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RMS MOLDAVIA II as flagship at the Anniversary Regatta
RMS MOLDAVIA II as flagship at the Anniversary Regatta

RMS MOLDAVIA II as flagship at the Anniversary Regatta

Photographer (1901-1975)
Date26 January 1924
Object number00040936
NameGlass plate negative
MediumEmulsion on glass
Dimensions83 x 108 x 2 mm
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum collection
DescriptionRMS MOLDAVIA II is shown moored stern first to the PO Buoy and anchored forward in Neutral Bay. It acted as flagship in the 136th Anniversary Regatta held on Sydney Harbour on 26 January 1924. This photograph was taken from a passing ferry. A luncheon was hosted on board for distinguished guests. Among those invited were guests of honour Governor-General Lord Henry William Forster, Lieutenant-Governor Sir William Cullen and Vice Admiral Saito Shichigoro of the visiting Imperial Japanese Navy squadron.HistoryRMS MOLDAVIA II was initially built as a single funnel in 1921 by Cammell Laird and Company at Birkenhead for Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. It was launched on 1 October 1921 and was designed to service the passenger trade between Britain and Australia via Marseilles, Suez and Colombo. It could accommodate 840 tourist class passengers. In 1928, it was fitted with a second (artificial) funnel in light of criticisms of its outmoded appearance. Despite its old-fashioned design, MOLDAVIA was able to serve the passenger trade between England and Australia for fifteen years before the ship was superseded by the new ‘Strath’ liners. MOLDAVIA made its final voyage from Sydney to Tilbury on 17 September 1937 before it was scrapped in 1938.SignificanceThis photograph represents the role of RMS MOLDAVIA II in the 136th Anniversary Regatta in 1924.

It 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.