The Star of Greece Anchor at Semaphore Jetty (and its movements)

This is how the anchor from the Star of Greece shipwreck looks these days in its place at Semaphore jetty: -

It hasn’t always been like that though. The 1227-net ton, 3-masted iron ship Star of Greece was built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast, Ireland in 1868.

(Source: "Sagas of Steam and Sail" by Neil W. Cormack)

The Star of Greece sailed from Port Adelaide in 1888, only to be driven ashore at Port Willunga on 13th July 1888. This is the site of the wreck: -

This painting is one of George Frederick Gregory's depiction of the wrecking: -

George Frederick Gregory's depiction of the wrecking (B 12016)

(Source:

George Frederick Gregory's son GF Junior Gregory also did a similar painting. Here is an underwater photo of the wreck a few years ago: -

This is a map of the wreck site: -

(Source: Adelaide's Underwater Heritage Trail", Dept. of Environment & Planning, State Heritage Branch

An anchor believed to be from the wreck was donated by Mssrs. J.Dickson & W.Playfair, ship’s chandlers from Port Adelaide, to the Port Adelaide Council in April 1952. The anchor was used as part of a Sea Captains’ Memorial at Semaphore. It was unveiled by Mr HJ Moore, the Mayor of Port Adelaide. A Sea Captains’ Memorial Fund had raised the money needed for the memorial in 1950.

The memorial listed the names of several local sea captains on a plaque. There were two plaques altogether, the other one explaining the memorial.

Vernon Smith compiled some brief biographical notes of the lives of some of those sailing ship captains of the Semaphore (retired) whose names are recorded on the memorial plaque.

This first memorial was located adjacent to a rotunda. Here is a photo of the anchor and the rotunda (during the official unveiling?): -

In this photo you can see that the memorial was also located next to the Semaphore Palais: -

Here are some more photos of the memorial and the two plaques: -

(Source: Photographer the late George Stewart Hutton)

George Stewart Hutton also took this photo of the Palais and the rotunda in 1924 when he was 18-19 years old: -

The Semaphore Palais & nearby rotunda in 1924

(Source: "A Photographic Memory" by the late George Stewart Hutton, 1906 -1986)

This is a photo of the memorial still in place long after the rotunda had been removed: -

The memorial was eventually moved close to the Semaphore jetty. The anchor was no longer mounted on a brick wall: -

The anchor is said to be 10'6" long and weighing 25-30 (long?) cwt. According to What Is CWT (Hundredweight) and How Do You Calculate It?, "In the United Kingdom, a hundredweight is a unit of mass equal to 112 pounds", making 25-30 cwt equal to 2800-3360lbs, or 1270-1524kgs. 10'6" converts to 3.23m.

Here are close-ups of the two plaques on the memorial: -

I underwent anchor measurement training through the South Australian Archaeology Society in 2013: -

(Source: The South Australian Archaeology Society archives)

Details of our measurements of the anchor were lodged with the Big Anchor Project (as Anchor 682, by Steve Reynolds & David Cowan, SAAS).

The anchor was later included in the Port Adelaide Anchor Trail established by the Marine Life Society of South Australia thanks to a Grant through the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It was also included in the Anchors in South Australia Google map.

Jiayuan Liang from Flinders University prepared this drawing of the anchor in 2020: -

(Source: Jiayuan Liang from Flinders University)

It seems that Jiayuan Liang from Flinders University also measured the anchor and added details to my own record (682) with the Big Anchor Project: -

(Source: Jiayuan Liang from Flinders University)

Jiayuan Liang from Flinders University also prepared this photogrammetry image of the anchor: -

(Source: Jiayuan Liang from Flinders University)

I have photographs of the anchor taken from all angles: -

There are several different drawings of the Star of Greece: -

The 1227-ton 3-masted Star of Greece is described as a "fully rigged ship" of LBD 69X10.7X6.8m. It was wrecked at Port Willunga on 13th July 1888.

The anchor from the Star of Greece has moved on a few occasions, and it is like most anchors in that it may always be deemed necessary to move it to a new location again.

It has at least moved from Belfast Ireland to South Australia, from Port Adelaide to Port Willunga, from there back to Port Adelaide's ships' chandlers, from there to the Semaphore Palais, from there to the Semaphore jetty.

As in all cases, I will add any new relevant details to this blog that may come to hand in the future.

(I thank the many people who assisted me with the above details.)