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Collection of 11 items relating to Captain Spring-Brown

Date1864 - 1940

Object numberANMS1384

NameArchive series

MediumPaper

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from David Spring-Brown

Terms

DescriptionThis collection of 11 items relates to the career of Captain John Frederick Spring-Brown as a Master Mariner. These consist of one newspaper article (1862); five certificates relating to Spring-Brown's appointment as a Lieutenant, drill certificates and a certificate of discharge from the TRINIDAD; two handwritten letters; one handwritten list of journeys made by Captain Spring-Brown; one photograph of Mrs Spring-Brown; and one project book containing photographs and articles relating to Captain Spring-Brown.HistoryThis collection gives a detailed picture of the life and career of a foreign-going master mariner at the turn of the century and into the 1930s. It has particular interest in the accounts of World War I activities, carrying troops in 1916 and carrying German prisoners and internees from Australia and New Zealand to Germany, then transporting Russian refugees around the coasts of northern Europe in 1919. The collection, and in particular the two journals recounting these voyages, also provides an insight into the importance of family relationships to seafarers like Spring-Brown, who missed his wife and family, and waited eagerly for correspondence on the long voyages away, and who described the impact of visiting his mother and siblings in England after 21 years absence. The collection contains documents relating to Spring Brown's father, also a master mariner, showing the strands of seafaring families which made their way to Australia through foreign voyaging.