Devitt and Moore

Devitt & Moore, the London ship-brokers, became ship-owners in 1863, and entered the passenger and cargo trade to Australia. In that year it was announced that they were having a new ship built at Sunderland by William Pile expressly for the South Australian trade. This was the 791-ton City of Adelaide.

Devitt & Moore were identified consistently as the registered owners of the City of Adelaide, but technically they were the managing company. When Devitt died in 1860, Moore included their sons Thomas L. Devitt and Joseph Moore jnr. as partners in the firm. It was Joseph Moore snr. who, as an individual, was the syndicate member holding a quarter share in the ship. The other three equal shares were owned by Port Adelaide shipping agents the Harrold Brothers, Adelaide businessman Henry Martin and the ship's first master Scotsman David Bruce.