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Three men watch SS ARCADIA II in the distance
Three men watch SS ARCADIA II in the distance

Three men watch SS ARCADIA II in the distance

Photographer (1919-1999)
Date1954-1962
Object numberANMS1404[045]
NameNegative
MediumCellulose (nitrate or acetate) negative, black and white
DimensionsOverall: 118 x 163 mm
Copyright©Leigh Purcell
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Leigh Purcell
DescriptionThis photograph depicts the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company's SS ARCADIA II in the background with three young males watching from the rocky shore. There is a small tender vessel visible close to shore. The square format photographic negative has not been retouched and relates to another item in the museum's collection, ANMS1404[046]. The images demonstrate how Purcell retouched and edited his photographs.HistoryThe SS ARCADIA II was built by John Brown and Company at Clydebank, Scotland for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O). It was launched in May 1953 and undertook its maiden voyage from Tilbury, England to Australia on 22 February 1954. The vessel serviced the passenger trade between the United Kingdom and Australia for the next 16 years. From 1959, the vessel also undertook Pacific cruises stopping at New Zealand. In 1970, it became the first large vessel to cruise on the Alaskan coast. On 29 January 1979, ARCADIA made its last cruise from Sydney, New South Wales via Brisbane, Queensland and Hong Kong to Singapore. Almost a month after the voyage, the vessel was sold and broken up in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.SignificanceThese photographic negatives were taken by Australian commercial photographer Gervaise Purcell from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. They represent his work for clients such as swimwear manufacturer Jantzen, as well as retail giants David Jones and Hordern Brothers, cruise ship operators the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O), radio technology manufacturer Amalgamated Wireless Australasia (AWA) and tourism operator Ansett Airways. Many of the images were taken with a Graflex Crown Graphic camera in the 1950s.