Historical information

Snapshot in time of tall ship and the relaxed clambering about the rigging by sailors. The C.B. Pedersen is also referred to as a Training Ship for Swedish seamen and cadets. A reference in Annual reports and in Jottings from our log notes that classes in Swedish amongst other languages were offered by the LHLG to members and some of the earliest photographs note Swedish sailors relaxing. The first officer and captain of the C.B. Pedersen are depicted in photograph (0706) on permanent display.

In the Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 27 April 1937, page 12:
"The C. B. Pedersen was built in 1891. It has visited Australia several times, the most recent occasion having been in 1935, when It was anchored in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, for several weeks, awaiting a suitable cargo. At length the master, (Captain Hjalmar Dahlström) announced that, as no cargo could be obtained he would be prepared to carry passengers in a voyage to Gothenburg, via Torres Strait. Eight persons, including three women and a small boy were accepted as passengers, and signed on as members of the crew at salaries of 1/ a month". Artist Violet Teague was one of the passengers. She painted during the voyage and exhibited her work in 1938.

Built in 1891 the C.B Pedersen, a four-masted steel barque (2142 tons) was used as a training Barque. The ship foundered in April 1937, the crew was saved.

Several other photographs of the C.B. Pedersen taken by the same studio are held at the State Library of Victoria.

Significance

Training of seamen has always been of of keen interest to the Mission to Seamen and many cadets have been welcomed over the 20th Century when widespread training was undertaken by a number of seafaring nations.

Physical description

Black and white photograph of 9 men hanging from ropes in the rigging. One man is upside down, another is holding his hat out. The mast is off to the right-hand side of the photograph and there are several ropes and chains.

Inscriptions & markings

On the back of the photograph in the top left-hand corner is an ink stamp with the text "Peckham Photographic Studios/Geo Beachcroft/Propr./21 Charlotte St./Richmond/Victoria, Australia". In black pen is the text "Hanging on up aloft/C.B.Pedersen".