Marine history among new PROV collections

“We saw the skipper hanging on to a case. That was the last that I saw of the skipper…” said William John Belair in his statement to Victoria Police after his rescue, one of the lucky ones saved from the wreck of the S.S. Casino in July 1932.

Among records recently added to our collection are files from the Marine Board of Victoria and Court of Marine Inquiry held by their successor agency, Safe Transport Victoria. Case files, minute books, marine investigations, register of certificates of survey, plan register and minutes of manning committees make up this fascinating collection. 

A warning, the case file related to the S.S. Casino, below, is particularly heart wrenching. Scroll further down to see all new items recently added to PROV’s collection from Safe Transport Victoria, Energy Safe Victoria, Supreme Court of Victoria, Brimbank City Council and the Metro Tunnel Project. 
 

Able Seaman Michael Foley said the 160-foot-long Casino ship left Melbourne on 9 July at 2pm carrying sugar, oil and iron. The first day of the voyage went smoothly as expected. The next morning as they neared Apollo Bay: 

“…we were getting close to the port [and] there was a fresh easterly breeze blowing, and the sea was rather rough around the jetty…There was a sea breaking on the beach, and there was a break in the sea around the jetty…we came at the jetty bow on...after the anchor had been let go I felt two very severe bumps. The wind and sea were setting us away from the wharf. We were going ahead on our engine trying to turn the ship round.” Then… “we got the anchor up we proceeded out to sea, we were steaming for about 15 or 20 minutes on a rough estimate. Orders were then given to slew round and head for the beach.” 

But the ship was soon taking on water and the Captain (pictured in The Sun News, left) sounded the ship. 

Steward, William John Bellairs, told of the moment the ship turned over. Only one lifeboat had managed to get away, and only two people were wearing life jackets – the crew ensuring a woman and young girl had theirs on. Many crew members did not fully grasp the peril the ship was in. Bellairs had tried to rush the stewardess, Mrs Gill, from the saloon where she was packing her things. 

“Come up before you get drowned,” he said.

“I don’t care if I do get drowned,” she apparently told him, certainly unaware of what was to unfold. Bellairs told the marine court:

“The ship was not quite in the breakers when she turned over. Five men were left on the wreck, hanging on the side of the ship. That was when the vessel turned over. When she was lying over on her side there were five of us lying on the side of the ship…The whole length of the side was above the water. I was on the side of the ship for about two hours…we were hanging on to a rope...”

One by one each of the five ended up in the water, including crew who could not swim. The captain dove in, his plan to swim ashore for help. Sadly, help didn’t reach him in time. 
 

“I do not remember getting washed off myself…When I was in the sea I was swimming breaststroke for a while, then I went under, pulled off my trousers and came up again, and swam over arm after that, and then when I got half way I sang out to the lifesavers but I do not remember getting picked up,” said Bellairs. 

Ten people lost their lives that day including the Captain and Mrs Gill. Nine survived. 

“The Court having carefully inquired into the circumstances attending the above mentioned casualty finds, that
1. The s.s. “Casino” was wrecked at Apollo Bay on the 10th day of July, 1932, at approximately 8.44 a.m. through fouling the anchor when off the jetty and when manoeuvring for an anchorage after the Captain had decided that weather conditions and the rough sea did not permit him safely to berth the Bessel alongside the jetty.  The stock of the anchor pierced the keel-plate of the vessel about 25 feet from the stem, making a hole 9” in diameter. This caused a serious inrush of water into the forehold of the vessel. Apparently the Captain decided to immediately beach the vessel, but the inrush of water into the forehold soon caused the vessel to sink at the head with a heavy list to port. The stern, at the same time, rising out of the water left the vessel unmanageable and the beaching of the vessel impracticable. Within a few minutes the vessel rolled over on the port side and sank broadside onto the breakers.
2. The vessel was in a seaworthy condition and was equipped with the necessary life-saving appliances in accordance with Marine Board Regulations. 
3. The vessel was, on the occasion in question, navigated with proper and seamanlike care.”

Safe Transport Victoria

The above case file is just one of a number of records transferred to PROV from Safe Transport Victoria. The other case files, as well as minute books, marine investigations, register of certificates of survey, plan register and committee minutes can be ordered for viewing in the North Melbourne Reading Room via the links below.   

Energy Safe Victoria

The Victorian Electrolysis Committee (VEC) was first established in August 1927 (originally as the Melbourne Electrolysis Committee) to manage and mitigate the effects of electrolysis corrosion on buried post and telegraph lines and other infrastructure.

Energy Safe Victoria is now the responsible agency for the VEC. Various series from the VEC, including records of its establishment, have been added to our collection. Records include files related to committees within the VEC, photos and glass slides, and technical records about electrolysis mitigation activities.
 

The photographs and glass slides depict locations and infrastructure relevant to electrolysis mitigation in Victoria, such as Richmond Terminal Station, West Kiewa Power Station, and Yallourn Power Station, dating from the early days of electrolysis mitigation in Victoria in the 1930s through to 1969. 
 

These are all available for viewing in the North Melbourne Reading Room via the links below.

Supreme Court Commercial and Common Civil Law Cases

1,200 records from 1990s commercial and common civil law cases of the Supreme Court are also now available. These include commercial disputes between parties, liquidations, winding up of companies, as well as building and engineering disputes. 

Brimbank Minutes

Local history records recently added to the collection include Brimbank minute books, general and planning committee minutes, and general purposes advisory committee minutes. These can be ordered for viewing in the PROV Reading Room.  

Metro Tunnel Project

Digital environmental and heritage records created during the early works of the Metro Tunnel Project have been added to the collection. The Metro Tunnel Project involves construction of twin nine-kilometre rail tunnels throughout the Melbourne central business district from South Kensington to South Yarra with five new underground stations along the route. The early works phase focused on preparing for the commencement of the main tunnel and stations works. The records created contain assessments, management plans and applications. Click through the link below to download these files from our website.