The Barque ST KILDA

ArtistAttributed to John Allcot (Australian, 1888 - 1973)

Datec 1909

Object number00018987

NamePainting

MediumOil paint, art board

DimensionsOverall: 476 x 603 x 28 mm, 2.75 kg
Sight: 450 x 575 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from D Lyons

Terms

DescriptionAn oil painting of ST KILDA a three masted iron schooner, attributed to John Allcot (the painting is unsigned). The donor of this work believes Allcot was commissioned by his friend Frank Griffiths Hine, who was a former deck officer of the ST KILDA, to paint a picture of the vessel soon after Allcot had moved to Sydney. HistoryThe ST KILDA was a three masted iron schooner, built by Fullarton's of Paisley, Scotland in 1868. The vessel was originally owned by John Kidston of Glasgow but was sold on its arrival in Melbourne to John and David Spencer of Melbourne. For the next thirty years, a testimony to the builders and the building material, St Kilda plied its trade between South Africa, New Zealand, India and various ports in Australia. During these voyages the vessel carried alcohol, castor oil, sardines, jams, medicines, canvas, rope, twine, flour, cast-iron, tobacco pipes, chemicals, wool, stationery and passengers. In 1908 the schooner was purchased by Cleghorn, Hopkins & Co of Auckland, New Zealand and later converted in to a hulk. The schooner ended its days in Brisbane as a lighter, disappearing from The Register of Australian and New Zealand Shipping in the mid 1940's. Constructed during a time when iron ships were built under special surveys, the St Kilda was an early example of iron ship building technology. Its length of service and its success as a trading vessel helped confirm iron and steel as the ship building material for the future. The image depicts the portside of the ST KILDA at sea under full sail, the ship flys the red ensign and the international code signal letters W.M.N.T., the house flag of the owner Alex Hatrick.SignificanceThis work would constitute one of Allcot's earliest maritime paintings and although naive illustrates well his grasp of the subject that would come to closely associated with his name.