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Figurehead, STAR OF GREECE

Details

ProvenanceBuilt in 1868 by Edward Harland, ‘Star of Greece’ was a sleek three-masted, full-rigged iron ship of 1227 tons. Loaded with over 16,000 bags of wheat destined for Great Britain, the vessel was wrecked off a reef 200 metres from Port Willunga on Friday 13 July 1888. There was no rescue equipment available on shore and by the time Port Adelaide received the message for help, the captain and many of the crew clinging to the mizzen rigging had drowned. Of the crew of 28 men, 17 lost their lives. Survivors were taken to the Port Willunga Seaview Hotel for treatment and shelter.

The figurehead was salvaged by Mr Walter Kimber owner of the Seaview Hotel in Port Willunga and displayed outside his home for many years. Vernon Smith, the Honorary Curator of the Port Adelaide Nautical Museum, approached him to acquire it for the collection but was politely declined. It was presented to the Nautical Museum by his widow, after his death.SignificanceFigureheads, carved wooden sculptures which ornamented the bow of a sailing ship, embodied the 'soul' of the vessel and were believed to offer the crew protection and safe passage on the seas. They were also used to identify a ship, reflecting its function or paying tribute to a person connected with the vessel. The South Australian Maritime Museum has a collection of seventeen ship’s figureheads - the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The figureheads were sourced and acquired by Vernon Smith, the Honorary Curator of the Port Adelaide Nautical Museum ( from which the current museum evolved) over a period of fifty years. He thoroughly documented his search and as result, most of the figureheads are well provenanced. The STAR OF GREECE figurehead is an evocative relic from, and symbol of, South Australia’s most infamous shipwreck. Beautifully carved, it reflects the sleek elegance of this Irish Star vessel. An inquest was held the day after the wreck and concluded that rescue apparatus must be provided for Port Willunga. A week later a noisy protest was held in Port Adelaide where over 1000 people denounced the government for making cutbacks to rescue equipment, lighthouse keepers and life boats. The figurehead is connected with a tragedy that also instigated major reforms in maritime safety for the colony.DescriptionThis figurehead depicts the bust of a Grecian noblewoman wearing a gold leaf coronet. Painted white, her tunic is trimmed with gold on the neckline and she wears a gold bangle. Her right hand crosses her chest and a tendril of hair falls over her left shoulder.KeywordsSportDate of Creation1868MaterialWood
|paint
DimensionType: Total
Height: 1500
Width: 800
Depth: 700
Unit (Lengths): mm
Accession NumberHT 1991.0316 On DisplaySouth Australian Maritime Museum

Connections

PlacePort Adelaide, South AustraliaCollectionNeptune’s Wooden Angels SA Maritime Museum CollectionStoryStar of Greece

Image Credits

Image FilenameHT1991-0316_CI871.jpgCopyrightHistory Trust of South AustraliaLicenseCC-0PhotographerLearning Federation

Image Credits

Image FilenameHT1991-0307_CI5459.jpgCopyrightOut of copyrightLicensePublic Domain

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