Summary
The photographer, Stanley Fletcher, was training to be a professional photographer with Powers Studio before the First World War when he enlisted to become a serviceman. Photographs like these were often printed as postcards and there are many postcards of the 'Orsova' and Railway Pier in existence.
Description of Content
View of Railway Pier, Port Melbourne, circa 1913, with large steamships tied up along either side of the pier. On the left is the 12,500 ton White Star Line passenger and cargo ship 'Suevic' (built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Ireland, 1901) and on the right the well known 12,000 ton Orient Line passenger & royal mail steamship 'Orsova' (built by John Brown & Co, Clydebank, Scotland, 1909). Another unidentified steamship of similar size appears in the background. Running along the centre of the pier in the middle of the image are five lines of train track or sidings on which various railway goods trucks and vans are parked unloading and receiving goods from the ships. Numerous people - including passengers and/or members of the pubic and workmen - can be seen on the pier between the railway rollingstock. Many of the people are dressed in coats and hats and carrying suitcases or other forms of luggage. There is an elevated navigation light attached to the pier on the left near the 'Suevic'.
Physical Description
Circular photographic image.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Copied from Mrs Nancy Gallagher, 14 Nov 2006
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Place & Date Depicted
Railway Pier, Port Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1913
Railway Pier was replaced by a new structure named Station Pier in 1930. Date Depicted from contributor's memory. -
Photographer
Mr Stanley Fletcher, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1913
The photographer was the contributor Nancy Gallagher's father. -
Ship Depicted
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Ship Depicted
SS Orsova (Steamship), Orient Steam Navigation Company Limited (Orient Line), circa 1913
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Format
Digital file, TIFF, Black & White
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Language
English
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Inscriptions
Hand-written captions On left: 'SUEVIC' (?) On right: 'ORSOVA' Bottom centre: 'PORT MELBOURNE.'
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Image Dimensions
4.25 in (Width), 4.25 in (Height)
Dimensions of original image
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References
Note: Ship at left previously incorrectly identified as 'Suevia' of Hamburg-America Line, which was launched on 1 June 1874 and scrapped in 1897 after being stranded. Information from Discovery Centre Inquiry DC ENQ 69757.
[Book] Maber, John M. 1967. North Star to Southern Cross - The Story of the Australasian Seaways., pp.118 & 263. Pages