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American ship CHILLICOTHE docked at a Sydney wharf
American ship CHILLICOTHE docked at a Sydney wharf

American ship CHILLICOTHE docked at a Sydney wharf

Photographer (Australian, 1899 - 1953)
Date2 August 1927
Object number00035472
NameGlass plate negative
MediumEmulsion on glass
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionOn 3 August 1927, 'The Sydney Morning Herald' reported that the American ship, CHILLICOTHE, had encountered problems at sea. The CHILLICOTHE had a cargo of lumber and the report details that the crew members complained of the conditions on board the vessel. The vessel had faced dangerous gales which caused a leak and it is possible that this photograph depicts the moments after this event, when CHILLICOTHE was towed into Sydney Harbour behind the tug CHAMPION on 2 August 1927.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.