Skip to main content
Advanced Search
Portside view of the single funnel tug CHAMPION
Portside view of the single funnel tug CHAMPION

Portside view of the single funnel tug CHAMPION

Photographer (Australian, 1899 - 1953)
Date1895-1953
Object number00023999
NameNitrate negative
MediumEmulsion on nitrate film.
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThe CHAMPION was built for J & A Brown of Newcastle, New South Wales in 1895 and has been described as Australia's foremost tug of its time. It was used for difficult and deep sea towing and salvage jobs. It went as far afield as New Zealand, Fiji, and New Caledonia in its career from 1895 to 1954.HistoryThe steel steam tug CHAMPION, 306 gross tons, 135 feet (41 metres) long, was built at South Shields, England in 1895 for J & A Brown of Newcastle, New South Wales. It had a three cylinder compound engine developing 13.75 knots. It was known as 'John Brown's Yacht', and was lavishly fitted out with a built-in piano in the saloon for Brown's guests on deep sea fishing excursions. The CHAMPION was famous throughout its working life for salvage feats and for difficult jobs. It was bought by Waratah Tug and Salvage Company in January 1953, but sank at its berth in Newcastle in February 1954.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.