Group of people on board RMS MOLDAVIA II

Photographer Samuel J Hood Studio (Australian, 1899 - 1953)

Date26 January 1924

Object number00024204

NameGlass plate negative

MediumEmulsion on glass

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionThis image depicts Mr Reginald Joseph and Mrs Adeline Rita Fagan of Sunny Ridge farm in Mandurama, NSW on board the P&O Steam Navigation Company's RMS MOLDAVIA II. The photograph was possibly taken around the time of the 136th Anniversary Regatta, which took place in Sydney Harbour on 26 January 1924. The vessel was the flagship at the event and 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MOLDAVIA was able to serve the passenger trade between England and Australia for fifteen years before the ship was superseded by the new ‘Strath’ liners.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.SignificanceThe Samuel J Hood photographic collection records an extensive range of maritime activity on Sydney Harbour, including sail and steam ships, crew portraits, crews at work, ship interiors, stevedores loading and unloading cargo, port scenes, pleasure boats and harbourside social activities from the 1890s through to the 1950s. They are also highly competent artistic studies and views - Hood was regarded as an important figure in early Australian photojournalism. Hood’s maritime photographs are one of the most significant collections of such work in Australia.