Skip to main content

The KONOOWARRA Polka

Composer (1859 - 1908)
Datec 1880
Object number00027127
NameSheet music
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 328 x 250 mm, 0.02 kg
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection
Collections
Description'The KONOOWARRA Polka' was dedicated to Captain F H Stanford and features a lithograph of the steamship KONOOWARRA from its starboard side at sea. The front cover features a portrait of Captain Stanford. Polka was a popular dance during the 19th century and musical pieces were often dedicated to a ship and its crew.HistoryThe KONOOWARRA was a 1273-ton steam ship built in 1880 and used for transporting goods and passengers between Australian ports including Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. It was scrapped off Townsville in 1915. Sheet music offers an insight into popular culture and social values at the time of its production. The widely distributed pieces were sold fairly cheaply, making them popular purchases for the general public. Music was integral to people's social life in the home and at public events such as balls, recitals, concerts and theatre shows. Significance'The KONOOWARRA Polka' represents a ship that was active on the Australian trade route carrying passengers and cargo. It illustrates how vessels were commemorated and promoted through sheet music.
The RODONDO Schottische
Charles Huenerbein
c 1878
Sailing polka
Guglielmo Lardelli
c 1900
The GREAT BRITAIN Polka
Frederic Ellard
c 1852
The P&O Polka
P Bucalossi
c 1882
The Trafalgar Polka
Rebecca Parker
1852-1861
The CHUSAN Polka
W J Johnson
1852
The Champion Oarsman Polka
George Castleden
1895
The LIGHTNING Galop
Charles Louis Napoleon d'Albert
c 1860
The Royal Mail Galop
M C Barter
1890s
Three bells polka
Thomas J Cook
1854