helenbsterling

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Sydney Harbour Bridge, and we'd love to have this added to the group! -- Seen in your Sydney Harbour Bridge set. (?)

Rather a sad story to this ship. See this blog - www.mulhollandnet.com/2008/02/08/helen-b-stirling-oregon-... , which includes two other photos of the "Helen B Stirling" squeezing under the unfinished Sydney Harbour Bridge. . The ship arrived in Sydney in March 1930 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16637511 She is declared unseaworthy - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16677245 Dances were held on board - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16700174 She is used for firewood - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16968970 She was destroyed by fire 24/3/1934 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/17065501

Interesting articles beachcomberaustralia some of which I had come across when researching this ship a few years ago as part of research into her sister ship and wondered about the 05/03/1931 date as she couldn't have sailed into Sydney after having been declared unseaworthy - should the date of the photo above be 05/03/1930? I really like the dances held on board!

Mangrove Rat I think the poor old ship was just being towed around Sydney Harbour from one mooring to another (perhaps between dances?!), rather than arriving in Sydney. She is sitting high in the water, implying no cargo of imported wood. The tugs are also visible on a couple of other photos in the Series 12685 (Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1923-1933), which also have the date 05/03/1931, so it is unlikely to be a typo, or mistaken date - the series seems to follow a chronological order Also if it were March 1930 the Bridge arch was not yet joined (August 1930) and decking as seen here, not yet built. investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/asp/photosearch/photo.asp... investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/asp/photosearch/photo.asp...

There was concern at the time (March 1931) about the clearance under the Bridge, as shown in these newspaper articles - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/29899497 trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4376744 (includes a photo of the 'Helen B. Stirling') trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/38896769 Perhaps this photo and the others in the series are meant to be proof of the Bridge clearance. The 'Helen B. Stirling' was a kind of crash test dummy.

The Sterling name rang a bell - the ship 'Helen B Sterling', named after Captain Edward Robert Sterling's wife, had a rather sad ending in Sydney in the 1930s. See comments etc on this photo of the ship passing under the Harbour Bridge in 1931 -

beachcomber australia Thank you for that link beachcomber! It is a wonderful photograph. There appears to be quite a bit of information about the vessels, and the shipping family available which is promising.

Well done Mr Hall ! Some time in 1931, judging from the state of the Harbour Bridge ... The HELEN B STERLING seems to be moored off Bradleys Head - you can see the lighthouse right of frame. {Grrr @ Flickr for messing up the notes!]

beachcomber australia Indeed! It's a beauty isn't it? :) We were thinking maybe November 1930..?? investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/asp/photosearch/photo.asp...

[https://www.flickr.com/photos/51979177@N02/] will know!

A quick Trove search for November 1930 produced this... "That six-master in the harbour is the American-owned Helen B. Sterling. She has been declared unseaworthy by the Australian authorities, and, therefore, seems doomed to rot upon her anchorage." - The Catholic Press 27/11/1930 p.4 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/106252613

beachcomber australia It's a very sad story, in fact the whole Sterling shipping line seemed cursed! issuu.com/anmmuseum/docs/signals_102/8