MHA June 2010 Journa
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MARITIME HERITAGE ASSOCIATION JOURNAL Volume 21, No. 2. June 2010 Website: www.maritimeheritage.org.au A quarterly publication of the Maritime Heritage Association, Inc. C/o: The Secretary (Leigh Smith), 1 Meelah Road City Beach W.A. 6015. Editor: Peter Worsley. 12 Cleopatra Drive, Mandurah, W.A. 6210 e-mail: [email protected] Royal Fleet Auxiliary Regent undergoing trials. See article on page 10 The Maritime Heritage Association Journal is the official newsletter of the Maritime Heritage Association of Western Australia, Incorporated. All of the Association’s incoming journals, newsletters, etc. are now archived with Ross Shardlow who may be con- tacted on 9361 0170, and are available to members on loan Please note that to access the videos, journals, library books, etc it is necessary to phone ahead. (If you have an unwanted collection of magazines of a maritime nature, then perhaps its time to let others enjoy reading it. Contact the Association; we may be interested in archiving the collection.) Material for publishing or advertising should be directed, preferably typed or on disk, to: The Editor, 12 Cleopatra Drive, MANDURAH, Western Australia, 6210. mha.editor@gmailcom Except where shown to be copyright, material published in this Journal may be freely reprinted for non-profit pur- poses provided suitable acknowledgment is made of its source. The MHA is affiliated with the Royal Western Australian Historical Society (Incorporated) www.maritmeheritage.org.au VALE Jack Gardiner 31 May 1917—21 April 2010 MHA member Jack Gardiner recently passed away. A modest man, he was a fund of knowledge on many aspects of sailing. He was, during his long life, a sailor, boatbuilder and diver, and he had many stories to tell about all these pursuits. Jack was always happy to pass on his knowledge to others. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him, and our sympathies are extended to his family. Things They Would Rather Have Not Said He conducted his work so skilfully as to prove every admiral arrayed against him his inferior. The above quote by an unnamed person was made regarding Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon, K.C.B., com- mander of the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet in the early 1890s. Subsequently, because of a failure to accept repeated advice that his manoeuvre orders were wrong, he caused the ironclad Camperdown to ram his own vessel, the battleship Victoria, in calm Mediterranean seas with perfect visibility. 358 officers and men, including Tyron, were lost when the Victoria sank in ten minutes. A good bit has been said of late as to freedom being given to inferiors to question and disobey the orders of a superior officer. Discipline must be the law, and must prevail. It is better to go wrong according to orders than to go in opposition to orders. Duke of Cambridge, 1893 This statement was made as a result of the publicity which arose from the above disaster and the subsequent court martial. 2 President’s Report: 2009-2010 1. Regrettably I am unable to nominate for re- ‘Fremantle Ports should be commended for the election because of a commitment to travel over- steps that they have taken to preserve and present seas on business; such absences mean that I am this aspect of our State’s maritime heritage.’ I cannot devote the time necessary to perform the unreservedly withdraw those remarks. Despite function of President. Nonetheless, the last two its encouraging start, supported by the MHA, years have been a personally rewarding period of Fremantle Ports has proved to be an unbelievable my life and I know that, despite some setbacks, turncoat in the preservation of its history. Given the heart and soul of the MHA through its mem- the obvious current attitude of the organisation, it bers, remains undiminished. This past year has clearly has abandoned all effort to be a leading not been one of notable achievement but I firmly light in the heritage stakes and consulting those believe that the MHA will endure. Under its new members of the community who put in so many president, whoever he or she may be, may I sug- hours of unpaid work to assist it in that aim. We gest that we should set a goal and put our re- were advised that in February 2009, the draft sources and determination to work to raise funds Heritage Interpretation Plan would be made sufficient to display our 32-foot cutter? available, and despite correspondence enquiring of its status, I must assume that it has been 2. Thanks to the generosity of its executive, shelved after the effluxion of fourteen months the MHA continues to meet at the B Shed HQ of since. Fremantle Ports seems anxious now not to Leeuwin Ocean Adventure. Regrettably, due to even discuss any subject involving the word the absence of members interstate and overseas, ‘heritage’. As a footnote, after several years as a there was not a quorum and for the first time in member, Bob Johnson has resigned as a member my memory, we were unable to hold a meeting of the Fremantle Ports’ Liaison Group because it but MHA business was raised and discussed at has never had any influence over the activities of several Book Club meetings. Fremantle Ports and, in Nick Burningham’s words, ‘has existed during a decade in which [the 3. Despite all of our efforts, we saw the demise organisation has] eviscerated the living heritage of the Wooden Boat Works and the retirement of of Victoria Quay. our dedicated member, Brian Phillips. Fremantle Ports proved to be intransigent when it came to 5. A milestone which passed unheralded was the showing any mercy to an organisation which has 20th anniversary of the MHA which was formed put so much into the maritime community. The in 1989. A belated Happy Birthday MHA. auction to sell off the items which had been stored in the Slip Street premises represented 6. One shining light has been the donation of years of hard graft by dedicated people deter- $7,500 by Finding the Sydney Foundation for a mined to continue the craft of building and re- trailer and signage for the 32-foot cutter. Al- storing wooden boats. The wake on the follow- though a significant start to accomplishing our ing weekend was a sad end to a centre of excel- aim, we must raise about $12,500 to finish the lence brought about solely by Fremantle Ports. job. To kick start the fund, I am donating $100 Despite having its roots steeped in the maritime together with several bottles of port to be used as history of Western Australia, the organisation raffle prizes. I suggest that we need to prioritise seems bound and determined to expunge every making an application to Lottery West for a grant last vestige of that culture and tradition and adopt to complete the task. a Philistinistic approach swayed only by the al- mighty dollar. 7. I will continue to work on finding a perma- nent home for the extensive MHA library and 4. In last year’s report I stated that I believed other resources but it shows all the hallmarks of ‘that 2008-2009 has been a watershed when it being a long and tedious task. comes to seeing significant progress with Fre- mantle Ports and the Heritage Interpretation Plan 8. Our web page continues to grow, albeit for the west end of Victoria Quay’ and that slowly and Bob Johnson welcomes any material 3 and suggestions. Visit the web page at on World Maritime Day, 12 September 2009. www.maritimeheritage.org.au. Thanks to Ross Shardlow and Nick Burningham for manning the booth. I had the easy part and at- 9. Our programme did not achieve its aim of tended the cocktail party which followed the ex- having its first publication in print by November hibition. 2009. This was largely due to my manuscript not being able to be completed due to business com- 12. When it comes to bouquets, I would like to mitments. I intend to retire from my current busi- thank Nick Burningham not only for his contribu- ness in December 2010 after which I can devote tion to the MHA in respect of his secretarial du- more spare time to its completion. I also hope to ties but also for presiding over the Superior Per- catch up with Rod Dickson to see if we can’t pub- son’s Maritime Book Reading Club which is al- lish a revised edition of his excellent, ‘Ships Reg- ways well attended. As usual, Barry and Doris istered in Western Australia from 1856 to 1969 – Hicks hosted the MHA at their premises, ably as- Their Details, Their Owners and Their Fate’. Pe- sisted by Brian and Irene Lemon. In particular, ter and Jill Worsley’s manuscript covering the our Christmas bash in November was a success shipwrecks along the south-western coast of the and well attended. Bob Johnson continues to do State is well under way and I certainly look for- his usual sterling effort as treasurer and we must ward to its release. Ross Shardlow is currently yet again thank Jim Hunter, our auditor for donat- working on a history of the Wooden Boat Works ing his services to the MHA. Throughout the and Nick Burningham prepared a ‘timeline of year other Committee members have always been shame’ detailing the duplicity and the shameful prepared to step forward and assist and I thank attrition of the heritage of Victoria Quay by Fre- you all for your support, your suggestions and mantle Ports which is reproduced as an appendix most of all your experience in matters of maritime to this report.