Showing 1902 items
matching sailors
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Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Functional object - Cigarette Lighter, c. 1950
... sailors ...Possibly acquired by seafarer Mr Arthur Dixon who served in WW2 merchant vessels. The origin of the lighters appears to be Austria and could have been acquired either during or post his war service. Initial research indicates an approximate date of 1950s for date of manufacture.See Donor details 1727-1737.2 Small, cylindrical, fluted, polished, stainless steel cigarette lighters, with flint action. Includes a flint gauge in the ignition unit. Runs on lighter fuel, with inbuilt wick. Accompanying bronze coloured metal case of flints. Manufacturer name embossed on body. Lid incised with cylindrical grip of 4 ridges. Lighter1: PATENT/BORA/EXTRA/MADE IN/AUSTRIA (stamped alongside body of lighter) Lighter2: PATENT/Made/in/Austria/902. At right angles at base of lighter, REL Flints: Thorens (stamped in brand name logo style on body at right angle to lid)cigarette lighters, smoking accessories, arthur dixon, bora cigarette lighter, arthur oswald dixon, sailors, seafarers, seamen, officers, smoking, lighters, bora -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Letter - Reference letter, T & J Harrison, 25 November 1914
... sailors ...From Collection of miscellaneous papers and memorabilia belonging to Mr Arthur Oswald Dixon, a seafarer who eventually retired to Australia running a smallholding growing fruit and grapes.The A.O. Dixon collection is well provenanced and provides not only some insights into the working life of a seafarer of the merchant service but also includes photographs through ID papers. He served on the "Hororata" which is featured in a crew group photograph and which also links to a story in verse by a de mobbed soldier held by the National Library of Australia which narrates the experience of soldiers and families on the voyage of this ship from England to Australia. merchant navy, sailors, officers, seamen, seamanship, liverpool, england, 1914, wwi, first world war, great war, arthur oswald dixon -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Letter - Reference letter, The Adelaide Steamship Company Limited, 11 March 1921
... sailors ...The letter of reference from the Master, (indecipherable signature), certified that Arthur Oswald Dixon, served on the SS Baldina belonging to the Adelaide Steamship Company, from the 14/12/1920 to 09/03/1921. Mr Dixon was an excellent and very capable officer.Typewritten and signed letter in black ink on thin cream paper.Top left corner: Cable address " Steamship, Adelaide"/ Top right corner: The Adelaide Steamship Co Limited, Adelaide". Signed: CBL Tilmer? (signature of ship master)arthur oswald dixon, masters, seamanship, seamen, sailors, seafarers, officers, crew, adelaide steamship, ss baldina, 1921, merchant navy -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Photograph - Photograph, Black and white, Fancy Dress Race - Boxing Day 1920, 26 December 1920
... sailors ...Arund 100 men were welcomed by Mr and Mrs Duckett on the grounds of their house Riversdale. The party went there by boat on the Yarra river.Small monochrome photograph (faded) depicting small outdoor gathering of seamen, dressed for fun sitting down on the grass.Handwritten on verso in pencil: Boxing Day 1920 / Fancy Dress Race and the number "893"boxing day, 1920, fancy dress, costumes, sailors, seamen, garden, riversdale, edward duckett, picnics, outings, sports -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Decorative object - Miniature, lifebuoy, c. 2018
... sailors ...Presented to MTSV by seafarer Bosun Tomovs from the vessel Irongate, registered in Monrovia, Liberia who created this memento miniature and presented it to Chief Manager Sue Dight, on the occasion of his visit to the MTSV, Melbourne.The seafarer who created this object has presented similar objects to Missions to Seamen wherever he has come ashore and used the services. The object forms a connection through the creator with the Mission network across the globe. It is also a representative sample of creativity aboard ship: model making was often a hobby to kill time on long journeys.small red painted and white corded life buoy with inscription in black paint.side a) In Upper Case stencil: " IRONGATE / MONROVIA " Side b) handwritten in black ink: "04.09.2018 / BSN TOMOVS / BULGARIA"lifebelt, life preserver, miniature models, life buoy, bosun tomovs, irongate ship, gift, buoy, hobbie, seamen, sailors, seafarers -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Photograph - Photograph, Black and white, Melbourne Harbour Trust, 1959
... sailors ...Photograph published page 37 in the Port Melbourne Quarterly July-September 1959sailors, seamen, pool, billiard, billiard room, mission to seamen, seamen's mission, mission to seafarers, flinders street, melbourne, 1959, snooker -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Photograph - Photograph, Sepia, Anne Treverton Goldsmith (nee Lobb), New Year's Day at the Zoo, 1907, 1 January 1907
... sailors ...Seafarers compete in 3-legged race at the zooSmall monochrome outdoor photograph, depicting seamen playing three legged race.zoo, 1907, race, picnic, lhlg, ladies harbour lights guild, sailors, seamen, sports, games, 3-legged race, anne treverton goldsmith (nee lobb -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Photograph - Photograph, Sepia, Mr and Mrs Gurney Goldsmith, Lunch, Boxing day at the Zoo 1905, 26 December 1905
... sailors ...Zoo outing on Boxing Day 1905, depicting a large group of men seated around a number of makeshift tables on barres for a mealSmall monochrome outdoor photograph, depicting a large group of men seated at makeshift tables under a group of trees. Fading to top half of photograph zoo, boxing day, 1905, goldsmith album, picnics, lhlg, entertainments, social events, seamen, sailors, seafarers, barrels -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Letter - Correspondence, copy, Peter Donovan, 24 September 1920
... sailors ...In November 2019, Peter Sharkey from England visited the Mission . In January 2020, he emailed scans of 3 letters from seaman Peter Donovan, a relative, written from Melbourne. The letters were written using printed paper from the Mission to Seamen.In total, there are 13 letters, written from various ports between 1920 and 1922; in many respects, they offer a glimpse of economic and social history. Although wages were higher in Australasia, the threat of unemployment appears as constant as it was in Liverpool, to where the correspondence was sent and from where the sender almost certainly hailed.Scan of letter written by seamen Peter Donovan to his sister peter donovan, peter sharkey, mission to seamen, seamen, sailors, ships, england, mission to seafarers, strikes, ss sealark, patrick steamship company, patrick s.s. co -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Letter - Correspondence, copy, Peter Donovan, 24 September 1920
... sailors ...In November 2019, Peter Sharkey from England visited the Mission . In January 2020, he emailed scans of 3 letters from seaman Peter Donovan, a relative, written from Melbourne. The letters were written using printed paper from the Mission to Seamen.In total, there are 13 letters, written from various ports between 1920 and 1922; in many respects, they offer a glimpse of economic and social history. Although wages were higher in Australasia, the threat of unemployment appears as constant as it was in Liverpool, to where the correspondence was sent and from where the sender almost certainly hailed.Scan of letter written by seamen Peter Donovan to his sister peter donovan, peter sharkey, mission to seamen, seamen, sailors, ships, england, mission to seafarers, strikes, ss sealark, patrick steamship company, patrick s.s. co -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Letter - Correspondence, copy, Peter Donovan, 24 September 1920
... sailors ...In November 2019, Peter Sharkey from England visited the Mission . In January 2020, he emailed scans of 3 letters from seaman Peter Donovan, a relative, written from Melbourne. The letters were written using printed paper from the Mission to Seamen.In total, there are 13 letters, written from various ports between 1920 and 1922; in many respects, they offer a glimpse of economic and social history. Although wages were higher in Australasia, the threat of unemployment appears as constant as it was in Liverpool, to where the correspondence was sent and from where the sender almost certainly hailed.Scan of letter written by seamen Peter Donovan to his sister peter donovan, peter sharkey, mission to seamen, seamen, sailors, ships, england, mission to seafarers, strikes, ss sealark, patrick steamship company, patrick s.s. co -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Artwork, other - Stained glass window, Brooks Robinson & Co, 1933
... sailors ...These two small symbolic windows (27 ½ x 6 ½ inches) are in the porch (or was it the baptistery?). Entitled Baptism it could also be termed Pilgrimage with the symbols of the shell and staff and refer to the travels of seafarers. When photographed in the 1990s the windows were in poor shape and in need of conservation to replace the full text in the baptismal window ‘Ecce …. Dei”; the shaft of light from the dove of the Holy Spirit was badly cracked.This window along with the second window in the baptistry was donated by an anonymous donour.Lancet windowaltar, st peter chapel, flinders street, mission to seafarers, seamen's mission, mission to seamen, sailors, seamen, stained glass windows, win, memorial chapel, baptistry -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Artwork, other - Stained glass window, Brooks Robinson & Co, 1933
... sailors ...This window along with the second window in the baptistry was donated by an anonymous donour.Lancet windowaltar, st peter chapel, flinders street, mission to seafarers, seamen's mission, mission to seamen, sailors, seamen, stained glass windows, win, memorial chapel, baptistry -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Book, Nicholas Monsarrat, The Cruel Sea, 1953
Based on the author's own vivid experiences, The Cruel Sea is the nail-biting story of the crew of HMS Compass Rose, a corvette assigned to protect convoys in World War Two. Darting back and forth across the icy North Atlantic, Compass Rose played a deadly cat and mouse game with packs of German U-boats lying in wait beneath the ocean waves. Packed with tension and vivid descriptions of agonizing U-boat hunts, this tale of the most bitter and chilling campaign of the war tells of ordinary, heroic men who had to face a brutal menace which would strike without warning from the deep . .non-fictionBased on the author's own vivid experiences, The Cruel Sea is the nail-biting story of the crew of HMS Compass Rose, a corvette assigned to protect convoys in World War Two. Darting back and forth across the icy North Atlantic, Compass Rose played a deadly cat and mouse game with packs of German U-boats lying in wait beneath the ocean waves. Packed with tension and vivid descriptions of agonizing U-boat hunts, this tale of the most bitter and chilling campaign of the war tells of ordinary, heroic men who had to face a brutal menace which would strike without warning from the deep . . nicholas montsarrat, ww2, royal navy, battle of the atlantic, corvette, frigate -
Melbourne Legacy
Certificate, Junior Legacy Club, 1940
A Junior Legacy Certificate presented to Valma Wigg on 12 July 1940. The text says 'During the Great War many men offered themselves for Service in the Forces of the Empire. To assist the children of those who fell, or who have died since, the Melbourne Legacy Club was formed. The Children of deceased sailors and soldiers constitute the Junior Legacy Club.' It was part of a collection of Legacy items from Valma Hutchinson (nee Wigg), a former junior legatee. Valma was accepted into Junior Legacy club in 1940 when she was about 10 years old.An example of the formality surrounding enrolment into Junior Legacy.Buff colour Junior Legacy membership certificate with black printing.Typed 'Valma Wigg' and '12.7.1940' and signed in black ink.junior legatee, girls' classes, jlc -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
box with 10 badges, Hand made wooden box containing badges for Ringwood Cricket and Football Clubs between 1930-1998, 1930-1998
Belonged to a member and player of the Ringwood Cricket and Football Clubs.Wooden box with oval coloured picture on front containing metal badges for Ringwood Cricket and Football Clubs. 1. For the cricket Club 4 yellow metal medals, two with yellow cords, gold lettering and dark blue enamel.Numbers on back. 2. 2 metal badges for the Ringwood Football Club gold and black enamel, 1 card shaped like a shield with Magpie on front, Member's Ticket 1930. Also Ringwood Football Club Woodsmen's medal and a Ringwood Past Players and Official's badge 94. 3.Returned Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen badge. . 4. 7 small discs with nos. 90-94 for changing dates on badges? -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - THE GREAT GOLD TRANSACTION AND A MATTER OF MORALS AND ETHICS
Typed notes mentioning the earning of pocket money, The Great Gold Transaction which tells of two boys, aged 7 and 8 going to the Bank of Victoria in View Street and selling their gold, the visit by American sailors to Bendigo, A Matter of Morals and Ethics which tells of two boys who were given 3d by some ladies preparing for a tea-meeting to buy some milk. After a mishap crossing a gully they lost the 3d, so they went to a herd of goats and milked some to fill their pail. The boy’s mother was horrified. Also mentions the train crash at the Sunshine Station and about their house and the tradesmen who called, e g the milkman, baker, etc.document, the great gold transaction and a matter of morals and ethics, bendigo advertiser, bendigo independent, mrs jones, mrs james mcduff, lewis ad whitteys blacking, bill leigh, bank of victoria, c b c of sydney, great white fleet, arnold street methodist sunday school, nelson and sons, highroads of history -
Dandenong/Cranbourne RSL Sub Branch
Book - VAOC Observer's Log Book
Volunteer Air Observer's Corp (VAOC) log book from the Camberwell Post with handwritten observations covering the period between 28 August 1944 and 20 September 1945Foolscap, paper logbook with brown cover and black binding. Pages within are lined and contents are handwritten by mulltiple authors. The table has the following headings: Date; Observer on duty (signature); Time on; Time off; Remarks. Enclosed within are four paper documents: 1. Brown paper envelope from the Commonwealth of Australia Department of Air with the heading, On His Majesty's Service, from the Officer in Charge VAOC Control Post, Melbourne 2. Typed document headed, Ulcer Diet for Amublatory (sp) Patients 3. Typed list of names headed, Nominal Roll Camberwell 4. The Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen's Fathers' Association of Victoria Nomination for Membership formFront cover: "V.A.O.C / Observer's Log Book / Post No" (typed). "5693 (?)" and illegible handwritten text vaoc, volunteer air observer's corp, vaoc log book, camberwell post, the sailors, soldiers and airmen's fathers' association of victoria, ulcer diet -
Mont De Lancey
Book, M Seymour, Charlie's Success or The Little Ambassador, 1928
A family with six children, the youngest, Charlie, being six years old. Their grandfather is estranged from the family and Charlie wishes to visit him. The grandfather, Mr Maxwell invites Charlie to live with him so the child goes as the family ambassador. It has religious and strong family themes.This green cloth hardcover book has a colourful paper dustjacket depicting a mother with a small boy wearing a sailor suit sitting on her knee. Portraits on the wall, an oriental screen near a small table with knick knacks and a vase of flowers completes the scene. The title is printed at the top in red lettering with the author's name underneath. The spine is coloured in pink and blue lettering with the spine, a picture of a boy and the publisher Shaw at the bottom. On the back of the dustjacket is a list - Uniform with this Volume of 16 titles to read, with another book by M. Seymour, That Boy Tom. Inside on the right endpaper is an Award Bookplate.The frontispiece coloured illustration is the same as the one on the dustjacket. Pp.128fictionA family with six children, the youngest, Charlie, being six years old. Their grandfather is estranged from the family and Charlie wishes to visit him. The grandfather, Mr Maxwell invites Charlie to live with him so the child goes as the family ambassador. It has religious and strong family themes.religious stories, family life, children's fiction -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Photograph - Photograph, Sepia, 26 December 1905
On Boxing Day 1905, Mr Dudley Le Souef, the director of Melbourne Zoological Gardens, offered the grounds for a picnic. The seamen of the fifteen ships anchored in the harbour were invited. In the centre wearing a white cap is Mr Charles A. Holmes, Honorary Lay Reader of the Mission and behind him is Ethel Godfrey. The following day in the Age we could read: "Yesterday the scene of festivities was the Zoological Gardens, where a number of seamen from fifteen of the ships in the harbor had a sailors' picnic. The director of the gardens, Mr. Dudley Le Souef, kindly, allowed the picnickers the free use of the picnic ground, and also provided them with milk and hot water. A lengthy programme of sports was gone through, and those who were not inclined for athletics spent their time in strolling round examining the zoo logical inmates of the gardens. It was noticeable that the large carnivora were the favorites with the English sailors, whilst foreign seamen were immensely attracted by the kangaroos, wallabies and other Australian marsupials. After tea Mr. Le Souef delivered an interesting illustrated lecture entitled Sea Birds and Their Homes. In carrying out the two days' arrangements Mr. Goldsmith was energetically assisted by voluntary helpers, both ladies and gentlemen, and also received many contributions. " The Age, Wednesday 27 December 1905, page 5.Small monochrome outdoor photograph, very clearly focussed, depicting three men delivering or collecting teacups, and two ladies watching on in backgroundMr Holmes distributing cups Zoo Miss Godfrey Centrezoo, boxing day, mr dudley le souef, ethel augusta godfrey, mr c.a. holmes, picnic, 1905, charles arthur holmes -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Drawing, XMAS 1946, 1946
... sailors ...Drawing (0341.C1) by Allan Quinn of South America. Titled 'XMAS 1946'. south america, brazil, argentina, allan quinn, letter, 1946, christmas, sketch, drawing, sailors, seamen, seafarers, tourism -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Photograph - Mounted photograph, Black and white, c. 1960
... sailors ...Large mounted photograph depicting a dance at the Flinders Street Mission with three couples dancing in front of the stage where a band is playing.Written n black ink: Bill Eldridge-Doyle / Chaplain / 1960 Written in pencil: P3 / Dance Pichlg, seamen, sailors, reverend c.j. eldridge-doyle, dances, stage, music, band, drums, flags, microphone, saxophone, flowers -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Postcard - Postcard, Black and white, KODAK, The Mission to Seamen, Melbourne - Central Hall, Celia Little Lounge, c. 1950
... sailors ...One of a series of Mission to Seamen postcards produced in the immediate post-war and post WW2 period. The other reason for creation could be the 1956 MTS centenary celebrations. The photograph was take before 1957 as the bell from the SS Morton Bay is not on the wall yet.Visual record of the club area of Mission to Seafarers, 717 Flinders Street, Melbourne mid 20th C.Black and white gloss postcard depicts the Celia Little room furnished with several chairs, tables with flowers, and five seamen or club members sitting reading or writing.Printed on back: 'POST CARD/CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS ONLY/' . Stamp location is top right and is indicated by the word 'KODAK' on four sidesclub, celia little room, sailors, literature, armchairs, flowers, artworks, magazines, reading, seamen, mission to seamen, mission to seafarers, seamen's mission -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Photograph - Photograph, Sepia, Mr and Mrs Gurney Goldsmith, New Year's Day at the Zoo, 1907, 1 January1907
... sailors ...Seafarers and LHLG members photographed during their zoo outing on New year's day, 1907Small monochrome outdoor photograph, depicting a large gathering of men and women grouped in a rough semi-circle, quite formally dressed, posing to be photographedzoo, 1907, mr dudley le souef, picnic, lhlg, ladies harbour lights guild, sailors, seamen, seafarers, gardens, parks, new year, umbrella -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Photograph - Reproduction, Black and white, Mission to Seafarers Victoria, c. 2009
... sailors ...This photograph is part of reproductions of images from the MTS archive collection.Framed and mounted black and white reproduction of photograph from the archivemission to seafarers, mission to seamen, flinders street, melbourne, seafarers, seamen, padre oliver, crew, ships, seafaring life, sailors, early origins, 2016 -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Postcard, Valentines Real Photo Series, Interior of Seamen's Institute, Flinders Street Melbourne, c. 1917
... sailors ...stage, piano, chairs, concerts, seamen's mission, woodfloor, billiard, flinders street, seamen, sailors, newspapers, bentwood chairs, vienna chairs -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Postcard, Valentines Real Photo Series, In the Main Hall, Seamen's Mission, Melbourne Victoria, c. 1917
... sailors ...stage, piano, chairs, concerts, seamen's mission, woodfloor, billiard, flinders street, seamen, sailors, newspapers, bentwood chairs, vienna chairs -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Painting, WW2 AMS (Corvette): HMAS Rockhampton, early 21st Century
... sailors ...From his obituary published in Optometry Australia: Born in 1925 in Swan Hill, his parents were soldier settlers in the Mallee before moving to Melbourne. After obtaining his leaving certificate from Melbourne Grammar, he worked as a laboratory assistant in an explosives factory but later completed a chemistry diploma. He enlisted in the Navy in 1943 aged 17 years and due to a colour vision deficiency, served in the supply branch on HMAS Rockhampton, being discharged aged 21. His deuteranomaly steered him to learn adaptive behaviours while studying optometry, ensuring his clinical practice remained unaffected.According to wikipedia 2017 : Rockhampton began her career as a convoy escort along the east coast of Australia.[1] Following a series of Japanese submarine attacks along the east coast of Australia, a convoy system was established.[1] Rockhampton and USS Selfridge escorted the first Sydney to Brisbane convoy.[1] The corvette remained in this role until January 1944, when she began escorting convoys to and from New Guinea.[1] She underwent refit in Sydney over April and May 1944, before returning to escort duties in New Guinea waters.[1] Rockhampton operated in both Australian and New Guinea waters up until the end of World War II.[1] Following the end of the war, Rockhampton was involved in the rescue of Dutch and Indonesian prisoners-of-war and the occupation of Ambon.[1] On 8 October 1945, the corvette carried the Sultan of Ternate on his return home.[1] Rockhampton returned to Sydney in November 1945, where she was assigned to minesweeping duties off the east coast of Australia.[1] She later participated in survey duties off the coast of South Australia, before returning to Sydney on 29 April 1946.[1] The corvette received two battle honours for her wartime service: "Pacific 1942–45" and "New Guinea 1944"HMAS Rockhampton launched 1941 and de-commissioned 1946. Operated in the Pacific and New Guinea theatres of WW2 see supplementary files for details Maritime ArtJames CockburnAcrylic painting on composition board of a military or armed corvette at sea. Framed with a speckled pale blue painted moulded pine ? frame. The painting is signed on lower right corner and inscribed with both blue and black fibre tipped pen.Front: lwr right corner: "D Cockburn" in pale blue paint ; Verso "WW2 AMS (Corvette): HMAS Rockhampton / PAINTED BY DAVID M COCKBURN FORMER CREW MEMBER / PH DAVE ..."hmas rockhampton, corvette, ww2, merchant navy, world war 2, david cockburn, crew, sailors, seamen, seafarers, optometrist, artwork-paintings, hobbies -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Letter - William Ferrier, 14th November 1905
The letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth recognised the significance of William’s brave and courageous lifesaving act to the people of Australia; “They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The story of that brave rescue follows on below … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, The company was one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the Pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905, the twelve-year-old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia. She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with seawater and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on the shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11 pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11 pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2 am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise, the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning, Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25-year-old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days, an unidentified body of a young person has washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues, he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor-General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with the manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. As well as this letter, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and a postcard of William Ferrier with four of the survivors. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. This original congratulatory letter sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia demonstrates the importance attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The letter is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The letter to William Ferrier from the Australian Government acknowledges the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The letter is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it honours William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The letter connects to the postcard of William Ferrier with four of the five rescued crew, the photograph of the wreck of the La Bella and the artefact from the wreck, the rail holder. This letter is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella”. The “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and Members of Parliament commending him on his bravery. The printed letterhead includes a coat of arms in the top centre and the official address. The letter is very neatly hand written in black pen and includes 4 signatures of Members of Parliament. The rectangular paper is cream coloured with some yellow/brown discolouring. It has the letterhead on the right hand side of it and the written letter begins below the letterhead. The paper has been folded so that the right side becomes the cover page of the letter. The writing is continued onto the inside right hand page of the folded paper and the writing ends here. There is more recent writing on the bottom right hand corner of the back page. The paper has been officially folded in half a total 3 times and there is heavy discolouration on the sections that form the front and back of the folded letter. There is a 4th fold line that is less pronounced that the other folds and would make the paper the size to fit into a pocket. At several fold creases the paper has worn through. The edges of the paper have minor tears. The printed coat of arms is that of the House of Representatives. Underneath is printed “The Parliament of the Commonwealth, / Parliament House / Melbourne”. The hand written, letter is dated “14th November, 1905” and addressed to “Mr. William Ferrier / South Warrnambool” The letter begins “The Speaker, the Prime Minister and Members of the Ministry and its supporters, the Leader and Members of the Opposition, the Leader and Members of the Labour Party, being all the Members of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Australia” … It continues “desire to express to you their appreciation of your bravery in skulling out to the wreck of the “La Bella” at Warrnambool on Saturday, 11th November, 1905, and recovering therefrom two of the crew who were in imminent danger of their lives. They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The letter is “Signed on behalf of the Members – Speaker (Frederick Holder ), Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Joseph Cook ), Prime Minister (Alfred Deakin), Leader of the Labour Party ( J.C. Watson)” On the back of the letter is blue ink handwriting “OWNER / G. FERRIER / TO. BE. PHOTOGRAPHED / 27-4-76”la bella, william ferrier, bill ferrier, lady bay, 1905, 10th november 1905, 11th november 1905, parliament of the commonwealth, prime minister, australian government, new zealand, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village -
Uniting Church Archives - Synod of Victoria
Photograph, Rev. Alec Hilliard reunion at retirement, 06/1985
"They came into Port" Some second war sailors staged a surprise reunion with an old shipmate at Portarlington UC recently. Eleven ex-RAN men came from as far as South Australia to be with their friend, the Rev. Alec Hilliard, who is retiring. Mr Hilliard, orgained 32 years ago, celebrated a reunion lunch with the men after the service. The men served on HMAS Junee. Alec Hilliard was ordained 1953 at Warburton (where he was minister when the Queen visited the congregation). He served at Castlemaine 1957-66; Herne Hill 1966-80; Bellarine 1980-85. Retired 1985.Hilliard in alb is shown shaking hands with a former shipmate, Reg Hill of Colac.Name.hilliard, alec, navy reunion