Semaphore • Find • State Library of South Australia

The 'Dimsdale' at Port Augusta

c. 1912, Photograph, PRG 1373/24/24

The steel ship 'Dimsdale', 1887 tons, at Port Augusta [steel ship, 1887 tons. ON97834. 270.0 x 39.8 x 23.4. Built 1890 (12) CJ Bigger. Londonderry. Owners: C&G Jamieson, registered Liverpool, later Dimsdale Ship Co (Iredale and Porter) registered Liverpool, sold and renamed Kwango under Norwegian flag. Wrecked in Gulf of Saint Lawrence 1915. Famous as the vessel which'sank' the lighthouse off Semaphore in St. Vincent's Gulf in November 1912 (The Wonga Shoal Light)].

The 'Brynhilda' in Philadephia, United States

c. 1900, Photograph, PRG 1373/24/66

The iron ship 'Brynhilda', 1502 tons, in Philadelphia, United States. Also refer to the print PRG 1373/24/80. [iron ship, 1502 tons, ON90043, 240.5 x 38.0 x 221.7. Built 1885 (4) Brynhilda Ship Co. (JW Carmichael) reg. Glasgow: c.1906 Harvard Shipping Co. (River Plate Co. Ltd) reg. Glasgow during WW1 she passed to American owners without change of name. It is said that her chief claim to fame was an exceptionally fast run from the River Plate to the Semaphore, Port Adelaide in 1905].

The 'Brynhilda' preparing to tow

c. 1900, Photograph, PRG 1373/24/80

The iron ship 'Brynhilda', 1502 tons, preparing to tow with her sails raised. Also refer to the print PRG 1373/24/66. [iron ship, 1502 tons, ON90043, 240.5 x 38.0 x 221.7. Built 1885 (4) Brynhilda Ship Co. (JW Carmichael) reg. Glasgow: c.1906 Harvard Shipping Co. (River Plate Co. Ltd) reg. Glasgow during WW1 she passed to American owners without change of name. It is said that her chief claim to fame was an exceptionally fast run from the River Plate to the Semaphore, Port Adelaide in 1905].

Largs Bay

Brooker, William Charles, 1927, Photograph, PRG 1316/12/258

Tents on seaweed covered Largs Bay beach. The photograph is taken looking south. There are people on the beach and in the sea. Largs Pier hotel, Largs Bay jetty and Semaphore jetty are all visible in the distance. Copy made from negative from lantern slide.

A swimmer diving from a platform into sea

1923, Photograph, PRG 280/1/35/214

Spectators, mainly women, watching a competitor in the Largs to Semaphore swimming race dive from a jetty platform into the sea.

S. Francis, a young boy swimmer

1923, Photograph, PRG 280/1/35/221

A fair haired boy identified as being S. Francis, the youngest swimmer in the Largs to Semaphore swimming event in South Australia; he stands with hands on his hips smiling at the camera.

Spectators on a steamboat observing a swimming competition

1923, Photograph, PRG 280/1/35/234

Spectators on a steamboat looking out for competitors in a swimming race from Largs to Semaphore, South Australia.

Naval cadets in a longboat at sea

1923, Photograph, PRG 280/1/35/236

Naval cadets at the oars of a longboat following competitors in the Largs to Semaphore ocean swim off South Australia.

Swimming spectators at sea in the 'Defiance'

1923, Photograph, PRG 280/1/35/270

Spectators at sea on board the steamboat 'Defiance' for the Semaphore to Largs swimming race in South Australia.

Motor launch 'Lady Tennyson' carrying passengers

c. 1922, Photograph, PRG 280/1/35/317

The motor launch 'Lady Tennyson' carrying passengers following swimmers at sea during a competition race between Largs and Semaphore in South Australia, the men are possibly officials and judges.

Men and boys competing in a swimming race

1923, Photograph, PRG 280/1/35/319

A group of men and boy contestants in the Largs to Semaphore swimming race; names not known.

Swimmers in the sea during a swimming race

1923, Photograph, PRG 280/1/35/322

Contestants in the Largs to Semaphore competition photographed in the sea during the race.

Douglas Mawson with four other men

1914, Photograph, PRG 280/1/6/154

Douglas Mawson standing with four other men on Semaphore Jetty, after his return to Australia from Antarctica on 26 February 1914. A. Piper is second from the left, he was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court, South Australia in 1927. A researcher has added that the man, first left, is Charles R. Hodge Registrar of Adelaide University.

Sir Douglas Mawson with two men

1914, Photograph, PRG 280/1/10/363

Antarctic explorer, Sir Douglas Mawson (centre) accompanied by two other men at Semaphore following his return from Antarctica on 26 February 1914.

Girl guides saluting two women during an inspection

c. 1914, Photograph, PRG 280/1/10/396

Two lines of girl guides, some wearing uniform and holding staffs and semaphore flags being inspected by two visiting women.

The 'Register' newspaper staff picnic group

1910, Photograph, PRG 280/1/11/533

The 'Register' staff and friends on their annual picnic held on 19 March 1910 at Long Gully Pavilion, National Park. The Argyll hire car A18 was operated by F.R. Moore of Semaphore. In the 30hp Nagant car on the right is Harvey Finlayson, who was the agent for Nagant Hobson. He was also the son of "The Register" Secretary J.H. Finlayson. Information courtesy of the Veteran Car Club of SA.

Captain Patrick Weir with his sons.

c. 1917, Photograph, PRG 280/1/15/76

Composite image of Captain Patrick Weir, Harbour Master at Port Adelaide standing with four young men, two in naval and two in army uniform, next to a flagstaff where they are about to raise the flag. (The garden they are standing in outside a house is possibly their home at Birkenhead.) It was assumed that these were Captain Weir's four sons, but additional information suggests that the soldier on the right is actually Captain Weir's nephew, Ellis Weir. This is supported by a contemporary postcard which reads 'Sir / My cousin Ellis Weir enlisted from South Australia in 1916. We saw in the dailies on Tuesday that he has been wounded. His father, his next of kin, is in Leeds England. We - my father, who is his uncle, and family - are his only relatives in Australia. His home has been with us, and we feel anxious about him'. (Signature has been removed.) The daughter of Felix Christie, (one of the sons) believes that the photograph was taken at the family home in Albert Street, Semaphore and that the added figure on the left hand is Alex. Ales served in the Navy in World War One and was an engineer - lieutenant in WW2. The other son in navy clothes is Felix. He did not go away to war but he might have been in the Naval reserve. The two soldiers are Patrick and a cousin who lived with the family name Ellis.

Ocean steamers wharf at Port Adelaide, South Australia

1921, Photograph, PRG 280/1/20/91

Shipping at the ocean steamers wharf at Port Adelaide with warehouses and other buildings in the foreground; the coast of South Australia showing Semaphore and Largs can be seen in the distance.

Boy Scouts and their Scoutmaster at Kapunda, South Australia

1920, Photograph, PRG 280/1/22/100

A group of Boy Scouts and their clergyman Scoutmaster photographed outside a church at Kapunda; some of the boys are carrying semaphore flags and others fifes, two drums are in the foreground with a football; names not known.

Sailing ship at sea

c. 1900, Photograph, PRG 280/1/43/535

A sailing ship at sea off Semaphore, South Australia.

Leonard Giles

Thelma-Duryea Studios, 1915, Photograph, PRG 280/1/12/93

No. 5365 Private Leonard Giles was born at Semaphore, South Australia, on 18 April 1891. He enlisted at Adelaide on 8 February 1916, served with the 48th Battalion and was promoted to Corporal on 28 June 1917. He was wounded in action in France on 22 June 1918 and returned to Australia.

Arthur Searcy and family

c. 1915, Photograph, PRG 280/1/12/114

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Searcy and family including Miss Fairy Searcy, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hammond and young son, John. Kathleen Edna (Fairy) Searcy was born 7 March 1897 in Semaphore and died 12 July 1986 at Westbourne Park. John Joseph (Jack) Hammond was born in 1889 in Berkshire England and died in 1954 in Adelaide. His wife Violet Christina Hammond (nee Searcy) was born in 1885 and died in 1972.