Shipwrecks are always fascinating but did you know that the blue metal ship the S.S Dunmore rammed and sank six ships in its career while moving blue metal from Kiama and Shellharbour to Sydney? Is there any ship in the world that rammed and sunk seven ships ? As I said to a young visitor to the Pilot’s Cottage Museum, if there was a ghost ship off Kiama it would be the S.S. Dunmore, whose fate is unknown (apparently sold into the south China sea and may be still chugging along)!

 

The S.S. Dunmore loading blue metal at the Bass Point jetty.

From Encyclopedia of Australian Shipwrecks (NEW SOUTH WALES SHIPWRECKS   )

http://oceans1.customer.netspace.net.au/nsw-main.html

Dunmore. Steam ship, 277 tons. Built 1891. Lbd 130.5 x 25.6 x 10.8 ft.

1.Under Captain Neils Hanson, collided with the steamer Kelloe off Little Bay, NSW, 13 May 1902. The Kelloe sank quickly, the crew of fifteen taken on by the Dunmore. However the Dunmore was found to be taking water so rapidly she was beached in Botany Bay. Apparently both vessels were in sight of each other for some time before the collision, but no attempts were made to alter course until it was too late. [LN],[#MGV]

Anchor of the Kelloe
2.On 5 January 1909, under Captain Hanson, ran down a pinnace from HMS Encounter near Woolloomooloo Bay, Port Jackson; fifteen of the sixty-seven occupants of the pinnace lost their lives.
3.On 3 April 1914, collided with SS Kiama at the entrance to Sydney Harbour, and went on shore on Lady Jane Beach. She was later refloated and repaired.
4.On 27 September 1915, ran aground at Bradley’s head, NSW.
5.On 11 February 1918, collided with the tug Champion off Botany Bay; returned to Sydney for repairs.

I am sure it hit another ship as well; My memory suggests something to do with colliding with one of the Sudan Expedition ships leaving Sydney Harbour in 1885. Check out this great post on Rock Lang who built the S.S Dunmore!

http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/Suburbs/documents/history-of-woy-woy

Rock Davis: Of all the Brisbane Water shipbuilders, Rock Davis was the most prolific and productive of all. Rock was born at sea in July 1833. He lived on and around water all his life. Rock’s parents had both died by the time he was 13. He is believed to have been Jonathan Piper’s apprentice. Together with his brothers Ben and Thomas, Rock built ‘Star of the North’, a 35-ton ketch. Rock first built vessels at Davistown (so named for the number of Davis’s living there), and then moved to Blackwall, near Woy Woy. His shipyard was built on a part of James Webb’s original 1823 grant Mullbong Farm. The first launching at the new site was the Centurion of 1863.

An unusual feature of the Davis shipyard, which became a major employer of shipwrights and timber getters, was a huge shed, built around 1862 to enable shipwrights to work in all weathers. The ‘Big Shed’, as it was known, was a Brisbane Water landmark, surrounded by various crude smithies, timber stores, sheds etc. Later Rock built an impressive home, which still stands at Blackwall. In total, Rock Davis built 168 ships, including the two early vessels built with his brothers. A bewildering array of ferries, schooners, steamships, cutters and ketches sprang from the Davis shipyard. Local schoolchildren looked forward to the lollies and drinks and fanfare of each new launching. Ship launchings provided great entertainment, following sometimes up to two years of hard toil by shipwrights.

 

The ‘S.S. Dunmore‘ was the largest ship built by Rock, weighing in at 277g/171n tons.

Rock Davis died on 27th June 1904, shortly before he was to turn 71. Mourners followed the steamship ‘Alabama’ (built in 1889 by Rock) in a flotilla of small boats. Rock’s last journey across water proceeded north along Cockle Creek past Davistown, Empire Bay, and the sites of many small shipyards. His life journey ended at St. Paul’s Church of England, Kincumber. Here he was buried with many other local shipwrights and their descendants. Many members of the Davis family are buried at St. Paul’s, Kincumber, including several descendants of Rock Davis, also called Rock Davis.

The last ship built at the Davis yard at Blackwall was the steam ferry ‘Woollahra’ of 1913.

Here is the story of the Dunmore running over the naval  pinnace

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1302&dat=19090106&id=AgsUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cJUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6955,67745

This was Australia’s worst naval disaster until the sinking of the Sydney in World War II, reported in the Sydney Mail

The Sydney Mail - Jan 6, 1909

 

Check out Max Gleeson’s great site as well with video of underwater wrecks on the south coast of New South Wales!

http://www.maxgleeson.com/

Read about the Dunmore’s most serious competitor for the title of ‘wreckmaker’, the Barrabool

in 

‘Destination Never Reached ‘ on Max’s site.

‘The Battle of the Boyne’

King William of Orange – main symbol of Orange Orders

Kiama had a number of Orange lodges, the 5th one formed in Australia after they were no longer illegal in 1845.

List of Kiama District Lodges (not just Orange but Oddfellows, Buffaloes and Freemason )from Dr Bob James of the Fraternal Studies Centre in Newcastle.

LOI APDA 40 Kiama Kiama -1903 -1904

GUOOF 8435 Lighthouse Kiama 1910 -1910

GT IOGT 282 Oakleaf Kiama -1887 -1900

Sands IOOFMU 68 Star of the South Kiama 1876 -1918
‘orig No:113′ NSWR IOR 124 Kiama Kiama -1934 -1938

LOI LOL 12 No Surrender Kiama -1903 -1921
see No 5 LOI LOLL 361 Lest We Forget Kiama -1909 -1919

Reg-81 PAFS 45 Kiama Kiama 1877 -1909

BuffaloR RAOB-A 126 Kiama Kiama -1941 -1941

Sands SF(IC) 294 Samaritan Kiama 1875 -1888
was 12 GL NSW;with Minamurra into SF-NSW 35 UGL SF(SC) 749 Minnamurra Kiama 1887 -1888

(These  last two were Freemason, I believe. )

You only have to read the obituaries of prominent citizens of Kiama, and you realise how many and how strong these orders were, Kiama even had a lodge of the Foresters and the Grand United Order of Gardeners! Also the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes,   the Knights of Labor and Catholic orders such as the Knights of the Southern Cross and fraternal health benefits societies such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians. In addition there would have been Orange Lodges at Gerringong and Jamberoo, and other centres locally as well.

What were the Orange Lodges ? A pro-British lodge (based in Northern Ireland but Scottish and other national lodges existed) movement modelled on Freemasonry which was anti–Catholic. In Australia it seems to have been a milder British defence league (though violence occured  between Orangemen and Catholics in Australia and elsewhere) except for the  famous ‘Kiama Ghost ‘ speech of Henry Parkes, member for Kiama, but clearly the Orangemen in Kiama were heavily involved in the local militia and local Kiama politics. I would argue that Henry Parkes was supported by the local Kiama Orangemen,and Samuel Charles was supported by the more moderate Freemason Protestants.

http://www.orangenet.org/orangehistory.htm

http://www.orangenet.org/aushist.htm

Here is a more specific look inside the rituals, and critical of their movment.

http://www.nireland.com/evangelicaltruth/orange.html

but explains the roles of the Black Preceptories and the Purplemen (the Kiama Orange were Purplemen) very well.

Orange Lodge symbols

In the University of Wollongong archives can be found  all the original documents including their ritual book, and codes for recognising new passwords,  as well as a Charter of an Purpleman from Fermanagh in 1825, of the Gerringong True Blues Orange Lodge (who were secretly Purplemen!)

Purplemen symbols

http://www.library.uow.edu.au/archives/pdfs/d145.pdf  

D145 Royal Orange Lodge –

Gerringong True Blue No. 115 

1 Minute book. 18 January 1886 – March 1920.

2 Treasurer’s Account Book. 1877 – 1883.

 3 Correspondence. 1879-1884, 1907, 1917-1924.

4 The History of the convenant / by Pastor Daniel Allen. – Sydney: Lee & Ross pr, 1877. – p.53-66. (Part

5 The Watchman: the weekly gazette of Pitt Street Congregational Church. – vol, no.20, 15 June 1895.

6 By-laws of no. 115 Loyal Orange Lodge Geeerringong – Kiama: Joseph Weston pr, 1881. – 4p.

7 Manual for 1920 and directory of Loyal Orange Lodges and Royal Black Preceptories in the state of N.S.W. – No. VI)’

Oddly,  the historically important Purple charter is not listed!

Orangemen marching in Northern Ireland (Londonderry)recently.

http://www.fraternalsecrets.org/

http://www.fraternalsecrets.org/index.php?pageId=7526

Most Kiama residents know of the Freemasons’ Temple in Hindmarsh Park, but do they know of the role of the Orange Lodges and the OddFellows, who were a mutual friendly society, and the Temperance movements, which were against the drinking of alcohol. The current Kiama Leagues Club is built on the site of the Kiama Oddfellows (the Grand United Order provided health benefits for its members) Hall, and the original cellars, which were used for meetings of the lodges, still exist. The Freemason Hall was bought from the Sons and Daughters of Temperance, for a fifth of what they originally offered, who used to put down a roller-skating rink in the hall in the 19th Century. Certainly it is much more dignified there with much more modern thinking these days. The Orange Lodges were fervently pro-Empire and anti-Catholic and Kiama was the home of the start of Freemasonry and the Orange movement in NSW, with Dr Tarrant of Kiama as the first Grand Master of the NSW Freemasons, and Robert Barr, the first Grand Master of Orange for NSW,  worked as a printer at the Kiama Independent, starting the first Orange Lodge in NSW.
It is fascinating to me that in fact there were two inner societies with the Orangemen, the Black Preceptories, who keep the lodges on the right path and had a lot of knightly titles and the breakaway Purplemen, who were more reactionary. It is clear that nearly all members around Kiama were in fact secret Purplemen (this is in fact borne out by the original minute book of the Gerringong True Blues who only referred to the Order of the Arch Purple in their minutes as ‘A.P.’) and Kiama was mainly settled by Northern Irish Protestants, and as such Orange Lodges and Freemasony was rife in the area, It is arguable that British military service (we had a number of Waterloo veterans settle in the region) and membership of the Orange movement was a major criterion in assisting their migration. There is strong evidence that the 24 laborers employed to clear James Robb’s Riversdale were in fact ALL related, and constitute a ‘clan’ migration. Certainly many of the Ulster villages, especially in Fermanagh, Antrim and Armagh that  Kiama residents are descended from are strong areas of Orange even today. The Kiama (Tory’s) Hotel was originally known as the Fermanagh Hotel, and the movie house down on Surf Beach (now demolished) was known as the Antrim Theatre.

 There are many reports of the Orange Lodges in the Kiama Independent since they formed, and even mentioned in Sydney papers such as this

The Sydney Mail – Jul 28, 1888

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1302&dat=18880728&id=cQYQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VZMDAAAAIBAJ

 Kiama had, according to Richard Reed in ‘History of the Irish in Australia’ had the best example of ‘chain migration’ in Australia, who were Northern Irish Protestants. He features a membership ticket for the Gerringong True Blues as his entire inside back cover.

It is clear that the fraternal societies (especially the Oddfellows, the Oddfellows Hall, which could seat a thousand, was on the site of the current Kiama Leagues Club), and the Temperance movement (mainly the Sons and Daughters of Temperance but also the Independent Order of Recharbites which still operate nursing homes in Victoria, wearing the Blue, rather than the Orange or the Green) were important as well. The role of private welfare, a community banding together for mutual survival was the answer to many problems. Private welfare played the role that public welfare plays today, as shown by the private, local free ( a shilling a treatment,with 90% paying nothing, and surviving on fundraising) Kiama Hospital.

‘The first Grand Lodge was opened in Sydney in 1845, Pro. Robert Barr being the first Grand Master, and Bro. Andrew Alexander, the Deputy Grand Master. Bro. Alexander was the Grand Master the following year.

The institution grew and prospered; No.2 Lodge was opened in 1845, No.3, No.4, and No.5 (in Kiama on the New South Wales South Coast) in 1846.

It is significant that the first Orange Grand Master in Australia was Robert Barr, who later published a newspaper (the Kiama Reporter sued into oblivion by Alexander Berry after publishing the famous ‘Shoalhaven Devil’ letter by John Dunmore Lang) and later was the printer for the Kiama Independent ( while running a pro-Orange paper in Sydney).

A fascinating catalogue of ritual machines made by the De Moulin Brothers can be found here, including goats to be ridden, shaky bridges and trick chairs, and much more exotic things, mainly as part of rituals of trust while blindfolded, to advance to the next degree of a  order.

http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/masonicmuseum/demoulin/index.htm

A great set of Orange songs ( Mainly political satire to annoy Catholics) can be found here.

 l&ots=hRfiF9gmrW&sig=dO2qGrT36oQ1wA8EOBumzBlY2rY&hl=en&ei=jQo9SqWDIILEM5qasaEO&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3 http://books.google.com.au/books?id=bwBKAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=Purplemen+orange&source=b

The most famous was ‘The Battle of the Boyne’ which would have been a major feature of the Orange marchs held in Kiama each July 12th. (the day of the battle where William of Orange defeated the Catholics). A major feature would have been the unique Lambeg drum only used by Orange marches and orange bunting on shops and cermonial arches across the street .  Orangemen’s Day is  an official public holiday in Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada on July 12th even today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambeg_drum

The  Catholics held similiar festivals to celebrate St Patricks Day and it is known the local Catholics in Kiama did not celebrate Empire Day as St Patricks was seen as the national day. Empire day was in fact started in NSW by Sir George Fuller, Premier  and Kiama resident who was prominent in Kiama Protestant politics. Tensions clearly arose for example over the railways strike in 1917 which led to the national strike, especially over a court case involving money missing from the Kiama railway office, referenced in the minutes of the Gerringong True Blues. One can only speculate if the the Great Kiama Fire of 1899, which destroyed 26 buildings in Kiama, as part of a pattern of ten fires over five years, was part of  these tensions in Kiama!

A kingly host upon a stream,
a monarch camped around
Its southern upland far and wide
their white pavilions crowned;
Not long ago that sky unclouded showed,
nor beneath the ray,
That gentle stream in silver flowed
to meet the new-born day.

Peals the loud gun-its thunders boom
the echoing vales along
While curtained in its sulfurous boom
moves on the gallant thrown.
And Foot and Horse in mingled mass,
regardless all of life,
With furious ardor onward pass
to join the deadly strife.

Not strange that with such ardent flame
each glowing heart beats high,
Their battle-word was William’s name
and Death and Liberty!
Then Ouldbridge, then they peaceful bowers
with sounds unwonted rang,
And Tredagh, mid thy distant towers,
was heard the mighty clang.

The silver stream is crimsoned wide
and clogged with many a corpse,
As floating down its gentle tide
co- mingled man and horse;
Now fiercer grows the battle’s rage,
the guarded stream is crossed,
And furious, hand-to-hand,
engage each bold contending host.

He falls-the veteran hero falls,
renowned along the Rhine-
And he whose name, while Derry s walls
endure shall brightly shine;
Oh! would to heaven that churchman bold,
his arms with triumph blest,
The soldier spirit had controlled
that fired his pious breast.

And he, the chief of yonder brave
and persecuted band,
Who foremost rushed amid the wave
and gained the hostile strand,
He bleeds, brave Caillemonte-he bleeds
-tis closed, his bright career,
Yet still that band to glorious deeds
his dying accents cheer,

And now that well-contested strand
successive columns gain,
While backward James yielding band
are borne across the plain;
In vain the sword green Erin draws,
and life away doth fling-
Oh! worthy of a better cause
and of a bolder king.

In vain thy bearing bold is shown
upon that blood-stained ground;
Thy towering hopes are overthrown,
thy choicest fall around;
Nor, shamed abandon thou the fray,
nor blush though conquered there;
A power against thee fights today
no mortal arm may dare.

Hurrah! Hurrah! For Liberty,
for her sword we draw,
And dared the battle while on high
our Orange banners flew.
Woe worth the hour- worth the state,
when men shall cease to join
Wit grateful hearts to celebrate
the glories of the Boyne! 

http://www.contemplator.com/ireland/boyne.html

Heritage Tennis Club

Some old Cocks Photographic studio-style  photos on display at the Kiama Pilot’s Cottage have confirmed the age of the Kiama Blowhole Tennis Courts (right next door)as around 1892.

Check out the size of the Norfolk Pine next to the courts in 1892 and later in 2009.

The view above clearly shows the two surfaces and a shelter, in exactly the same spots as the current two tennis surfaces and the clubhouse!

‘In William A. Bayley’s ‘ Blue Haven’- the History of Kiama Municipality, it is recorded that ‘Lawn Tennis’ as it was called, reached Kiama in 1892 when two courts were made in the excavation left from the harbour works on Blowhole Point. Other courts were located at the rear of the Christ Church (Anglican) – built of concrete, and at the front of the Catholic Church adjacent to Manning Street. The Catholic courts were of ant-bed and were superbly maintained by Jim Flynn. They were removed in 1963 with the building of the new church. Another was located at the rear of Kiama Hospital for the use of Hospital staff, most of whom lived-in at the Nurses and Sisters Quarters. These courts were often made available to other clubs whose courts were undergoing repair. The Blowhole courts had become neglected during the second world-war but were rebuilt and reopened in 1963′

This is from

http://www.kiamatennis.org.au/downloads/kiamatennis_50th.pdf

The  Blowhole Tennis club is going through some changes (may even add  ‘heritage’ to the name!) with a new lease, and a recent grant  of $5175 from  the NSW State Government  http://www.dsr.nsw.gov.au/grants/cap_projects.asp

to resurface the tennis court

http://www.kiamaindependent.com.au/article/sporting_groups_to_upgrade_courts_with_grants_cash/

and apparently considering lobbying for a heritage plaque (as part of the Kiama Heritage Walk) overlooking the courts, and maybe even an annual Heritage Tennis Tournament, complete with old uniforms and equipment. Rather like  this one in Melbourne!

Bakers Road, Dandenong North, VIC 3175

p: (03) 9795 9210

This one is from the Historic Australian Newspaper archive

http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home

< Friday 14 January 1870 The Brisbane Courier

A GHOST STORY. – The following is from the
Kiama Pilot :-One night last week, a young
man was coming from Shoalhaven, when he
beheld what he believes was a ghost, or some-
thing very like one. On crossing Mount Plea-
sant, he was riding leisurely along, the night
being dark, but sufficiently light enough to
enable him to discern objects, when, without
any previous intimation, his horse started at
something. Simultaneously, a strange noise was
heard, and on looking down to the side of the
road he beheld the spectre. The head was only
visible, and he describes it as being larger in
size than a cow’s. The ears were as long as a
person’s arm, while the eyes appeared as large
as a man’s fist, and kept whirling round and
round. The horse immediately started, and did
not halt till near Kiama. We have been informed
that another individual observed something
startling one Sunday night, not long ago, about
the small hours, He was returning home,and
when between Mount Pleasant and Kiama,
a creature in the form of a man, about six
feet in height, with black stripes down each
of his legs, and minus a head, made its ap-
pearance very near his horse’s head. The indi-
vidual looked at it, and continued his course, but
several times he noticed it following him at a
brisk pace. He immediately put spurs to his
horse, and the ghost, taking the hint, quickened
his pace. They raced for some distance, when
suddenly the spectre “vanished into thin air.”
Such are the circumstances as related to us.
We refrain from giving any opinion on the
matter. They were related to us in all sincerity
on the night of the occurrence, and the witness
was very nervous, and ” all of a shake

!

 

Though this is not a ghost, a lioness near Kiama is still remarkable

http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/2297734

SUPPOSED LIONESS NEAR KIAMA

SYDNEY, Thursday.

The police have received a re-

port that a holidaymaker at Kiama

was confronted by a lioness while
shooting in the scrub to-day. It
made  no attempt to molest him
but made off into the bush.

The description corresponded to
that of an animal which has
caused the death of many sheep

in the  district

This is an official Pilot Flag, since 1934 and is called a Code H Flag and replaced the Pilot Jack

Here is some info from this site http://flagspot.net/flags/xf-pilt.html

4 March 1935. The Honourable Company of Master Mariners wrote to the Admiralty asking, “Is the Pilot Jack a proper flag to be displayed at stem head of a merchant ship ?”

The letter was circulated for comment, and the Admiralty Librarian, D.B.Smith wrote, “Commander Mead is carrying on Perrin’s research into the record material about flags, and is finding many preconceived notions are not in accordance with the intentions of the regulations, when studied in the light provided by the actual papers on which they were issued.”

4 May 1936. The Head of the Naval Law Department concluded, “Nobody has yet disclosed any official authority for it to be flown as a jack. This flag is not legal as a jack under present law. The phrasing of Article 73(2) of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894 is ambiguous, but refers to its use as a pilot flag only.”

At the same time the Naval Law Department was being pressed by the Board of Admiralty to permit use of the white-bordered Union Jack in combination with International Code letter ‘ M ‘ as a signal for ships entering and leaving Dockyard Ports. On 18 December 1936 the Department Head wrote,

“Random use of the Pilot Jack would appear to be illegal in view of the terms of the Pilotage Act 1913, Section 45. That section says that HM may, by Order in Council, make rules as to the signals to be used where the services of a pilot are required, and that to use any pilot signal for any other purpose than that of summoning a pilot is an offence punishable with a fine not exceeding twenty pounds. Order in Council 9 October 1933 constituted Pilot Jack hoisted at the fore as a pilot signal for the purpose of this Act. The law clearly has not been strictly enforced, but its existence does seem a reason for not acting in contravention of it. It is true that by the same Order in Council other ships present hoist the Pilot Jack when Red Ensign over ‘ M ‘ is flown by a ship under way and this practice has not been challenged. Two wrongs do not make a right. It would also be illogical for the Admiralty, after opposing on the grounds above, the flying of the white-bordered Union Jack as a jack by merchant ships, (as a consequence of which other designs for the Merchant Jack are under consideration at the Board of Trade), should then require their ships to fly it in certain Dockyard Ports.”

Later that month, Head of Naval Law wrote, “It is true that this Act has not been strictly enforced, and indeed under those very Dockyard Port Orders in Council the Pilot Jack is laid down for a purpose other than summoning a pilot, but this usage was introduced during exceptional wartime conditions, and in any case is hardly a reason for extending its illegal use.”

The Admiralty sought the opinion of the Board of Trade who replied on 19 Apr 1937 that, “The Board are disposed to think that the use of the Pilot Jack for any purpose other than summoning a pilot is undesirable, and is probably in contravention of Section 45 of the Pilotage Act 1913.”

The possibility of issuing an Admiralty warrant to legalise use of the white-bordered Union Jack as a merchant jack was considered. However on 7 May 1937 the Marine Department wrote to the Admiralty, “The Board (of Trade) are advised that there is doubt whether a ship is entitled to fly the Pilot Jack for any purpose other than summoning a pilot. Further advised that though there is power under Section 73 of Merchant Shipping Act 1894 to issue warrants authorising substituting other national colours for those laid down in that section, it is doubtful whether there is power by warrant to authorise the use of any national colours in addition to those not already agreed.”

This was followed by a letter to Naval Law, “We have replied to various merchant service organisations, which have advocated the use of the Pilot Jack to be flown as a jack at the bows of merchant ships, that we cannot support the adoption of this particular flag on legal grounds.”

However at some time in 1937 a Board of Trade Notice was issued stating that British merchant ships might wear a square Red Ensign, or Blue Ensign, as appropriate, at the jackstaff, though no official exception would be taken to continuance of the frequently adopted practice of displaying a small Pilot Jack, the Union Jack surrounded by a white border.

In 1939 Naval Law wrote (NL 863/39) to the Board of Trade that the white-bordered Union Jack was used by the Navy, but only as a signal, and recommend that the merchant jack should be a square Red Ensign for which there was a precedent of 1694.

The discussion was interrupted by the Second World War, but continued in 1946. There was now a campaign to make the ordinary Union Jack the official Merchant Jack, in recognition of the contribution made to the war effort by the Merchant Navy . Questions were asked in Parliament on 16 October, 23 October, 11 December 1946, and 21 January 1947.

On 5 February 1947 the Private Secretary to the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary, Ministry of Transport wrote that, “The Merchant Navy already flies a flag which incorporates the Union, and that being so, the First Lord and the Minister of Transport do not consider there is a reason to change the present practice.”

The Ministry of Transport, which had taken over the Maritime Department of the Board of Trade, were not particularly interested in the question of a merchant jack, and the Admiralty’s only concern was that it should not be the Union Jack.

13 May 1949. The Ministry of Transport wrote to Naval Law asking how queries about use of the white-bordered Union Jack should be answered. Naval Law apparently suggested that the Ministry should take legal advice.

The Treasury Solicitor reported to the Ministry of Transport that in relation to Order in Council 1933 (SR&O 1933 No.976), the white-bordered Union Jack was a signal, only if hoisted at the foremast, and that there was no offence committed, under that section, if it was hoisted elsewhere. Nor did he think that use of the flag as a merchant jack was an offence under Article 73 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894. He wrote, “It may well be that the intention was to bring this section into line with the fact that this flag was in use as a pilot signal, but unfortunately, in my opinion, failed to do so. What it should have done was to except this flag only when used as a pilot signal. As it stands however, there is in the section no qualification regarding the use of this flag.”

On 21 June 1949 this legal opinion was passed on to Naval Law, who, on 7 September 1949 wrote back, “The Board (of Admiralty) has no objection to you writing to interested bodies informing them that the Union Jack is incorrect and that the correct jack is a square version of the Red Ensign, but there is no reason to discourage the existing practice of flying the Pilot Jack at the jackstaff.”

This is the most recent information that I have been able to find. It is in the National Archives (PRO) at Kew, mainly in ADM 116/3799, but also ADM 116/3566, ADM 1/19969, ADM 1/21665, MT 9/4365 and ADM 205/55. I hadn’t time to read everything closely, but I think that I extracted a fair summary. The white-bordered Union Jack ceased to be a signal for a pilot in 1970, which obviously removes one objection to its use as a civil jack. However I think that to say that the white-bordered Union Jack “is a legally permitted jack for merchant ships” is wrong. It was introduced as the signal for a pilot, and although it is no longer that, no legal action has been taken to make it a civil/merchant jack. It is more accurate to say that its use as such, “is permitted”, or “is not illegal”.
David Prothero, 11 September 2003

 

He goes on to explain the current rules for pilot flags

When the Signal Code was revised in 1934, another Order in Council of 9th October 1933 (effective 1st January 1934) changed the list to;

1. The International Code Signal G
2. The International Code Signal P.T.
3. The Pilot Jack hoisted at the fore.

As far as I know the Pilot Jack (the white-bordered UJ) ceased to be a pilot signal in 1970.

The flag for a pilot boat was defined in the Pilotage Act of 1808. It specified that a Pilot Boat was to be, “fitted with black sides and have the upper strake next the gunwale painted white and shall carry a vane at the masthead or else a flag on a sprit or staff or in some other equally conspicuous situation; which vane or flag shall be of large dimensions proportioned to the size of the boat or vessel carrying the same and shall be half red and half white, in horizontal stripes of which the uppermost shall be white.”

This white over red flag was confirmed in section 612 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 and section 613 added; “When a qualified pilot is carried off in a vessel not in the pilotage service he is required to exhibit a pilot flag (i.e white over red) to show that the vessel has a qualified pilot on board.”

This flag could be flown under the ensign, at the jack staff, or the triadic stay. I think it was normally flown under the ensign when the captain of the ship was also a qualified pilot, which was likely in ferries or vessels on regular coastal runs.

In 1934 International Code Signal H replaced the white over red flag.
David Prothero, 9 July 2001

 

Some interesting searches re the Kiama Pilot in the SMH (Sydney Morning Herald) archives now online

http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3719621

DISMISSAL OF THE KIAMA PILOT.-Cap-
tain Stobo lins been dismissed from .the
offico which ho held as pilot of Kiama. It
is asserted that he took up the Government
moorings in the harbour, and when the
Rapid steamer went into port, there was
nothing to moor her to, and she was com-
pelled to steam about in consequence. The

matter being represented to the Government,
Mr. Stobo has been dismissed

 

Also Captain Arthur Bell, who died when the ‘Bombo’ sank, liked writing to the Sydney Morning Herald.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9o8TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tZYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1977,983326&dq=kiama+pilot

This letter defends the master of the Kiama, after it sank

Another letter from Captain Arthur Bell rfers to  neon lights from a  hotel (probably the art deco revamped New Brighton) interfering with the  ’leads’  (guides ot approaching ships) at the Kiama harbour

 

 

 

The Sydney Morning Herald. - Feb 27, 1939

 

 

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6oQTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SJUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3335,5173633&dq=kiama

This one refers to the Pilot’s Cottage decorated with bunting for the Prince of Wales’s birthday.

 

 

 

The Sydney Mail - Nov 12, 1892

 

 

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WH8QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l5UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4826,5337598&dq=kiama+pilot

Bunting was the order of  the day at the Lighthouse by the Kiama Pilot,  another time.

The Sydney Mail - Apr 12, 1890

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qFwQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SpMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3351,4190403&dq=kiama+pilot

Here is a reference to the stand-off signals the Pilot would hoist if the weather was too stormy.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h3oQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=upEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7033,5943416&dq=kiama+pilot

 

 

 

The Sydney Morning Herald. - Oct 26, 1905

 

 

 

 

“Hell must be filled with beautiful women and no mirrors”

Here is the family tree from the Kiama Pilot’s Cottage on Orry-Kelly.

 

This was published in Wollongong (NSW Australia), in the Illawarra Mercury Weekender feature liftout (written by Katrina Lobley)on Saturday June 29th, 1996. She now works at the Sydney Writers Centre. 

http://www.sydneywriterscentre.com.au/meetourteam.htm

Ph: (02) 9929 9237

Michelle Hoctor is the heritage writer for the Illawarra Mercury and probably knows about  Orry-Kelly descendants’ whereabouts. The important part is the fact that a copy of  the biography lies with the Kelly family, and Orry-Kelly wanted it to be made into a film, but because it was revealing lurid details of Cary Grant’s homesexual past it was suppressed in a court case, the article alleges.

There is also a story  of Orry in the army in the St Petersburg Times December 20th 1942

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19421220&id=fbUKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hk0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5466,6937175

Check out comments for an update on living relatives of Orry-Kelly( at least last year in 2008)

Orry George Kelly (Birth certificate confirns this is the correct name despite about six versions) at about 8 years old in a dramatic production at Miss Swindell’s Academy in Shoalhaven Street Kiama.

The Kiama and District Historical Society Secretary Sue Eggins is currently putting together an ‘Orrible’ Exhibition for a showing of a couple of Orry’s films ( one being Casablanca) in August as part of the Kiama Council 150th anniversary celebrations. http://www.kiama.nsw.gov.au/media/pdf/Media-Releases/090421-150th-celebrations.pdf

the films will be shown at Pics’n'Flicks at Gerringong Town Hall and will be opened by the much loved film critic ‘Mr Movies’ Bill Collins who is passionate about Orry Kelly and apparently collects Orry-Kelly. ( he is contactable through the phone book in Berry where he lives, or through his other contacts below.) He certainly would be a good lead for anyone seekng a copy of Orry’s unpublished biography!

Bill Collins
c/- Fox Classics
GPO Box 99
Sydney NSW 2001

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Collins_(television_presenter)

I wil take a photo of  (Orry’s father,)William Kelly’s silver watch for bravery (he dived down and saved a ship in Kiama Harbour) that is on display at the Kiama Pilot’s Cottage.

This is Daisy the cow the papier mache Daisy the Cow in Kiama was based on 19 years ago.

This is the sculptor “Ernesto Murgo” meeting Daisy who would become his model

And here Daisy meets Daisy and Ernesto the proud creator celebrates with his beautiful ladies.

Now Daisy has become an icon of Kiama and been painted and re-painted many times since.

Yes, the paint is the only thing holding her together!

It is a community thing that anyone can paint the cow, which has led to some controversies

and even censorship!

Should Daisy be retired up to the brand new Kiama Pavilion and one of the fibre glass Picowasso Cows take her place?

Renowned throughout town and dale, the folk singer Phyll Lobl has written a song about Daisy the Cow’s adventures and may well have it performed by a local choir as part of Kiama’s 150th council anniversary celebrations!

Thanks to Lesley  Lisle and her mother for the following information

Duties of Pilot Services Officer.

I enjoyed our lengthy chat at the Pilot’s Cottage recently and as requested by you, I spoke to my elderly mother about the work that my father did when he was with the Maritime Services Board’s, only to discover that I misled you. Apparently he was not their Pilot Officer for Sydney Harbour – he worked as a crew member on the Pilot boat and was their District Officer for the Sydney Region.  

 

Pilot officers require a much higher qualification.

Mum said that her recollections are from a fading memory (realising that all the women from her era are either over or approaching 90 years of age) but she said that perhaps The Maritime Services Board – now Sydney Water –(www.sydneywater.com.au, General Enquiries 13 2092) would have more explicit details if you require them in regard to the duties of the Pilot Officer.

 

My father, after his time on the Pilot boat, became a District Officer for the Maritme Services Board, which title changed to Boating Services Officer while he was in the job, initially on the Hawkesbury River then, Tweed Heads and finally at Merimbula.

Here’s what my mother advised me:-

My father – George William Thomas Wurlod (14.3.1924 – 6.4.1984)

After spending some considerable time with the merchant navy as an ‘able seaman’ – including the war years, (having three of those ships on which he served, torpedoed from under him), in 1962 he left the sea to start working for the Maritime Services Board as and able seaman on Goat Island in Sydney Harbour – doing their maintenance work.

 

Then about 8 months after that he moved on to the Pilot Boat at Watsons Bay as a crew member. In those days, the Pilot Vessel operated from Watsons Bay in Sydney Harbour (which only recently closed down). It was the job of the pilot boat to escort crafts into Sydney Harbour and in the case of the large ships, the Pilot Officer would climb up a ladder suspended from the ship down to the smaller pilot boat to allow the pilot to climb up onto the ship to meet with their captains to discuss and guide the ship’s safe passageway through the Sydney Heads and up the harbour.

 

As well as having a Harbour and River Masters Ticket, (which enabled him to represent the Maritime Services Board) he also tutored people more senior to himself for their Harbour and River Masters Tickets - there was a lot of technical material to be assimilated to gain this certificate.

 

Following his time on the pilot boat (roughly 12 months) he moved on to the head office of the Maritime Services Board at Circular Quay in Sydney to the position of District Office. As the MSB Sydney District Officer, his territory covered the inland waterways of part of the Hawkesbury River.

In his position as District Officer his other duties included, manning the head office (paperwork), public relations, testing and issuing licences for water craft and examining these craft for water safety requirements as per M.S.B. rules. He supervised the local waterways – in an identified MSB speed boat whilst wearing an MSB uniform and cap which was navy in colour with their insignia and gold buttons) and he was required to ensure that the channel markers we erected where required on the inland rivers and coast line, as well as reprimanding or charging any one deliberately violating the regulations of the waterways. In addition to these duties, he had to check boat moorings, attend in rescues and give evidence in court matters where required.

Following his time in the Sydney Office of the MSB, in 1970 he moved to the far north coast to the Pilot Station on Flagstaff Hill at Tweed Heads which was a residential home with a front office for the Board in the home. The roof of the house was cyclone bolted against the severe winds and it was set on 5 acres of headland, so that the view of the ocean was not obstructed. This position also came with a ‘boatman’ (offsider to drive and stay with the MSB boat when required and maintain the premises).

In addition to the work he performed at the Sydney Office, when at Tweed Heads he was also required to send in weekly weather reports to the Sydney Office and raise flags so the boats coming over the bar –  into the entry channel at Tweed Heads Harbour from the sea (particularly fishing trawlers) would know if the bar was safe to navigate their crafts into Tweed Heads Harbour.  He was also required to check out any mishaps on the bar. 

His territory at Tweed Heads ranged from Byron Bay to the Queensland border where complications arose when clients from north of the border confused appointment times with day light savings time, which was not operative in Queensland.

 

During his soujourn at Tweed Heads a lazer light house  was erected on Point Danger (Qld),- just over the boarder – which was little more than a tourist gimmick.  (Lighthouses as such were controlled by the Commonwealth Government outside the jurisdiction of the NSW Government).

In 1978 he was transferred to the Merimbula Office of the MSB on the South Coast. This office was situated in the township and by this stage the title for his position was changed from Pilot Officer to Boating Services Officer, with only slight amendments to his duties – no large shipping entered that port.

Regarding ships sunk off the east coast of Australia during World War 2.

 

As we discussed, Mum was able to assist me in this regard as well, by showing me a copy of the plaque which details the names of those ships 

In addition to this, my Mother was involved with the Seamen’s Union Women’s Committee and the plaque that I spoke to you about in regard to the ships sunk off the east coast of Australia during the 2nd world war years, my mother tells me was organised by the Seamen’s Unions Women’s Committee (Brisbane)  in memory of the Merchant Navy Seafarers from the funds still held in their coffers when the Committee disbanded in 1993. She also told me that The Brisbane Seamen’s Union Women’s Committee (1953 – 1993) was the last state to disband this movement. The plaque itself was presented to the Australian National Maritime Museum in 1994.

A series of four glass etched panels that once were in the Kiama Grand Hotel since the 1940s have been donated to the museum recently by Eric Spinder, and may end up as part of our windows into our entrance foyer (backlit ideally). Thanks to Eric (whose brother has an amazing water farm in Tasmania called Grim Water (http://www.capegrim.com.au/)

It is the seasons for donations as we recently received a picture of Mrs Samuel Charles, (nee Sarah Ann, daughter of James Mackay Gray of Gerringong) which will go well with the gravestone of hers we have ( if we can figure out what to do with it) and her eyeglasses, (incorrect, see comment below, actually Mrs Fraser, married to one of the Pilots) and a old panorama of the Pilot’s Cottage, kindly lent for reproduction by Tony Stewart ( who is part of the Holtz family of Kiama) and rumours of an oil painting of early Kiama is about to be donated. Also we had a recent visit by Leo Cady,

http://www.rootsandleaves.com/family/People/f1979.html

who knows many great stories of old Kiama

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1958638.Leo_Cady

and much about orchids.

Our local magpies, as they shelter from a storm on our steps, certainly seemed to be impressed, though they refused to be interviewed.

This is the Kiama St Joseph’s Covent just before its demolition. While very little of the original building was left, and new classes will be built on the site, it is sad to think the site was occupied as a convent fo more than a hundred years, after the nuns moved into Kiama formjamberoo before 1900. (By the way, the original church St Peters, sat on this site, and when demolished, the rubble was put in as fill in the back playgorund overlooking Surf  Beach)

While it is sad this building is sitting around vacant there are many others being used for nothing such as Burroul House on the Kiama Hospital site, and the Police Sergeant’s residence, next to the Post Office, which would be a great shame if they followed suit, and instead should be restored as commercial properties in great locations.