State Library of South Australia

The 'Islamount' in Victoria dock, Melbourne [PRG 1373/16/31] • Photograph

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Summary

The steel barque 'Islamount', 1620 tons, in Victoria Dock, Melbourne.. See also Clarastella.

Restrictions

This image has no known copyright restrictions.

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Physical description

Photograph; 10.6 cm x 15.2 cm

Dates / Publication details

Approximately 1905

Collection

Part of A.D. Edwardes Collection

Subject

Islamount (Ship)
Glenlee (Ship)
Clarastella (Ship)
Ships, Iron and steel

Catalogue record

Return to catalogue

General notes

One of the ships owned by Robert Thomas and Co., Caernarvon.

This image is from the A.D. Edwardes Collection of about 8,000 photographs, mostly of sailing ships from around the world, taken between about 1865 and 1920. Mounted in 91 albums, the photographs are arranged by country of ownership, with some special volumes such as 'Shipping at Port Adelaide' and 'South Australian outports'. Additional information, giving the history of the ships where known, has been provided by maritime historian, Ron Parsons.

Historical information

The GLENLEE was launched by Anderson Rodger in Port Glasgow on December 3rd, 1896 for Archibald Sterling & Co as a 3 masted Barque of 1,613 tons. In 1899 she changed owners and her name to the ISLAMOUNT and sailed under the red ensign until 1919, rounding Cape Horn 16 times and making 4 circumnavigations. She would certainly not have survived if the Spanish Navy had not bought her in 1922 as a sail training ship for petty officers and seamen. Renamed GALATEA she was extensively altered to accommodate a crew of 307. Her last cruise was in November 1969 after which, she was permanently secured alongside and used for rigging training. In 1981, with the idea to sail the ship for the Seville Olympic Games, the Spanish Navy completely re-plated the hull below the water line. Soon after this repair work funding was abruptly halted for the Olympic sail. The spars were removed, cut into 20 to 30 foot lengths and dumped in a field beside the Naval base. She was then towed to Seville where she was allowed to lie at a remote quay in the intense heat and sun without any attempt at maintenance or security. In 1993 the Clyde Maritime Trust purchased the ship at auction for 40,000 Pounds and in June of that year, towed her back to the Clyde for restoration. In August 1999 the renamed 'Glenlee' opened as a museum ship at Yorkhill Quay and is intended to become the centerpiece of the new Glasgow Transport Museum in 2008. [Information supplied by Jamie White, Chief Rigger during the restoration of the ship in 1998.] [steel barque, 1620 tons. ON102574, 245.5 x 37.5 x 22.5. Built 1896 (12) A Rodger and Co. Port Glasgow as 'Glenlee' of R Ferguson and co., registered Dundee, renamed by Fergusons before 1904 and the owners then became Islamount Sailing Ship Co. (R Ferguson and Co) Then passed to Flint Castle Shipping Co. (R Thomas and Co.) registered Liverpool sold to Italian owners in 1920 and renamed 'Clarastella' and fitted with an auxiliary engine c.1924 became the Spanish naval training vessel 'Galetea' and was withdrawn from service about 1960].

Digitisation information

Date

06/08/2007

Format

image/tiff

Resolution

3,168 x 2,262 pixels (7.2 MP)

Size

21.52 MB

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