SS ESPERANCE BAY

Photographer Frederick Garner Wilkinson (1901-1975)

Date28 January 1924

Object number00041535

NameGlass plate negative

MediumEmulsion on glass

Dimensions83 x 108 x 2 mm

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum collection

Terms

DescriptionSS ESPERANCE BAY is shown arriving in Sydney Harbour from the Thames in London on Monday morning, 28 January 1924. The vessel was used to transport passengers between Australia and Britain during the first half of the 20th century.HistoryESPERANCE BAY was a passenger vessel of 13850 tons built in 1922 at Dalmuir for the Commonwealth Government Line. From 1922 to 1928 it operated for the White Star Line between Australia and Britain. ESPERANCE BAY had a twin screw engine, accomodation for 12 first class passenger and 720 third class with a refrigerated cargo space of 360,000 cubic feet. The maiden voyage left London for Brisbane on 28 February 1922. In 1931 it was rebuilt with to 14,198 tons and had single class accommodation for 512 tourist class passengers. It came under the management of Shaw Savill & Albion Line, but retained the green hulls and colours of the Aberdeen Line. In 1936, the original ESPERANCE BAY was transferred to Shaw Savill Line and renamed ARAWA and the HOBSONS BAY was renamed ESPERANCE BAY. During World War II the vessel was made into an Armed Merchant Cruiser at Brisbane and later was used as a troop transport. At the end of the war it was put on the London- Southampton - Malta - Port Said - Aden - Columbo - Fremantle - Melbourne - Sydney emigrant service. It was scrapped in 1955.SignificanceThis photograph is part of the F G Wilkinson Photograph Collection, comprising more than 700 glass plate negatives of ships in Sydney Harbour between 1919 and 1936. The collection provides an extensive and well-documented coverage of the changing styles of shipping in the port of Sydney before the gradual decline of the coastal trade, and in a period which was probably the peak reached by commercial shipping in Australia. The backgrounds also reveal the changing face of the city and harbour foreshores.