James Underwood (businessman)
James Underwood | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Bermondsey, London, England |
| Died | February 10, 1844 (aged 72) Tulse Hill, South London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Shipbuilder, merchant, distiller |
| Years active | late 18th century – 1840 |
| Known for | Co-owner of merchant vessel Diana; founder of Kable & Underwood trading enterprise; key player in New South Wales sealing industry; founder of Commercial Society of Sydney; member of Standing Committee of Emancipated Colonists |
James Underwood (born 4 September 1771 – died 10 February 1844) was a distinguished Australian shipbuilder, merchant, and distiller. Originating from Bermondsey, London, he was sent to Australia as a convicted criminal in 1790. He acquired his shipwright skills in Sydney and, by 1799, became co-owner of the merchant vessel Diana. Together with Henry Kable, he established the trading enterprise Kable & Underwood, deploying Diana for seal hunting operations in the Bass Strait. Their fleet also featured the trading ships Hannah and Sally and the whaling ship Sydney Cove (252 tons).
Underwood diversified into transporting coal and sandalwood, expanded his fleet, and formed a partnership with Simeon Lord. Among the ships he constructed were the 200-tonne King George and the Casuarina, which was acquired by French explorer Nicolas Baudin. As a key player in New South Wales’ sealing industry, he employed more than sixty workers and exported approximately 30,000 pelts annually. After marketing over 120,000 skins in London, he purchased Lord’s stake in their joint ventures.
Upon returning to New South Wales, Underwood launched a coffee lounge, contributed to founding the Commercial Society of Sydney, and became a member of the Standing Committee of Emancipated Colonists. He was among the select merchants importing goods from Europe and India. Partnering initially to establish a distillery, he eventually bought out his associates. The success of his enterprises enabled him to construct a homestead considered one of Sydney’s most elegant.
He retired to England in 1840 and passed away four years later in Tulse Hill, south London. Married twice, Underwood fathered seven children, with two dying during infancy.