Images(49)

Halvorsen Boats Photographs I

Date1920-1950

Object number00038528

NamePhotograph album

MediumPhotographic prints on paper, cardboard, fabric, ink

DimensionsDisplay Dimensions (Showcase): 238 x 360 mm

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Harvey Halvorsen and Judith Lynn Vigo

Terms

DescriptionThis photographic album is covered in black fabric and features gold printed text on the front cover reading 'Halvorsen Boats Photographs I'. The flyleaf features a typed list with the names of the boats photographed, dimensions, and the corresponding page number. Together with images of Halvorsen boats and shipyards, the album contains photographs of the Halvorsen family and personalities of the period. HistoryVessels photographed in the albumn include: MIRIMAR 75 ft, KANGAROO 28 ft, RUNABOUT 24 ft, LOLANTHE 36 ft, SAN MARCO 38 ft, SEA ELF 38 ft, POLLYANNA 42 ft, DOLPHIN 36 ft, DILIO 32 ft, CYRENE 38 ft, ARGO 44 ft, SUN BEAM II 38 ft, SILVER CLOUD 50 ft, WINBAH 62 ft, SILVER ARROW 50 ft, MISCIEF 40 ft, NGATEA 38 ft, HALVORSEN 32 (Various), TOMEREE 55 ft, MIRROB 50 ft, SEAMIST 45 ft, HOONA 46 ft, NORLEN 50 ft, SILVER CLOUD III 65 ft, PENELOPE 50 ft, PELORUS 41 ft, HIAWANTHA 50 ft, SEAMIST 60 ft, MOONRAY 36 ft, NOMENA 46 ft, VERA g 42 ft, NEREUS 66 ft, SIROCCO 42 ft, CRUISER 30 ft, LODESTAR 42 ft, STEADY HOUR II 55 ft. In 1925 the Norwegian born Lars Halvorsen began working from a small rented boat shed in Drummoyne with his eldest son Harold. Needing larger premises, they moved the fledgling business to a boat shed at Careening Cove, and in 1927 to Lloyds yard on the site of Ben Boy's wool store at Neutral Bay. Continuing a family tradition, Lars Halvorsen trained his sons to be shipwrights from the age of fourteen. Following this apprenticeship the sons progressively joined the company; Carl in 1927, Bjarne in 1930, Magnus in 1932, and Trygve in 1934. His daughter Elnor joined in 1928, working with her mother Bergithe and the youngest daughter Margit, who worked as the secretary from 1939. Following the death of Lars Halvorsen in 1936, Lars Halvorsen Sons Pty Ltd was formed with Harold as Chairman Managing Director and principle designer, and Carl as Sales Director. Lars Halvorsen Sons Pty Ltd purchased a waterside property with five acres at Waterview St, Ryde, and production moved from the Neutral Bay boatshed, which was retained as a service branch, to the new boatshed in 1940. The Ryde facility was the largest in the southern hemisphere, with an engineering section, blacksmith and lumber shops, stores, machine shop, plumbers shop, sheet metal shop, fueling facilities, five slip-ways for craft up to 90 feet and 100 tones, a three tone crane and an electric oxy-acetylene welding plant. During World War II owners of boats over 40 feet in length were asked to hand over their vessels over for the war effort. At the Ryde boatyard these civilian boats were refitted for military use. Boats built by Lars Halvorsen Sons were also deployed by the Australian, United States and Dutch forces during the war. The momentum of this war time production continued into the 1950s with the manufacture of cruisers and the subsequent establishment of the large hire fleet at Bobbin Head in the late 1940s and early 1950s. From 1926 to 1976 the Halvorsens built 1,299 vessels including motor cruisers, launches, tenders, yachts, tugs, mission boats, fishing boats and military craft.SignificanceThe photographs contained in this albumn are an important document of the Halvorsen family's boat building business and the vessels on which they worked.