Warship, probably the French naval sloop BELLATRIX, off Farm Cove in Sydney

Photographer Samuel J Hood Studio (Australian, 1899 - 1953)

DateJuly 1932

Object number00034662

NamePhotograph

MediumGlass plate negative

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionThis image probably depicts the French cloop BELLATRIX during its visit to Sydney in July 1932. The ferry in the corner is possibly SS KIRRULE. The sloop arrived in Sydney Harbour at 11:18am on Saturday 2 July 1932 having sailed from Noumea. Under Commandant Constantan, it was docked in Morts Dock in Balmain for 'a periodical overhaul' (The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 July 1932). The newspaper report also reported that the vessel initially moored in Farm Cove.SignificanceThe Samuel J Hood photographic collection records an extensive range of maritime activity on Sydney Harbour, including sail and steam ships, warships, crew portraits, crews at work, ship interiors, stevedores loading and unloading cargo, port scenes, pleasure boats and harbourside social activities from the 1890s through to the 1950s. They are also highly competent artistic studies and views - Hood was regarded as an important figure in early Australian photojournalism. Hood’s maritime photographs are one of the most significant collections of such work in Australia.