Summary

View of the Royal Navy Revenge class battleship HMS Royal Oak at sea. Commissioned in 1916, Royal Oak took part in the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 while serving with the Grand Fleet. Between the wars Royal Oak served with the Mediterranean Fleet and later took part in international naval patrol operations during the Spanish Civil War. Considered obsolete by the time the World War II began on 3 September 1939, Royal Oak was based at Scapa Flow, the Royal Navy's major North Sea naval base when she was sunk at anchor by four torpedoes fired by U-47 commanded by Kapitanleutnant Gunter Prien. Of her 1200 crew, 833 were killed, many being trapped in the hull when in capsized and sank in shallow water. The Royal Oak has been declared a war grave and remains in situ although much of the fuel oil in her tanks has been pumped out in recent years.

Part of a collection of magic lantern slides relating to British naval history originating from the St John's Home for Boys. These slides were produced in Melbourne after the First World War with images from books and other sources. They are believed to have been used to illustrate lectures to the children in St John's Homes. Several of the slides are marked with the name 'Boreham'. This may indicate a link to Reverend Frank William Boreham (1871-1959), a noted Baptist writer and preacher who used lantern slides to illustrate talks in Melbourne and Tasmania however St John's was an Anglican institution.

Established as St John's Home for Boys in 1923, the home was located in Balwyn Road, Canterbury at 'Shrublands', a mansion formerly the property of investor & businessman John Hindson (1839-1919). His widow Alice Hindson (nee Henty) donated 'Shrublands' to the Anglican Church as a memorial to her husband and William, her late son, to be used as a home for "needy and destitute' boys on the condition it was named 'St John's'. It was officially opened on 22 November 1924 after extensive renovations to accomodate 30-40 boys, also paid for by Alice Hindson. There was a physical link with British naval history as Dame Nellie Melba donated a chapel lantern to St John's Home supposed to be one of those used by Admiral Lord Nelson in the cabin of his flagship HMS Victory. She also donated a cabin bell and wooden spars from HMS Victory. The latter were turned into candle holders.

Description of Content

View of the Royal Navy Revenge class battleship HMS Royal Oak at sea with her A & B turrets traversed.

Physical Description

Standard format black and white lantern slide with black binding tape.

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