One of a collection of over 400 photographs in an album commenced in 1960 and presented to the Phillip Island & Westernport Historical Society by the Shire of Phillip IslandPhotograph of the Figure Head of The "Speke" as found in a shed in 1936.local history, photography, photographs, maritime technology, ship relics, figure head of the "speke", black & white photograph, shipping, wrecks, the speke figure head, john jenner, bryant west

One of a collection of over 400 photographs in an album commenced in 1960 and presented to the Phillip Island & Westernport Historical Society by the Shire of Phillip IslandPhotograph of the Figure Head of The "Speke" after restoration by School Boys and their Teacher.local history, photography, photographs, maritime technology, ship relics, figure head of the "speke", black & white photograph, shipping, wrecks, the speke figure head, john jenner, bryant west

Saved from the ship Speke which ran aground on the coast of Phillip Island on the 22nd of February 1906. The figure head of the Speke was in the shape of woman, wearing a flowing white dress with blue cuffs and collar and carrying a large bunch of daffodils. It was originally nine feet four inches long. This sculpture went missing after the event and decades later the head only was re-discovered in Mr Thompson’s garage. It was then restored by Headmaster Kevin and the senior children of Cowes State school in 1940.The Speke was an all steel ship built in Wales in 1891. She was delivering wheat to Geelong and confused a bushfire in Cowes for navigation lights. Many local people salvaged goods from the resulting wreckage.Large wooden figure head, carved to resemble a woman. Painted aspects of hair, face, collar. Mounted on an undecorated wooden shield.phillip island, speke, kitty miller bay, figurehead, cowes state school