Album of photographs of the construction of the Captain Cook Graving Dock, Garden Island, Sydney, 1941-1945 / Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners

PXE 1688

fonds

1941-1945

Graphic Materials, Photographs

1001662

3 albums (375 photographic prints) - gelatin silver - 38 x 25 cm

In May 1940, Prime Minister Menzies announced the building of the Captain Cook Graving Dock, which would involve the reclamation of 30 acres between Potts Point and Garden Island and the construction of a graving dock.

The Commonwealth Government appointed the British firm of Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners as consulting engineers for the dock in July 1940, and work began at the end of the year. Named the Captain Cook Graving Dock, it was formally opened by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester in March 1945.

Most of the plant required was manufactured in Britain and shipped to Australia. These photographs were the record that passed between the Sydney construction and the supervising engineers in Britain. They were the property of the firm of consultant engineers founded by Sir Alexander Gibb, as indicated by the ownership stamps which appear on the albums.

In the 1930s, Sir Alexander Gibb visited J. Guthrie Brown's cottage, The Old House, Rotherwick, where with a section of staff, they were busy on the Captain Cook Dock and other war works. Two of the albums are marked 'Rotherwick Set'.

Reference:
Library correspondence file
Hordern House, April 2016 [catalog no. 3]

Albums include photographs including folding panoramas, of the construction of the Captain Cook Graving Dock, and views of Sydney and the harbour:

Album one contains views of the dock site and harbour foreshore and the early staging, excavation and construction work, July 1941 and July 1943, with captions and some photographs stamped 'Herbert Fishwick'.

Album two contains construction photographs of the power house, dock walls, pump house and caisson taken between July 1943 - September 1944, with captions and some photographs stamped 'Herbert Fishwick'. Includes two loose photographs dated June 1946.

Album three contains of construction photographs of the dock, workshop roof, powerhouse and wharves, September 1944 - August 1945, with captions and some photographs stamped 'Herbert Fishwick'.

Out of copyright: Created before 1955.
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales.

Title page of first album contains 'Graving Dock Sydney, Progress Photographs, Book. No. 1, 8/7/41 to 3/7/43' in pen and ink and stamped 'Sir Alexander Gibbs & Partners, Queen Anne's Lodge, Westminister, London S.W.1'.
Title page of second album contains 'Rotherwick set No. 2' and third album contains 'Rotherwick set No. 3' in pencil.

Some photographs stamped on verso 'Secret - not for publication'.

Minor wear and creasing on some prints and panoramas. Some photographs and captions are loose.