CHITRAL arriving in Circular Quay from Pyrmont on Thursday 25 August 1932

Photographer Frederick Garner Wilkinson (1901-1975)

Date1932

Object number00041524

NameGlass plate negative

MediumEmulsion on glass

Dimensions83 x 108 x 2 mm

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum collection

Terms

DescriptionCHITRAL was photographed arriving in Circular Quay from Pyrmont on Thursday 25 August 1932 at 12.30pm. This image was captured from Wharf 7B at Circular Quay at 12.30pm.HistoryCHITRAL and its sister ship CATHAY were both built in 1961 and operated under the P&O line. While serving in Australian waters CHITRAL was used by P&O's subsidiary company Eastern and Australian Lines between 1971 and 1975 to carry passengers between Japan, China and Australia. It provided a regular passenger service with comfortable and entertaining facilities. The P&O Steam Navigation Company purchased the vessel and used it for passengers and freight. On 3 December 1975 CHITRAL was sold to Choy's Iron & Steel Company for scrapping in Taiwan.SignificanceThis photograph represents CHITRAL and its role transporting passengers between Australia and England.

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.