The French ship VINCENNES stranded on Manly Beach

Images(2)

The French ship VINCENNES stranded on Manly Beach

Date1906

Object number00046916

NamePostcard

MediumPostcard

DimensionsOverall: 85 x 135 x 1 mm, 3.52 g

ClassificationsPosters and postcards

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Frank Eastwood

Terms

DescriptionThis photographic postcard shows the French three-masted barque VINCENNES stranded on Manly Beach en route from Yokohama, Japan to Sydney, New South Wales in May 1906. In the foreground are a few of the thousands of sightseers who made the trip to Manly to see the ship. The stranded vessel created such interest that additional ferries had to be put on the Sydney to Manly service to cater for the visitors. Unsurprisingly, local photographers rushed to the scene recording it for prosperity and then cashing in on the subsequent demand for souvenirs of the event.HistoryOn the evening of 24 May 1906 the 1740 ton, three masted, steel barque VINCENNES with 600 tons of sand ballast on board ran aground on Manly Beach whilst on a voyage from Yokohama, Japan to Sydney, New South Wales. The vessel had been off Sydney Heads during the afternoon and after failing to raise a pilot (by the customary burning of blue flares) the Captain decided to enter the Heads. In less than favourable conditions with mounting seas and an easterly gale Captain Levallant appeared to mistake the break in the cliffs at Manly for the entrance to Port Jackson and sailed the vessel into the breakers on Manly Beach. As the seas drove the vessel towards the shore the crew burned distress flares and dropped the vessel's anchors. The barque came ashore stern first between Pine and Carlton Streets where it then turned broadside to the beach. Local resident Mr Woods observed the ship almost ashore on Manly Beach with three red lights hoisted in its rigging and alerted the local authorities. The pilot steamer CAPTAIN COOK along with the Watson Bay Lifeboat arrived shortly afterwards but due to VINCENNES' proximity to the shore could not render assistance. Taking advantage of a break in the weather the VINCENNES' crew did manage to launch a ship's boat and three of the crew made for the shore where they landed with considerable difficulty assisted by the growing crowd of spectators. Over the next few hours as the weather moderated the vessel bedded into the beach becoming more stable and the risk to the crew diminished. According to the local newspapers as the risk to the crew and the ship lessened the scene took on a carnival atmosphere. Members of the Manly Town Band played the French crew a rendition of the French National Anthem and thousands of Sydneysiders travelled to Manly to view the stranded ship. The spectacle of such a large vessel ashore on one of Sydney's most popular esplanades created such a demand for Sydney to Manly ferries that not only did additional services have to be put on but on Sunday 27 May the crush of spectators was so great that the turnstiles at Sydney Cove and Manly had to be abandoned. For nine days whilst salvage crews attempted to save the ship, deckchairs were hired out on the beach and beach amusements such as pony rides established. The Manly Hospital held a fete with nurses serving afternoon tea to the sightseers and local photographers, including Charles Kerry and Harry Bradley, rushed to the scene recording it for prosperity and then cashing in on the subsequent demand for souvenirs of the event. After several attempts and the dumping of hundreds of tons of ballast on 3 June 1906 the VINCENNES was successfully refloated, towed off Manly Beach and taken around to Neutral Bay. SignificanceShipping incidents, accidents and disasters have held a fascination for Sydneysiders since the very beginnings of the colony. The wrecks of the EDWARD LOMBE in 1834, DUNBAR in 1857, HEREWARD in 1898 and the stranding of the VINCENNES in 1906 attracted sightseers by the hundreds if not thousands. This postcard of the VINCENNES on Manly Beach in 1906 was one of many produced to commemorate the event.