aquilareen
Semaphore anchor
Anchor, which “may have come from the Star of Greece”, unveiled 29 Apr 1952 as a memorial to 14 merchant seamen of Port Adelaide. An extra name (Capt Joseph Creer) added when new plaque installed, perhaps when anchor was re-located closer to the jetty.
“Preparation of the anchor and cable for a memorial at Semaphore to sailing ship captains would be completed next week. . . A concrete base was ready on the foreshore for the memorial. . . The memorial would have the names of 14 captains inscribed on a plaque in the base.” [The Mail 22 Mar 1952]
“The sturdy, solid-looking memorial, topped with a ship's anchor, facing the sea on Semaphore foreshore, seems to typify the rugged courage with which the sailing ship captains faced the perils and disasters of the deep. Their expert navigation brought the sailing ships safely across thousands of miles of sea. They relied mainly for guidance on the stars, a compass, and ‘the grace of God’. . . The anchor on the memorial may be a link with that tragedy, when 17 lives were lost, but expert opinion will go no further than to say the anchor ‘may have come from the Star of Greece’.” [Messenger, Port Adelaide 24 Apr 1953]
“Merchant Seamen. . . A memorial to their memory will be unveiled at Semaphore. They are the masters, officers, and men of sailing ships who, last century, brought settlers here from England and kept the struggling young colony supplied. In those days ships were less than half the size of a present-day interstate coastal vessel. They were never entirely free from the dangers of storms, uncharted islands, and hidden reefs. . . a bronze plaque on a memorial erected on the Semaphore sea front, near the bandstand, will commemorate their deeds. It reads: 'In memory of those gallant masters, officers, and men of the sailing ships which visited Port Adelaide — especially those captains who lived at Semaphore and whose names are recorded hereon.' Another plaque lists the names of 14 masters who retired to Semaphore. The list includes: John Hart, who established a whaling station at Encounter Bay, then moved to Semaphore, where he built a large flour mill. In 1871 he became Premier of South Australia and made a start on the first Water conservation schemes in Adelaide hills. Marshall Smith, who inaugurated the Royal Naval Reserve in SA. He served with the Navy in His Majesty's Colonial Ship Protector. William Begg and John Legoe, who started the SA Stevedoring Co. . . The other 10 names on the list are: John Bickers, A. F. Boord, P. Dickson, Ben Germein, John Germein, J. H. Gibbon, W. P. Lee, Thomas Pickhaver, Peter Slater, and Joseph Walsh. . . The memorial consists of an old sailing ship anchor weighing l½ tons, mounted on a concrete stand 12 ft long and 5 ft. wide. The memorial will be unveiled by the Mayor of Port Adelaide (Mr. H. J. Moore) on Tuesday. [The Mail 26 Apr 1952]
JOSEPH CREER
A former seaman and pilot at Port Adelaide, was later commander of the South Head signal station, NSW.
“Capt. Joseph Creer. . . was born at Douglas, Isle of Man, in 1826, and went to sea at an early age. In 1848 he arrived at Port Adelaide, and served as mate under the command of the late Capts. Allen and Grierson, before joining the Port Adelaide Pilot Service in about 1851. . . He left the service in 1864 to take command of the barque Kohinoor, of the Black Diamond line, belonging to the late Capt. H. Simpson. In 1867 he joined the Clarence and Richmond Rivers Steam Navigation Company, of Sydney, and had charge of the Grafton and other steamers for six years. In 1873 the deceased gentleman joined the Sydney Pilot Service. . . He was twice married. His first wife was the daughter of the late Thomas Cain. . . She died in 1855, leaving one son — Capt. T. E. Creer, of Semaphore. His second wife was the daughter of the late J. H. N. Ferrers, of Port Adelaide. . . There are eight surviving daughters and three sons by the second marriage.” [Register 10 Jun 1909]
“Three of the four surviving sons have followed the sea. The eldest, Captain Thomas E. Creer. . . is now manager for the Adelaide Steamtug and Lighterage Company, at Adelaide, while the twin sons, Reginald (who served as captain in the South African campaign, and with the Naval Brigade in China) and Bert, are at sea, the last-named being on the R.M.S. Makura. The other son, Joseph D. Creer, is in the Navigation Department. The daughters include Mrs. E. Playfair, Mrs. Parry, Mrs. Nairn, Mrs. Gale, Mrs. Bakewell, Mrs. Scott, and Mrs. Garwood.” [Advertiser 14 Jun 1909]
Semaphore anchor
Anchor, which “may have come from the Star of Greece”, unveiled 29 Apr 1952 as a memorial to 14 merchant seamen of Port Adelaide. An extra name (Capt Joseph Creer) added when new plaque installed, perhaps when anchor was re-located closer to the jetty.
“Preparation of the anchor and cable for a memorial at Semaphore to sailing ship captains would be completed next week. . . A concrete base was ready on the foreshore for the memorial. . . The memorial would have the names of 14 captains inscribed on a plaque in the base.” [The Mail 22 Mar 1952]
“The sturdy, solid-looking memorial, topped with a ship's anchor, facing the sea on Semaphore foreshore, seems to typify the rugged courage with which the sailing ship captains faced the perils and disasters of the deep. Their expert navigation brought the sailing ships safely across thousands of miles of sea. They relied mainly for guidance on the stars, a compass, and ‘the grace of God’. . . The anchor on the memorial may be a link with that tragedy, when 17 lives were lost, but expert opinion will go no further than to say the anchor ‘may have come from the Star of Greece’.” [Messenger, Port Adelaide 24 Apr 1953]
“Merchant Seamen. . . A memorial to their memory will be unveiled at Semaphore. They are the masters, officers, and men of sailing ships who, last century, brought settlers here from England and kept the struggling young colony supplied. In those days ships were less than half the size of a present-day interstate coastal vessel. They were never entirely free from the dangers of storms, uncharted islands, and hidden reefs. . . a bronze plaque on a memorial erected on the Semaphore sea front, near the bandstand, will commemorate their deeds. It reads: 'In memory of those gallant masters, officers, and men of the sailing ships which visited Port Adelaide — especially those captains who lived at Semaphore and whose names are recorded hereon.' Another plaque lists the names of 14 masters who retired to Semaphore. The list includes: John Hart, who established a whaling station at Encounter Bay, then moved to Semaphore, where he built a large flour mill. In 1871 he became Premier of South Australia and made a start on the first Water conservation schemes in Adelaide hills. Marshall Smith, who inaugurated the Royal Naval Reserve in SA. He served with the Navy in His Majesty's Colonial Ship Protector. William Begg and John Legoe, who started the SA Stevedoring Co. . . The other 10 names on the list are: John Bickers, A. F. Boord, P. Dickson, Ben Germein, John Germein, J. H. Gibbon, W. P. Lee, Thomas Pickhaver, Peter Slater, and Joseph Walsh. . . The memorial consists of an old sailing ship anchor weighing l½ tons, mounted on a concrete stand 12 ft long and 5 ft. wide. The memorial will be unveiled by the Mayor of Port Adelaide (Mr. H. J. Moore) on Tuesday. [The Mail 26 Apr 1952]
JOSEPH CREER
A former seaman and pilot at Port Adelaide, was later commander of the South Head signal station, NSW.
“Capt. Joseph Creer. . . was born at Douglas, Isle of Man, in 1826, and went to sea at an early age. In 1848 he arrived at Port Adelaide, and served as mate under the command of the late Capts. Allen and Grierson, before joining the Port Adelaide Pilot Service in about 1851. . . He left the service in 1864 to take command of the barque Kohinoor, of the Black Diamond line, belonging to the late Capt. H. Simpson. In 1867 he joined the Clarence and Richmond Rivers Steam Navigation Company, of Sydney, and had charge of the Grafton and other steamers for six years. In 1873 the deceased gentleman joined the Sydney Pilot Service. . . He was twice married. His first wife was the daughter of the late Thomas Cain. . . She died in 1855, leaving one son — Capt. T. E. Creer, of Semaphore. His second wife was the daughter of the late J. H. N. Ferrers, of Port Adelaide. . . There are eight surviving daughters and three sons by the second marriage.” [Register 10 Jun 1909]
“Three of the four surviving sons have followed the sea. The eldest, Captain Thomas E. Creer. . . is now manager for the Adelaide Steamtug and Lighterage Company, at Adelaide, while the twin sons, Reginald (who served as captain in the South African campaign, and with the Naval Brigade in China) and Bert, are at sea, the last-named being on the R.M.S. Makura. The other son, Joseph D. Creer, is in the Navigation Department. The daughters include Mrs. E. Playfair, Mrs. Parry, Mrs. Nairn, Mrs. Gale, Mrs. Bakewell, Mrs. Scott, and Mrs. Garwood.” [Advertiser 14 Jun 1909]