New SA Memory site has Maritime Link

The State Library of South Australia’s recently launched SA Memory site has a link to its maritime theme Wooden Walls and Iron Sides web page.

The pictured artwork is part of the Wooden Walls and Iron Sides collection and depicts the Star of Greece breaking up close to the shore at Port Willunga. The artist has included figures on the beach in the foregroud, and others being washed ashore along with fragments of the ship. Escarpment and jetty are illustrated in the distance to the left.

Star of Greece was a 3 masted iron ship of 1,257 tons. Built in Belfast in 1868, the Star of Greece, laden with 16,000 bags of wheat, was wrecked in a violent storm off Port Willunga on the 13th July 1888. She sailed from Port Adelaide in fine weather. However a north-westerly gale arose, she was driven off course and ashore at Port Willunga. It is estimated that up to 18 seamen lost their lives when the vessel broke up, or in attempting to swim ashore. A marble obelisk marks the grave of the eleven seamen whose bodies were recovered and buried in the cemetery of the Aldinga Methodist (now Uniting) Church.

Library Friends Scholarship

The Friends of the Paul McGuire library support an annual scholarship to fund a student to participate on a voyage on the training ship One and All

The first recipient has just returned from this one week experience, and from all accounts the trip was very positive and successful. The Friends look forward to continuing this sponsorship in the years ahead. If you are interested in finding out more or in helping the Friends in this venture please contact Bob Swarbrick, Secretary, on 0407 712 621”.

For more information...
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