More photos (slides) have come to hand since writing Photos of the Recovery of the Lost Anchors from Matthew Flinders’ Ship HMS Investigator – Marine Life Society of South Australia Inc. These 3 photos seem to show the large anchor from the Investigator being transferred to a warehouse: –
(Slide images courtesy of Doug & Mara Seton and John Mate)
Admittedly, my claim that these 3 photos seem to show the large anchor from the Investigator is largely just guesswork on my part, but the slides concerned came from the late Doug Seton who led the expedition to recover the anchor in 1973. (As can be seen further below, Wikipedia confirms that the anchor from the Investigator was displayed at the Art gallery of SA, seemingly in the Radford Auditorium there.)
After sharing this blog online via Facebook, John McCarthy from Flinders University suggested, “I think that building is the Radford Auditorium, behind the Art Gallery, which housed the Library’s Archives from 1920.” This image of the Radford Auditorium found at Tarnanthi almost matches the above photos: –
The Radford Auditorium
(Source:Tarnanthi)
SAAS (SUHR) Life Member, Peter Christopher suggested, “Steve, not sure, but could be the old Armoury building, behind SA Museum. Anchor was on display there before it was moved to its current location at the South Australian Maritime Museum , Port Adelaide.” Although the old Armoury, as part of the SA Museum, would fit in with Doug Seton’s position as Assistant Information Officer at the Museum, the building in the photos doesn’t seem to be the Armoury. It does appear to be the Radford Auditorium. I have enquired about the matter through the Art Gallery of SA, which the Auditorium is part of. According to Wikipedia, “In 1974, after completion of the conservation process at the Western Australian Museum, the anchors were handed over to the Australian Government. The best bower anchor was officially presented to the South Australian Government on 1 March 1974 and was immediately placed on display at the Art Gallery of South Australia. In 1986, it was transferred to the collection of the newly created South Australian Maritime Museum in Port Adelaide.)
Bing AI, after a little pressing, said, “The anchor from Matthew Flinders’ ship, HMS Investigator, has quite a journey. It was indeed stored in the Radford Auditorium before moving to the Armoury at the South Australian Museum, and finally to the South Australian Maritime Museum.” This means that the information from both John and Peter was correct, the anchor had spent some time at both the Auditorium and the Armoury.
For details regarding the ship that help to raise the anchor, visit The Cape Don – Marine Life Society of South Australia Inc.
(This article was followed up by another at The old ‘Ordnance Store’ that became the Radford Auditorium – Marine Life Society of South Australia Inc.)