Where is the Anchor from the Cheopis?
- Steve Reynolds
- Apr 2
- 3 min read
After I first met the late Doug Seton in 2019, he sent me a note advising me that the anchor from the Cheopis is in Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island. He said that the anchor “was stabilised with zinc, hot metal sprayed.
I would like to track this anchor down, but Internet searches have drawn a blank on the topic. This cropped photo shows an anchor on the Cheopis' bow: -
The Cheopis has been described as being a steel screw steamer - 70 x 14 x 9 ft. – that was initially used by the Customs and Health Department at Adelaide and then employed in the passenger trade to Kangaroo Island.
According to “Discover Kangaroo Island” by Royal Geographical Society of South Australia, the SS Cheopis commenced a service from Penneshaw to Cape Jervis in 1934. This service lasted some 7 years before ending in 1941.
According to https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+17640/9 , “In 1934 the ship was registered at Port Adelaide by Kangaroo Island Transport Co. Ltd and intended for a service between Cape Jervis and Kangaroo Island, where it remained in service until approximately 1946.
There is a street named after the Cheopis in Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island. This photo of the Cheopis (as Cheopus) features in “The Semaphore Jetty” by Capt. J. Maitland Thomson in “The First 100 Years of Semaphore 1883-1983”: -
(Source: “The Semaphore Jetty” by Capt. J. Maitland Thomson in “The First 100 Years of Semaphore 1883-1983”)
According to “The Semaphore Jetty” by Capt. J. Maitland Thomson in “The First 100 Years of Semaphore 1883-1983”, the steam launch “Cheopus” (sic) was always moored at the Semaphore jetty until it was sold and became a ferry running between Cape Jervois (sic) and Kangaroo Island. It later became a fishing boat until it was wrecked at Appollo Bay (sic) on 22nd January 1954 as the renamed Black Witch. Several failed attempts were made to refloat the vessel until it was finally abandoned.
According to https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au , Mr J. Anderson, of Apollo Bay, Victoria, who was the new owner who used the Cheopis as a fishing boat, “unofficially renamed her Black Witch”. It was described as being a 55-ton schooner.
According to https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+1373/82/13, Cheopis was a “Steel single screw steamship, ON156011, 55 gross, 25 net tons. 70.0 x 14.0 x 5.3. Built 1914 (by) Robinson Bros. (of) Melbourne. Compound steam engine, 34nhp, by shipbuilder, 10 knots. Owners South Australian Government's Customs and Health Department (Built as a boarding launch) Taken out of service and towed to Melbourne by SS Lady Loch Oct. 21, 1932. Sold and in 1934 registered at Port Adelaide by Kangaroo Island Transport Co. Ltd and intended for a service between Cape Jervis and Kangaroo Island. This was not successful and she was eventually sold and converted into a shark fishing boat no later than 1946. Eventually she became the property of Mr J. Anderson, of Apollo Bay, Vic. who unofficially renamed her Black Witch. She was wrecked Jan. 22 1954 at Apollo Bay. Her register was closed at Port Adelaide Customs in June 1956 with 'Vessel sunk'.”
According to https://collections.history.sa.gov.au/nodes/view/44508?keywords=cheopis&type=all&highlights=eyIwIjoiY2hlb3BpcyIsIjIiOiInY2hlb3BpcyJ9&lsk=709889c926c92c3de1d8ff9e665c8a8f , the Cheopis’ brass bell was salvaged from the wreck. The web page features a photo of the bell taken by Stephen Dean.
All of the above details are part of my research to try to track down the missing anchor. There may well be another anchor at Apollo Bay, but it seems that one anchor ended up somewhere at Penneshaw.
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