Ring, Napkin
Description
A serviette ring with a coiled decorative edging. " UNION.S.S.CoLTD / 21" stamped onto the main body. The first line is in the upper half of a band which is decorated in the lower half.
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Object detail
Classification
Credit line
This
napkin
ring
was
salvaged
from
the
wreck
of
the
Hawea
in
1930
just
before
the
wreck
was
detonated.
According
to
family
tradition
the
salvage
diver,
William
Hearn,
surfaced
from
the
wreck
with
a
sack
full
of
salvaged
items
but
as
he
was
climbing
onboard
he
slipped
and
most
of
the
material
fell
back
into
the
sea
and
he
could
not
be
bothered
recovering
it
again.
Two
Taranaki
racehorses
and
the
reputation
of
the
fledgling
harbour
at
New
Plymouth
suffered
when
the
Hawea
sunk
in
1888.
The ship, a 462 tonne steamer, came to grief in June when she was struck near the stern as she swung towards shore while attempting to berth.The 11 passengers were rescued as the ship started taking on water but the two Taranaki racehorses on board, Allegro and Armourer, proved more of a challenge. Armourer made it safely after being dropped from a sling into the sea but Allegro was not so lucky. Attempts were made to tow her by a halter but it slipped and she swam out towards open sea. She was snared again by a rope and towed towards the beach but was eventually turned by the surf and drowned. While the ship’s captain blamed the harbour for the disaster an official inquiry gave no clear answers. A thorough survey of the area found no rocks or other obstacles and the captain was also cleared of blame. The wreck of the Hawea caused headaches for dredges and divers in the harbour for many years
The ship, a 462 tonne steamer, came to grief in June when she was struck near the stern as she swung towards shore while attempting to berth.The 11 passengers were rescued as the ship started taking on water but the two Taranaki racehorses on board, Allegro and Armourer, proved more of a challenge. Armourer made it safely after being dropped from a sling into the sea but Allegro was not so lucky. Attempts were made to tow her by a halter but it slipped and she swam out towards open sea. She was snared again by a rope and towed towards the beach but was eventually turned by the surf and drowned. While the ship’s captain blamed the harbour for the disaster an official inquiry gave no clear answers. A thorough survey of the area found no rocks or other obstacles and the captain was also cleared of blame. The wreck of the Hawea caused headaches for dredges and divers in the harbour for many years
Accession number
PA2004.195
Collection type
Material
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