Album of photographs mainly of construction of the Captain Cook graving dock, Garden Island, Sydney, ca. 1941-1946

PXE 1043

fonds

ca. 1941-1946

Graphic Materials, Photographs

932301

1 album (138 photographic prints) - gelatin silver - album 35.0 x 34.5 cm

In May 1940, Prime Minister Menzies announced the building of the Captain Cook Graving Dock on reclaimed land between Garden Island and Potts Point in Sydney. The Commonwealth Government appointed Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners as consulting engineers for the dock in July 1940, and work began in December 1940 with the construction of a coffer-dam. Most of the plant required for the dock was manufactured in Britain and shipped to Australia. The dock, measuring approximately 345 metres long, 45 metres wide, and 14 metres deep, was ready for initial flooding in September 1944. Pumps allowed the dock to be emptied of its 57,000,000 gallons of water in four hours. The graving dock was officially opened by the Governor-General, the Duke of Gloucester, on 24 March 1945.

References:
Garden Island. http://www.gardenisland.info/ (accessed 7 July 2011)
The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 July 1940, p. 14. Accessed on Trove. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ (accessed 8 July 2011)

Album containing 138 black and white photographs, including panoramas, of the construction of the Captain Cook Graving Dock, pumphouse, and plant, ca. 1941-1946:

Photographs (20) of plant, taken in England, including pumps manufactured by Gwynnes, motors by the General Electric Co., motor starters, switchboards, and control desks by Allen West & Co. Ltd., Brighton.

Photographs (90) of the construction of the graving dock in Sydney, taken between March 1943 and April 1945. These photographs, mostly taken by the "official photographer" Herbert Fishwick, are accompanied by detailed captions.

Photographs (26) of pumphouse and installed plant taken by Milton Kent, Sydney.

Final photograph (2) of pumphouse after tests and painting completed, December 1946.

Out of copyright: Created before 1955

Paper label attached to inside of front cover of album inscribed 'J.W. Ruddock & Sons Ltd / Account Book Makers / Printers & Stationers / Lincoln...'

Some photographs blind stamped 'Allen West & Co. Ltd., / Brighton' or 'Photo by Milton Kent / Sydney'. Some photographs stamped 'Herbert Fishwick / Photograph / 254 George St., Sydney'.

One photograph by Milton Kent inscribed in pencil on reverse 'Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners'