George Cupples was a Scottish journalist and a writer, who became famous at the end of 19th century for his maritime novels. In particular, his novel The Green Hand: adventures of a naval lieutenant was considered "one of the best sea stories ever written" at the time. His wife, Anne Jane Cupples, also became a famous writer of juvenile and children books.

The Star of Bengal was an iron three-masted 1,877 GRT merchant sailing vessel built in Belfast in 1874 by Harland and Wolff Industries. Though built towards the end of the Age of Sail, she was successfully operated for 24 years by the British trading company J.P. Corry & Co. The ship mainly travelled on the London-Calcutta trading route, but made a few voyages to Australian and American ports.