Summary

Port and starboard navigation lamps from the Port Phillip Bay steamer S.S. 'Edina', that operated for Wm Howard Smith & Sons Limited on the Melbourne-Geelong passenger sevice between 1880 and 1938. These lamps were purchased at an auction of the ship's fittings by the donor after the hulk was broken up in 1958.

The Edina was one of the longest serving steam vessels anywhere in the world. Built on the Clyde in 1854 by Barclay, Curle & Co. she was an iron-hull single-screw steamer of 322 tons. During her early career the Edina served primarily in coastal waters around the United Kingdom, apart from brief stints as a stores ship for the Cirmean War in 1855, and as a blockade runner for the Confederate States during the American Civil War. The Edina arrived in Melbourne under sail in March 1863 and was sold to Stephen Henty for use in the coatal trade between Port Phillip and western Victorian ports. Later she served on the trans-Tasman trade to New Zealand and the Queensland coastal trade for Howard Smith, before returning to Victoria where she then served on the Melbourne-Geelong trade as a cargo-passenger vessel from 1880-1938. She later worked as the lighter Dinah before being broken up in 1958.

Physical Description

Two large glass navigation lamps with coloured glass lenses. One is darkened copper which is a black/brown colour, and the other is a shiney, pink coppery colour with a blue coloured glass lens.

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