A tiny statue stared out over a room full of people celebrating their shared love of yachting. Yet this statue had never engaged in any type of boating. Instead, he had a rifle slung over his shoulders and he was kneeling, ready to shoot. Dressed in a Warders’ uniform, this was the statue that adorned the top of a silver trophy issued in 1890 for the winner of the St Helena Rifle Club’s President’s Cup. In 2026, the room full of people were crowded into the Wynnum/ Manly Yacht Club, celebrating the winners of the 51st year of the St Helena Cup.
The two events were connected by one man, Edwin Cloherty, whose name shone clearly from the name plate of the silver trophy. Edwin worked as a prison warder at the St Helena Penal Establishment from 1883 until 1891 and again from 1895 until 1904. He also he joined the St Helena Rifle Club, a popular choice for many warders as it offered two advantages – 1. Warders were able to socialise and entertain themselves practicing in their leisure time, and 2. The most accurate shooters would gain entrance into St Helena’s inter-club team competing against other South-east Queensland Rifle Club teams. This offered warders extra time off guard duty to travel to shooting competitions or compete against visiting clubs on St Helena Island.
Six members of the St Helena Rifle Team in around 1894 or 1895 – Alfred Evans, Stephen. J. Brennan, Arthur Crease, Donald Smith (Captain), Charles. W. Davidson, and Richard. E. Hamley. The dates of employment for these 6 men show it has been incorrectly dated as 1890. Source: Photograph of the St Helena Rifle Club (1890). [Graphic] from State Library of Queensland.
Edwin Cloherty competed in many inter-club shooting competitions, but it appears his skills usually placed him in the middle of the pack when results came in – 8th in 1884, 3rd in 1885 – but against the Darling Downs team in June 1889, Edwin was the winning shooter for the St Helena Rifle Club team. By February 1890, Edwin placed 3rd from the St Helena warders against the Qld Scottish Forces:
Rifle Shooting – St. Helena v Queensland Scottish
Rifle Shooting. (1890, October 6). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 – 1947), p. 3. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article172333211
From the commencement it was evident that the match would be a very closely contested one, each club being strongly represented. There being only one target available at each distance it was agreed that the men should shoot shoulder to shoulder. Accordingly, Warder Cloherty (St. Helena) and Simpson (Scottish) were commissioned to open the ball, the former shooting 29 to the latter’s 26, the local men then gaining 3 points on the first couple…
Friendly matches between members of the St Helena Rifle Club could also earn prizes donated by the community and a trophy from the prison management staff. Charles Pennefather, Superintendent of St Helena Penal Establishment and President of the St Helena Rifle Club, created one such prize in 1889 “to encourage healthy competition on the island within the club.”
In the beginning of 1889 the president of the St. Helena Rifle Club, Captain Pennefather, presented for competition to the members of the club a handsome and valuable silver cup, also a silver medal, as first and second prize respectively. The conditions arranged were one competition of seven rounds per man at each of the ranges, 200, 500, and 600 yards, every three months – M.H. carbine; any military position; Q.R.A. regulations as for prize matches.
Shooting at St Helena. (1889, February 5). Evening Observer (Brisbane, Qld. : 1887 – 1907), p. 2. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article287581135
In 1884, Superintendent William Townley declared that “the cup is to be gained by the same individual twice in succession, or three times at intervals.” By 1889, Superintendent Charles Pennefather stated a modification to this, that “the two highest aggregate scorers in four competitions to be awarded the prizes in order of merit.” Quite how Edwin won the President’s Cup in 1890 remains a little unclear, but this is of no matter. His name shines proudly, 51 years later, as a rightful recipient of the St Helena Rifle Club cup.
The cup took pride of place amongst Edwin’s many descendants, including his daughter Helena, known as ‘Tilly,’ who was born on St Helena Island in 1889 (sadly her claims to be the first white female child born at the Penal Establishment are not true!) Tilly handed the trophy down to her nephew Mick Patterson, a man of big ideas. In 1876, long standing Wynnum/ Manly Yacht Club members Stan Davey, Mick Patterson and Rod Florence dreamed of creating a team race in Moreton Bay, Queensland, similar to the original concept created in the United Kingdom for the Admiral’s Cup. The suggestion was a two-day team-racing regatta where teams of three boats combine their scores to achieve their final race ranking. Mick Patterson donated his grandfather Edwin Cloherty’s silver cup as the winner’s trophy, thus naming the race ‘The St Helena Cup.’
On the 10th and 11th of October 2026, the 51st year of this iconic regatta, 88 boats and more than 500 participants from across Southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales came together at the Wynnum/Manly Yacht Club for two days of competitive racing. Skilled crews from a wide variety of vessels competed over two days, creating a stunning display of colourful sails against the bright blue Moreton Bay waters. At the award ceremony, some grateful special guests were thrilled to be a part of the celebration of this special regatta, handing out some of the awards. Belinda Daly, from The St Helena Island Community, was excited to share the history of St Helena Island and its connection with the silver cup (and was secretly thrilled to get up close to the beautiful trophy!). But for Susan Wood, the connection was much more personal. Susan is the Great Grand-daughter of Edwin Cloherty and her presence connected St Helena’s past with the present in a personal and meaningful way. Susan ensured that the connection from the Cloherty family to the St Helena Cup and to St Helena Island’s history remains strong and proud.
In the 1880’s, the St Helena Rifle Club created trophies to encourage camaraderie amongst the warders while enjoying healthy competition. And in 2026, in the words of the Wynnum/Manly Yacht Club, “the St Helena Cup showcased everything that makes the event one of Queensland’s most anticipated sailing regattas: skill, sportsmanship, determination, teamwork and camaraderie.” It appears this silver cup has continued its purpose 51 years later – to inspire people to come together in competitive celebration.
Belinda will feature the story of Edwin Cloherty and his family in her next blog post, as they are one of the 47 families she has recently researched as part of her ‘Warders, Women and families of St Helena Penal Establishment.”
Sources:
Colonial Secretary’s correspondence, Qld State Archives
Newspaper reports, Trove, National Library of Australia
Personal Communication, Susan Wood (2026)
Photograph of the St Helena Rifle Club (1890). [Graphic] from State Library of Queensland.
Rifle Shooting. (1890, October 6). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 – 1947), p. 3. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article172333211
Shooting at St Helena. (1889, February 5). Evening Observer (Brisbane, Qld. : 1887 – 1907), p. 2. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article287581135
Wynnum Manly Yacht Club Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1E1Bz6LZez/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Wynnum Manly Yacht Club website https://www.sail-world.com/news/300625/St-Helena-Cup-at-Wynnum-Manly-Yacht-Club-overall