he courageously carried out.

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One such incident occurred when the ship, Janus limped into Albany port with an onboard fire still ablaze. The ship’s condenser hose had been badly damaged and Jack was called in to dive below and remedy the hose break. Jack was in thirty feet of water and this was his longest time underwater of 4 hours and 20 minutes. Drownings were a common occurrence in Albany’s harbour and Jack was required to locate many a body so it could be brought to the surface.

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In 1925, whilst Jack was diving to repair the Commonwealth Government bucket ladder dredger, Sir William Mathews in Albany port, he contracted a chill which led to chronic bronchitis. This affliction never left Jack which plagued his normally robust health until his death. Additionally, Jack’s eyesight was effected from this dive and as Jack stated, ‘the old helmet and I have now dissolved partnership.’

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Surely a man of determination and grit, Jack Schumann is highly regarded in maritime circles, not just in Albany but throughout Australia. Jack’s diving prowess was second to none hence he was constantly in demand and Jack rose to each occasion succeeding expectations.

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Jack Schumann passed away in Albany in 1954, sorely missed by his large family. His beloved wife, Mary, had passed away several years earlier.

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I hope you have enjoyed learning about Jack. I, for one, would have been deeply humbled to meet such an intrepid man and hear firsthand about his colourful diving and sailing adventures.