Sydney Ferries Ltd financial and business records, ca. 1884-1969

MLMSS 9159/Boxes 1-6
MLMSS 9159/vols. 7-85

fonds

ca. 1884-1969

152522

6.98 metres of textual material (6 boxes, 79 volumes)

Sydney Ferries has it origins from the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove where in 1789, the first ferry service was established from the Cove to the farming settlement of Parramatta.

In 1861, Sydney welcomed the establishment of the North Shore Ferry Company, which operated the very first commercial ferry service across Sydney Harbour renamed in 1878 to North Shore Steam Ferry Company. In 1899, ferry services were integrated into a new organisation called Sydney Ferries Limited.

In 1918 the company merged into two subsidiaries The Harbor and Rivers Lighterage Co. Ltd. and The Harbor, Land and Transport Co. Ltd. The Sydney Ferries, Ltd, owned the shares of these offshoots, and began to increase investment in other companies and reduce investment in ships lands, wharves.

In the 1920's vehicular traffic across the harbour increased and Sydney Ferries Limited ordered three big car ferries, the Koondooloo, Kalang and Kooroongabba. When the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in 1932, all three vessels went into service as high capacity cargo carrying vessels, although Kooroongabba was sold for use in Newcastle as a car ferry. Kalang and Koondooloo were kept and eventually laid up. In 1937, Sydney Harbor began to be used more as recreational destination. Koondooloo and Kalang were converted into showboats. Kalang remained in her new role until 1942 when she was taken over by the government for use in New Guinea as a stores and repair vessel, returned to its owners in 1946 and the following year re-emerged as a showboat until 1958. In that year, Kalang was transferred to the Harbour Lighterage and Tug company. In 1960, Kalang was renamed to the Sydney Queen.

In 1951, the NSW Government intervened and agreed to take over Sydney Ferries Limited in 1951 to keep the Aussie icon afloat.

On 1 July 2004 Sydney Ferries became a State Owned Corporation under the State Owned Corporations Act (the "SOC Act") to achieve service and operational improvements and transparency within Sydney Ferries. Previously Sydney Ferries was part of State Transit (N.S.W.)

References:
Transport for NSW, ‘Sydney Ferries – History’, http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/content/sydney-ferries (accessed 18 September 2013)
Ferries of Sydney, ‘SS Kalang/Showboat/Sydney Queen’, http://www.ferriesofsydney.com/kalang.html (accessed 18 September 2013)
Sydney Ferries Limited. Sunday Times (Sydney, NSW : 1895 - 1930) Sunday 9 February 1919 p 8 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/123224967?searchTerm=Harbor%20Land%20and%20Transport%20Co&searchLimits= (accessed 18 September 2013)

BOX 1
Business and financial records and correspondence, ca. 1920-1943, mainly relating the running of ferry services to Rushcutters Bay and Double Bay, Parramatta and Harbor, Luna Park, Lane Cove, Taronga, Mosman and Neutral Bay, Balmoral, McMahon’s Pt, Lavender Bar, Luna Park, Watson’s Bay, Balmain, and running costs of ferries ‘Lady Edeline’ ‘S.S. Petrel’ and ‘Lady Chelmsford’, introduction of diesel vessels, ‘clinker load tallies’ and shipping for US Army, prices paid for plant and machinery supplies, ‘ship property realisation account’, American fleet visit

Minute book Harbor Lighterage Limited, ca. 1959-1966

BOX 2
Correspondence relating to sale and liquidation of Sydney Showboat Pty Ltd and vessel ‘Kalang’, 1951-1959, includes business and financial records relating to revenue and stocktake and application of industrial arbitration to Ferries State Conciliation Committee by Fireman’s and Deckhand’s Union NSW

Correspondence with solicitors and local councils relating to the management and sale of properties in North Sydney, Mosman held by Harbor Lighterage Limited, North Sydney Council Planning Scheme and Property Claims for Compensation Cumberland Scheme, ca. 1951-1960

Legal records and correspondence with solicitors, NSW transport minister and NSW Department of Roads, Transport and Tramways relating to Sydney Ferries Ltd sale to Sydney Harbor Transport Board, ca. 1948-1951, and NSW State Government’s Sale of Ferry Assets, ca. 1951-1956. Includes legal agreement of sale and schedules of assets

Business and legal records and correspondence with solicitors, Department of Transport, North Sydney Council and Town Clerk relating to the subdivision of land, lease and sale of properties at McMahon’s Point owned by Harbor Lighterage Ltd to Cumberland County Council and Bjarne Halvorsen Ltd, ca. 1932-1966

BOXES 3-4
Business and legal records and correspondence between creditor Harbour Lighterage Ltd and liquidator/ debitors, ca. 1952-1967

Records of State Dockyard NSW relating to Showboat reconditioning of ‘S.S. Kalang’, ca. 1943-1958

Legal records and correspondence with solicitors relating to Commonwealth requisition of Showboats ‘Kondooloo’ and ‘Kalang’ for defense purposes, ca. 1942

Records and correspondence with ship builders, manufacturers and engineers Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company relating to diesel tugs ‘Vivian’ and ‘Vixen’ including proposals, and construction specifications, tenders for repairs, inspections and signed contract, ca. 1937-1943

Memorandum and articles of Association of Sydney Ferries Ltd, 1916 with special resolutions and new additions 1931 & 1951, Harbor Land and Transport Company Ltd 1918 with special resolutions 1920-1950 and Harbor Lighterage Ltd, 1963

Photographs of diesel tugs, no date

Correspondence relating to showboat sale and newspaper clippings relating to finance, manufacturing and production in Australia with tenders for Harbor Showboat ‘S.S. Kalang’, ca. 1957-1958

Financial and business records of Harbor Land and Transport Company Ltd relating to ship property depreciation and realization accounts, including expenditure on repairs and revenue from freehold properties including Clifton Garden’s Hotel and correspondence with solicitors, ca. 1932-1939

Printed tourist brochures and flyers for Showboat Kalang cruises and Sydney Harbour souvenir booklets and printed material relating to construction of tug boats and ships

Manuscript notes relating to Main Roads Board, diesel vehicular steamers and Hawkesbury Ferry, no date

Records of Sydney Ferries Ltd relating to public holiday and annual leave rationing

Bills documenting the sale of the ships ‘Forster’ and ‘The Glebe’ by A.E. Rawson Pty Ltd and Harbor Land and Transport Company Ltd, ca. 1947-1953

BOX 5
Old share register sheets, ca. 1967

Minutes of evidence and report of Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Constitution, Business and Operations of Sydney Ferries Ltd, 1917-1919

BOX 6
Memorandum and articles of association Sydney ferries, ca. 1916

Records and correspondence between Harbor Land and Transport Co and solicitors relating to Clontarf estate, ca. 1922-1938. Includes conditions and terms of sale, valuation notices, contracts and alienation notices

Volumes 7-40
Sydney Ferries:
Vol. 7 Ship register
Vol. 8 Ticket register, 1940s-1950s
Vols. 9-12 Dividend books, 1905-1919
Vols. 13-14 Share register F-K, N-Z
Vol. 15 Ledger of routes
Vol. 16-18 Index of company names
Vols. 19-21 Charters - companies and associations
Vols. 22-27 Share register, 1900-1960s
Vol. 28 Accounts, 1950
Vol. 29 Share register, 1910-1920s, A - E
Vol. 30 Balance book
Vol. 31 Register of ticket sales, 1930s & 40s
Vol. 32-34 Transfer journal, ca. 1913-1950s
Vol. 35 Chair register, 1918
Vol. 36 Share register R-Z
Vol. 37-38 Transfer journals
Vol. 39 Dividend book, 1900 - 1905
Vol. 40 Probate book

Sydney Ferries, Harbor Land and Transport Co. (HL & T):
Vols. 41-43 Shareholder registers, 1941-1942 and shareholder list of members, 1937

Sydney Ferries:
Vol. 44 Shareholder register, 1939
Vols. 45-46 Register of directors & members, 1930-1960
Sydney Ferries Harbor Lighterage and Showboat Ltd (HL & S)L
Vol. 47 minute book
Sydney Ferries
Vol. 48 Minute book
Vol. 49 Cash book, 1961 – 1969
Vols. 50-55 Transfer books and journals, 1924 – 1965 and share register

Harbor Land and Transport Co (HL & T):
Volumes 56-76
Minute books, 1918-1951
Account book, ca. 1920-1951
Ledgers – rent 1933-1965, shareholder 1937-1938, dividend 1964, property and land sales ca. 1918-1942, freight ledger, ca. 1950-1958
Journals, ca. 1922-1931 and transfer journal, ca. 1957-1966
Registers - directors, ca. 1918-1951 and debtors

Volumes 77-78
Harbor and Rivers Lighterage:
minute book, ca. 1918-1919, 1943-1948; journal, ca. 1918-1919

Volumes 79-82
Rozelle Lighterage and Storage Co:
minute books, ca. 1929-1964; private ledger, 1942-1954; cashbook, ca. 1940-1950

Volumes 83-84
BNF Co ltd:
share registers, 1890-1916

Volume 85
North Shore Steam Ferry Company:
share and script register, ca. 1884-1899

Copyright holder:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Information upgraded as part of the Manuscripts Unprocessed eRecords Project 2013-2014