When Thomas Bent, politician and land speculator, was appointed Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1892, a number of local Brighton constituents and supporters raised money to present him with an oil portrait. Bent had been a member for Brighton for 21 years, and the painting was seen as a way of showing their appreciation of his services to the Brighton constituency, as well as congratulating him to his new position as Speaker. In June 1892, British/Australian landscape and portrait artist Charles E. Gordon-Frazer was given the commission to paint the portrait. Thomas Bent is depicted as standing in his Speaker's robe on the dais beneath the canopy in the Legislative Assembly Chamber in the act of addressing the House. He wears the traditional Speaker’s dress of a black silk and gold laced robe over a three-piece black suit, lace jabot and cuffs, buckled shoes and a ceremonial long wig. The top of the gold parliamentary mace sits on the right of the work near the frame's edge.sir thomas bent, thomas bent, speaker, mayor, premier, brighton, moorabbin, land speculator, local government, councillor, official, member of lower house, portrait, parliament, ceremonial robes, legislative assembly, jabot, wig, mace

Alan Marshall (1902-1984) was an Australian writer, story teller, social documenter and author of 'I Can Jump Puddles'. For many years, Marshall lived in Sandringham. A bronze bust dedicated to him stands outside the Sandringham Library in Waltham Street. He died on 24 January 1982 in Brighton East, Victoria.alan marshall, portrait, n. lubeck, writer, i can jump puddles, social documenter, australian literature, australian author

The Lifeboat Queenscliffe was built in Adelaide and commenced service at Queenscliff in 1926. She was taken out of service in 1976 by the Marine Board of Victoria and subsequently offered to the Borough of Queenscliffe for care and display.Ben BlairA framed painting of the lifeboat 'Queenscliffe' motoring off Shortlands Bluff in 1963.lifeboat 'queenscliffe', shortlands bluff, ben blair

History of the post World War II Migrant Ship Fairsea. The Fairsea made several journeys to Australia under the International Refugee Organisation (IRO) from 1949 to 1951, carrying displaced persons affected by World War II. She was later chartered by the Australian Government to transport assisted immigrants from Britain and also New Zealand between 1949 and 1969.MRs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship MV FairseaFairseamv fairsea, migrant ships

A painting of a passenger ship operating in Australia in the 1950s and 60s.Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the passenger shhip MV TasmaniaTasmaniamigrant ships, passenger ships

The Oceania along with sister ships Australia and Neptunia, where built by Lloyd Triestino for use as migrant ships in the 1950s and 60s.Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant shhip MV ObeaniaOceaniamigration, passenger ships, migrant ships

MS Achille Lauro was a cruise ship based in Naples, Italy. Built between 1939 and 1947 as MS Willem Ruys, a passenger liner for the Rotterdamsche Lloyd, it was hijacked by members of the Palestine Liberation Front in 1985.Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the passenger ship Achille LauroAchille Lauropassenger ship, achille lauro, oil painting, dacre smyth

For over 10 Years the Ellinis made regular voyages to Australia, inbound via Suez and outbound via Panama. Ellinis was placed on cruising duties out of Sydney as well as the occasional around-the-world trip in 1972.Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship EllinisEllinisellinis, passenger ships, migrant ships

After World War II Lloyd Triestino re-established its Australian service with existing ships and began a rebuilding programme ordering seven new liners. Of these new liners three were for the Australian service, launched in 1950 these three ships became known as the Triestino Trio. The first to be built was the Australia launched on 21 May 1950, departing Trieste on 19 April 1951 and arriving in Melbourne on 17 May. The second ship Oceania launched on 30 July 1950, departed Genoa for its maiden voyage on 18 August 1951.The third, Neptunia, launched on 1 October 1950, departing on its maiden voyage on 14 September 1951 and arriving in Brisbane on 18 October.A framed oil painting of the migrant ship 'MV Australia'Australiamv australia, migrant ships

Owned by the Sitmar Line, the 'Castel Felice' operated on the Australia migrgant route from the 60s to the 70s prioir to air travel in the mid 70s. Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship 'MV Castel Felice'Castel Felicemv castel felice, migrant ships

SS Roma was laid down in 1942 at the Seattle-Tacoma SB Corporation plant and was launched as “Glacier” on September 7, 1942. Like quite a few ships, it was during her building as a C3 cargo ships that she was transferred under the “Lend Lease Agreement” to the Royal Navy and redesigned and built as the escort aircraft carrier HMS Atheling. After the war she was purchased by the Lauro Lines and rebuilt as the modern passenger liner Roma. She departed on her maiden voyage from Genoa bound for Australia in August 1951 arriving in Fremantle on October 1, continuing to Melbourne and arriving in Sydney on the 17th. She then went north to Brisbane before returning home. Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship SS Roma.Romass roma, migrant ships

The Australis retains a significant place in Australian immigration history as the last ship to carry government assisted immigrants to Australian shores in 1977. She had the largest passenger capacity of any post World War II immigrant ship to regularly visit Australia and many passengers fondly remember her grandeur and remnants of Art Deco style.Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship SS AustralisAustralisss australis, migrant ships

Built in 1874 in Sunderland England she was employed carrying cargo around the world and rounded Cape Horn 23 times in 26 years. In 1900 she was acquired by Mr J J Craig, renamed James Craig in 1905 and began to operate between New Zealand and Australia until 1911. Unable to compete with freight cargo, in later years James Craig was used as a collier and later laid up, then used as a hulk, until eventually being abandoned at Recherche Bay in Tasmania. In 1932 she was sunk by fishermen who blasted a 3-metre hole in her stern. Restoration of James Craig began in 1972, when volunteers (now the Sydney Heritage Fleet) refloated her and towed her to Hobart for initial repairs. Brought back to Sydney under tow in 1981, her hull was placed on a submersible pontoon to allow work on the hull restoration to proceed. Over twenty-five years, the vessel was restored and relaunched in 1997. In 2001 restoration work was completed and she continues to go to sea.Mr Robeert Greenway A framed reproduction of a painting by Oswald L Brett on canvas paper of the Barque James Craig 1874 Barque James Craig 1874. Images of two flags; a red ensign and a ships flag 'Craig'; Oswald L Brett N.Y. 1978 james craig, windjammers, barque

The M.S. Sibajak may well have the most varied service of all the post-WWII Dutch immigrant ships. She had ties with the Dutch East Indies before and after the declaration of independence; she served the Allies as a troop transport ship while under the management of the widely-known British shipping company P. & O. As an immigrant ship plying the Atlantic, the Sibajak had as docking points Rotterdam, Quebec and New York. She rounded out her service back in Indonesia before being scrapped in Hong Kong.Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the Dutch migrant ship MS SibajakSibajakms sibajak, emigration, dutch migrants

Ordered in 1938 to replace the aging ships on the Dutch East Indies route, her keel was laid in 1939 at De Schelde shipyard in Vlissingen, Netherlands, for Rotterdamsche Lloyd (now Nedlloyd). Interrupted by World War II and two bombing raids, the ship was finally launched in July 1946, as Willem Ruys. The ship was named after the grandson of the founder of the Rotterdamsche Lloyd who was taken hostage and shot during the war.B SmythA framed oil painting of the Dutch vessel Willem Ruys which was later refitted to become the Lloyd Triestino 'Achille Lauro'.Willen Ruysmv willem ruys, ms achille lauro, migrant ships

Three Victory Class ships, S.S. Cranston Victory, S.S. Costa Rica Victory and the S.S. La Grande Victory, were built for the “United War Shipping Administration” as troop and cargo ships. Their war time duties were short lived as they were soon sold to the Dutch Government for the use as troop transport ships and Migrant ship to the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. These three ships were built toward the end of World War II, and were part of the new larger improved version of the famed “Liberty” ships. Each ship had strengthened hulls for them to go into the war zone, but by the time they were completed the war was coming to an end. There were ninety seven Victory troop transport ships built, each able to transport up to 1600 troops. Unlike the Liberty ships, all accommodation was fully ventilated and heated. There was the usual meagre style troop bunks, a hospital, galleys, washrooms and even a several public rooms. The first of the trio, S.S. Cranston Victory (Zuiderkruis) was built by the Oregon Shipbuilding Yard in Portland; Oregon was launched on May 5, 1944. The second of the series, S.S. Costa Rica Victory (Groote Beer) was built by Permanente Metals Co, Richmond California and launched on June 17, 1944. The last of the three was the S.S. La Grande Victory (Waterman), which like her sister S.S. Cranston Victory, was built by the Oregon Shipbuilding Yard in Portland, Oregon and launched on January 16, 1945.In November 1951, the third of the trio, La Grande Victory, renamed Waterman, was completed and at 9,176-tons, commenced her first voyage to Australia.A framed oil painting of the migrant ship MV WatermanWatermanmv waterman, liberty ships, migrant ships

In February 1951, the Oranje made her first around the world cruise: from Amsterdam via the Panama Canal to Australia and New Zealand and back via Singapore and the Suez Canal to Amsterdam. Between 8 and 18 June 1951, she voyaged to Lisbon and Madeira with 650 passengers. On 4 September 1964, both she and the MS Willem Ruys were sold to an Italian company, Flotta Lauro Lines. Oranje was then sent to Genoa for an extensive refit at the Cantieri Navali del Tirreno shipyards. On 6 March 1966 the Angelina Lauro departed on her maiden voyage from Bremerhaven to Fremantle, Melbourne and Sydney. In 1941 the Netherlands Government offered to the Governments of Australia and New Zealand the MV Oranje, a ship of 22,000 tons, for use as a hospital ship to convey Australian and New Zealand sick and wounded from the Middle East. This offer was gladly accepted by the two governments.A framed oil painting of the migrant ship 'Oranje'Oranjemv oranje, mv angelina lauro, migrant ships

She was among many Allied merchant ships who escaped to Britain rather than be interned in occupied countries in World War II. Together with Holland America Line's Nieuw Amsterdam she served in the Allied cause. She was then chartered to the British Ministry of War Transport and put into service. Under the terms of the charter the flag and crew would remain Dutch. Volendam was assigned to the Children's Overseas Reception Board, a British Government scheme introduced in 1940 to evacuate UK school children overseas. She sailed from Liverpool on Thursday 29 August 1940 as one of 33 ships in Convoy OB 205. On 30 August 1940 whilst several hundred miles off Malin Head, Northern Ireland and heading into the Atlantic, she was attacked about 2300 hrs by the German submarine U-60, firing two torpedoes that hit No. 1 hold and damaged and caused flooding in No. 2 hold. Captain Wepster then gave the order to abandon ship, and despite rough seas all 18 lifeboats got away safely.In 1947 she was used in the Australia emigrant service and in June 1948 made her first Rotterdam – Quebec sailing for the Netherlands government with capacity for 1,500 single class passengers. On Tuesday October 17, 1950 she departed Rotterdam for Sydney, arriving 6-weeks and 1 day later at her destination on Wednesday November 29, 1950. She brought with her a ship-load of (mainly Dutch) immigrants, all eager to forge new lives in Australia. In September 1948 she started her first Rotterdam – New York sailing and commenced her last voyage on this route in February 1951.A framed oil painting of the MV Volenda,Volendammv volendam, migrant ships, troop ships, u boat attack

SS New Australia was a UK-built turbo-electric passenger steamship that had a varied career from 1931 to 1966. She was built as the ocean liner Monarch of Bermuda, was a troop ship in the Second World War and was damaged by fire in 1947. She was then refitted to carry emigrants to Australia and renamed New Australia. In 1958 she was refitted again, renamed Arkadia and served as both a transatlantic liner and a cruise ship.The ship originally had three funnels. Thornycroft rebuilt her with a single funnel, plus an unusual bipod structure aft of her bridge that served as both a funnel and a mainmast. The MoT renamed her New Australia, contracted Shaw, Savill & Albion Line to manage her and put her into service carrying UK emigrants to Australia. She plied this trade from 1950 until 1957. In September 1958 New Australia was serving as a troop ship again when she suffered slight damage in a collision with a tanker in the Torres Strait.a framed oil painting of the migrant ship MV New AustraliaNew Australiamv new australia, migrant ships

After World War II Lloyd Triestino re-established its Australian service with existing ships and began a rebuilding programme ordering seven new liners. Of these new liners three were for the Australian service, launched in 1950 these three ships became known as the Treistino Trio. The first to be built was the Australia launched on 21 May 1950, departing Trieste on 19 April 1951 and arriving in Melbourne on 17 May. The second ship Oceania launched on 30 July 1950, departed Genoa for its maiden voyage on 18 August 1951.The third, Neptunia, launched on 1 October 1950, departing on its maiden voyage on 14 September 1951 and arriving in Brisbane on 18 October. In 1963, Australia, Oceania and Neptunia were withdrawn from the Australian trade and transferred to the Italia line. The Australia was renamed the Donizetti, Oceania renamed Rossini and Neptunia renamed Verdi.Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship MV NeptuniaNeptuniamv neptunia, migrant ships

MS Nelly was a humble but reliable immigrant liner operating between Europe and Australia in the 1940s and 1950s. She was eventually renamed ‘Seven Seas’ and would go on to have an impressive career sailing across the globe from Canada to New Zealand.Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship MS NellyNellyms nelly, migrant ships, german migrants, post war migration

Like so many ships that were used during WWII, she was laid up and remained idle for several years, until finally in 1948 the US Government sold her at auction and the highly decorated USS Barnett, ex MS Santa Maria was officially purchased by the well known Italian Multi Millionaire ship owner Mr. Achille Lauro on April 13, 1948. Soon she headed for a Baltimore shipyard where she received some work to ensure that her engines that had been shut down for a considerable time, were back in full working condition. When the work had been completed she was certified for her delivery voyage to Italy! The delightful all white MS Surriento was ready to depart Genoa on her very first voyage to Australia in her brand new passenger/migrant liner role. A framed oil painting of the migrant ship MV SurrientoSurrientoms surriento, migrant ships, emmigration

Beltana was launched in 1921 at a cost of £179,000. She was a passenger liner built specifically for the UK-Australia emigrant service via the Cape of Good Hope. In October 1917, she was requisitioned for Transatlantic service where she carried munitions and supplies, returning to emigrant service in 1919. On 31 March 1930 she was sold for £27,000 to Toyo Hogei Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan for conversion for the whaling trade. She was not renamed, being laid up in Japan. She never traded under the Japanese flag. In 1933 she was sold to Gentaro Kasegawa, Kobe for demolition. Mrs B SmythFramed oil painting of the ship BeltanaBeltanass beltana, transatlantic supply transport, wwi, migrant ship

SS Mariposa was a luxury ocean liner launched in 1931, one of four ships in the Matson Lines "White Fleet", which included SS Monterey, SS Malolo, and SS Lurline. She was later renamed SS Homeric. Mariposa was designed for service in the Pacific Ocean, including regular stops in ports along the West Coast of the United States, Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia. On the 12th January 1942 the Mariposa left San Francisco in the "Australian — Suva" convoy escorted by two destroyers and the light cruiser and with two other troopships (destined for Suva). This was the first large convoy to Australia after Pearl Harbor with Mariposa transporting Army personnel, ammunition and fifty P-40 fighters intended for the Philippines and Java.Mrs B SmythAn oil painting of the SS Mariposa in an ornate gold frame. Mariposamigrant ships, ss mariposa, wwii

Completed in December 1910 as a steam passenger ship she was requisitioned as a troop transport for the Australian Expeditionary Force (AEF) in 1914. She was returned to the owner in 1920 only to be requisitioned again in 1940 by the Admiralty for use as a troopship. After the war, the Ascanius brought Jewish emigrants from Marseilles to Haifa and was sold to Italy and renamed San Giovannino for Cia de Nav. Florencia (A. Motosi), Genoa in 1949. B Smythe An oil painting of the SS AscaniusAscaniusss ascanius, troop transport, aef, wwi, wwii, migrant ship

The Romolo was built by Lloyd Triestino Soc.Anon.di Nav., reg. Genoa and on 15 June 1940 she was sunk by H.M.A.S. MANOORA near Cape York peninsular after the crew set fire & abandoned the ship.An oil painting of the SS Romolo in a timber frame.Romoloss romolo, hmas manoora, wwii

Tall Ships at Queenscliff; 'The sail training barquentine "Leeuwin" from West Australia and the Republic of Ireland brigantine "Asgard II" at anchor off Queenscliff prior to the "Arrival Convoy" in Melbourne of a number of the Tall Ships, all bound eventually for Sydney via Hobart for Australia's 1988 bicentenary. The Queenscliff pier with the old lifeboat shed and the Blacklight (Queenscliffe's High Light) alongside the old signal tower are also depicted. Port Phillip Heads in the disctance. By Dacre Smyth 29 Dec 1987.A barquentine or schooner barque is a sailing vessel with three or more masts; with a square rigged foremast and fore-and-aft rigged main, mizzen and any other masts. A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast). The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts.Oil painting in frame of the Leeuwin and Asgard tall ships in Queenscliff 1988.On front: Tall Ships at Queenscliff (LEEUWIN and ASGARD). Hand written on back: Tall Ships at Queenscliff; 'The sail training barquentine "Leeuwin" from West Australia and the Republic of Ireland brigantine "Asgard II" at anchor off Queenscliff prior to the "Arrival Convoy" in Melbourne of a number of the Tall Ships, all bound eventually for Sydney via Hobart for Australia's 1988 bicentenary. The Queenscliff pier with the old lifeboat shed and the Blacklight (Queenscliffe's High Light) alongside the old signal tower are also depicted. Port Phillip Heads in the disctance. By Dacre Smyth 29 Dec 1987'.leeuwin, barquentine, queenscliff, dacre smyth, brigantine

The original oil portrait is held by the Australian War Memorial.Large official framed colour print of King George V in military uniform. The linked article by Laura Cook, published by the AWM in 2017 gives a history of the original Berrie portrait and reproductions."His Majesty King George V"king george v, kew (vic.) — municipal collection, wwi