In 1890 the Success was sold to Alexander Phillips, who was initially going to cut her down into a barge but changed his mind when he saw her money making potential. With money from a syndicate, the Success was fitted out for exhibition. The owners procured a lot of old prison paraphernalia and wax figures depicting former prisoners. She was also given a bark rig. She was then towed to Sydney and displayed at Circular Quay. She did well there but a segment of Sydney’s populace resented her being displayed and after several acts of vandalism the Success, then moored in a secluded bay, sank at her moorings. Reports that she was scuttled by disgruntled locals were never confirmed. By early the following year she was re-floated by a new syndicate and began exhibition tour of various ports in Australia.
    In 1895 she was refitted and sailed to London under command of Captain A.H. Allen. There ensued a successfully tour of the British Isles. Manager of the ship during this time for the Australian syndicate was Joseph C. Harvie (photo at left courtesy Mike and Georgann Wachter), an able manager and lecturer, who authored the first full-length history of the ship in 1895. It was largely due to his efforts that the ship thrived in Great Britain. He left the ship and returned to Australia in about 1908. In 1910, with business beginning to trail off, the Success was sold to Edward Nottingham, who had been in the company’s employ since her purchase by Phillips. Nottingham dreamed of someday taking his ship to America...