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Man and woman kissing across two vessels
Man and woman kissing across two vessels

Man and woman kissing across two vessels

Photographer (Australian, 1899 - 1953)
Date1920s
Object number00035634
NamePhotograph
MediumGlass plate negative
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection
Collections
DescriptionThis photograph depicts a man and a woman kissing, with the woman possibly on board the tug CHAMPION. The CHAMPION was built for J & A Brown of Newcastle, New South Wales in 1895 and has been described as Australia's foremost tug of its time. It was used for difficult and deep sea towing and salvage jobs. It went as far afield as New Zealand, Fiji, and New Caledonia in its career from 1895 to 1954.HistoryThe steel steam tug CHAMPION, 306 gross tons, 135 feet (41 metres) long, was built at South Shields, England in 1895 for J & A Brown of Newcastle, New South Wales. It had a three cylinder compound engine developing 13.75 knots. It was known as 'John Brown's Yacht', and was lavishly fitted out with a built-in piano in the saloon for Brown's guests on deep sea fishing excursions. The CHAMPION was famous throughout its working life for salvage feats and for difficult jobs. It was bought by Waratah Tug and Salvage Company in January 1953, but sank at its berth in Newcastle in February 1954.SignificanceThe Samuel J Hood photographic collection records an extensive range of maritime activity on Sydney Harbour, including sail and steam ships, 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.