She was also the last sailing vessel he built.

Between 1891 and 1906 the Stanley faithfully fulfilled her role carrying timber from the Wright sawmills to Sydney.

In June 1906 John Wright sold the Stanley to Sir Brodrick Cecil Denham Arkwright Hartwell Bart (Baronet) and Mr John Henry Broadwood.

Over the next six months John Broadwood, Brodrick Hartwell and Lady Hartwell fitted out the Stanley as a private yacht.

All was not as it seemed, however.

Having left his wife Georgette and his daughter behind in England, Sir Brodrick Hartwell had eloped from England with Jane Chamberlain, wife of Engineer Lieutenant Edgar Chamberlain.

The couple stayed in the Hotel Australia in Sydney and according to official Customs documents, the couple departed on their cruise as Sir Brodrick and Lady Hartwell.

By October 1907, the actual Lady Hartwell had obtained a divorce from her husband Sir Brodrick, on the ground of his adultery.

In addition, a decree nisi was granted in May 1907 in the case in which Edgar Chamberlain, R.N., sued for divorce on the ground of his wife Jane's adultery with Sir Hartwell.

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Having spent six months fitting out the Stanley for its new role, the new owners left from Double Bay in Sydney on December 23, 1906, ostensibly for an extended pleasure cruise among the islands of the Western Pacific.

On January 6, 1907, the schooner Stanley, en-route from Sydney to Noumea, called in at Lord Howe Island to repair damage received at sea during heavy weather encountered on the voyage.

Having completed the repairs, she continued her voyage towards Noumea on January 11.

Just one week later the Stanley was in sight of Middleton Reef some 220km north of Lord Howe Island.

At 11am on January 18, Captain Henderson of the Stanley observed the wreck of a large ship on the south-west corner of Middleton Reef, with her sails set but upper masts gone.

Wind south, strong, increasing, with rain squalls.

At 2pm two boats with the crew from the wreck were sighted.

By 4pm the Stanley had picked up the very thankful crew, 21 in all.

The wind was veering to the south-east, increasing with thick, rainy weather.

The wreck proved to be the barque Annasona, that went on the reef early in the morning of January 18.

The Annasona was bound from Callao to Newcastle.

She was declared to be a total loss and would no doubt break up.

With the crew of the Annasona safe on board, Captain Henderson headed back towards Lord Howe Island - anchoring inside the reef at 6pm on January 24.

Arrangements were made to send the castaways to Sydney by steamer and the Stanley was able to resume her voyage on January 28.

Although Noumea had been indicated as her destination, the Stanley was actually taken back to Middleton Reef.

It transpired that when the Stanley sailed from Sydney, one of the objects of the trip was to search for sunken treasure at Middleton Reef.

Captain Henderson related that the Stanley and her party spent six weeks at the reef.

The Blackball liner Ramsay, travelling from Brisbane to London, was wrecked on Middleton Reef in 1884.

Wool formed the main part of her valuable cargo, and it was salved but the vessel was also supposed to contain a large quantity of copper.

To recover that copper was the mission of those on board the Stanley.

The wreck of the Ramsay was located in seven fathoms of water.

Part of her hull was lying on the reef, while the remainder was far down in the depths.

The diver, who had been taken on board in Sydney, fully explored the wreck, but not a vestige of the copper shipment could be found.

While searching through the wreck the diver discovered two bottles of port wine in a locker.

The bottles appeared intact after being submerged for 23 years, but when opened it was found that saltwater had found its way into them.

This was all that was recovered from the Ramsay, and hopes of securing her sunken treasure were abandoned.

With the disappointing outcome of the search for treasure on the Ramsay, attention turned to the Annasona.

Captain Henderson reported: "The new wreck has broken open in several places, and at high tide the water flows in and out of her. Her ballast has been washed out in places. The mainmast was still standing in a toppling condition when we left, but goodness knows how long that will remain upright. Yes, we got a good deal of stuff out of the Annasona. I dare say we secured about £700 worth of sails, anchors, chains, and various other things, and these are all aboard the Stanley now. We spent six weeks knocking about the Middleton Reef, collecting salvage. During the six weeks' salvage operation the Stanley was washed onto the surrounding reef and the keel was damaged."

The Stanley returned to Sydney on April 5, 1907 and was subsequently sold and taken to Napier, New Zealand.

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