10 January 1931
Sydney Flying Squadron conducted this event annually. The lady contestants had to raise money through penny votes and those that raised the most were the 27 ladies who selected their boats from the fleet. The beneficiary was the Benevolent Society of NSW, which gained the sum of 3,313 pounds from the event. The Queen, the lady aboard the winning boat won an Austin 7 car! The following photos turned up in a bunch in the Hall Collection at the ANMM, and while identifying the boats I noticed that they all had a woman aboard, so it was likely to be the Queen of the Harbour race. Included with the images was the image below of the Nicholson ferry Promote with the attached sign identifying the day as the Queen of the Harbour 1931. There were 2 such races that calendar year, 10 January and 12 December, the following season. December’s race had a light SE breeze, but 10 January had the depicted Nor-Easter, so that was it. The images are approximately in order, other than I cannot determine if the upwind shots are in the first work to the Georges Head mark or the second work to Taylor Bay, so we open with the run from Georges Head to the Shark Island pile light. The boat above is Arakoon, a long marker that was leading at this point and was only overtaken after the Shark Is gybe mark. The boat below is Mississippi, and she should not be still racing because according to the race report printed below she was disqualified for not giving way to Scot approaching the Georges Head mark. Nielsen Park beach is crowded on this Summer day.
Sydney Flying Squadron conducted this event annually. The lady contestants had to raise money through penny votes and those that raised the most were the 27 ladies who selected their boats from the fleet. The beneficiary was the Benevolent Society of NSW, which gained the sum of 3,313 pounds from the event. The Queen, the lady aboard the winning boat won an Austin 7 car! The following photos turned up in a bunch in the Hall Collection at the ANMM, and while identifying the boats I noticed that they all had a woman aboard, so it was likely to be the Queen of the Harbour race. Included with the images was the image below of the Nicholson ferry Promote with the attached sign identifying the day as the Queen of the Harbour 1931. There were 2 such races that calendar year, 10 January and 12 December, the following season. December’s race had a light SE breeze, but 10 January had the depicted Nor-Easter, so that was it. The images are approximately in order, other than I cannot determine if the upwind shots are in the first work to the Georges Head mark or the second work to Taylor Bay, so we open with the run from Georges Head to the Shark Island pile light. The boat above is Arakoon, a long marker that was leading at this point and was only overtaken after the Shark Is gybe mark. The boat below is Mississippi, and she should not be still racing because according to the race report printed below she was disqualified for not giving way to Scot approaching the Georges Head mark. Nielsen Park beach is crowded on this Summer day.
Above: Australia was the scratch boat but did not feature in the race.
Below: Cutty Sark also did not feature.
Below: Cutty Sark also did not feature.
Above: Arline off 2 1/2 minutes worked her way to the front at the Taylor Bay mark but was beaten into 3rd at the finish.
Below: The Nicholson ferry Promote was chartered by the department store firm of Bon Marche Ltd to supporters of Britannia, but they were disappointed on the day. Note the fashions of the punters.
Below: The Nicholson ferry Promote was chartered by the department store firm of Bon Marche Ltd to supporters of Britannia, but they were disappointed on the day. Note the fashions of the punters.
Above: Yendys crew all resplendent in white.
Below: Rosetta on the run.
Below: Rosetta on the run.
Above: The King brothers’ Avalon.
Below: Gloria under ballooner between the islands leads Advance and possibly Britannia.
Below: Gloria under ballooner between the islands leads Advance and possibly Britannia.
Above : Pastime watches Desdemona and Scot crossing ahead.
Below: Furious on the wind. This may be the first work as the breeze is lighter, as reported.
Below: Furious on the wind. This may be the first work as the breeze is lighter, as reported.
Above: Rosetta. Notice the booby hatch across the foredeck.
Below: Desdemona looks like they’ll cross well behind the fleet in the distance.
Below: Desdemona looks like they’ll cross well behind the fleet in the distance.
Above: HC Press finished well back in the fleet. This photo is actually from the Sydney Mail, Wed 14 January 1931.
Below: Arline leading the race just before the Taylor Bay mark.
Below: Arline leading the race just before the Taylor Bay mark.
Above: Florrie II under ballooner on the reach from Taylor Bay to Shark. Only Arline is ahead at this point.
Below: Gloria is next. Arline was first around Shark but lost their ballooner sheet in the gybe. Florrie II went past her to win, and Gloria ran into 2nd.
Below: Gloria is next. Arline was first around Shark but lost their ballooner sheet in the gybe. Florrie II went past her to win, and Gloria ran into 2nd.
Above: This was before the race on Clark Island.
Below: The names of the ladies and their boats.
Below: The names of the ladies and their boats.
Here’s the race report from the Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 12 January 1931.
The Sydney Flying Squadron s Queen of the Harbour 18-footers race sailed on Saturday afternoon attracted a big crowd and resulted in a meritorious victory for Florrie II skippered by H. Collins. Miss L. Young representing the Botany Municipality who was in the winning boat will receive an Austin 7 motor car and will be crowned at the Capitol Theatre on February 3.
On the way to the start President J. J. Giltinan presented Judge Backhouse who started the race with a SFS pennant.
Prior to the race the 27 neatly-attired lady competitors assembled on Clark Island and were judged by Mrs Stuart Doyle in a competition for the most suitably dressed candidate Miss K. Keegan (Furious) was awarded first prize and Mrs D. Frawley (Onda) second
Splendid organisation, glorious sunshine ,a typical Nor-East breeze and a stirring contest were factors that helped to make the big aquatic function the best of its kind ever held on Sydney Harbour .The HMAS Canberra band rendered appropriate selections on Clark Island while the men from HMAS Australia and HMAS Canberra in heavy boats performed admirably in a humorous pirates’ raid the capture and subsequent rescue of the Queen being carried out by the tars in good style. One of the numerous New South Wales Air Force planes swooped down close to the water and dropped a pair of silver wings for Miss L. Young.
Early in the race Keriki got tangled up with a 16ft skiff. The skiff capsized and was driven ashore at Bradleys Head. Keriki was forced to retire. Working to Georges Head light the big fleet was scattered all over the harbour. Off Chowder Head Mississippi when going particularly well failed to go round for Scot and was promptly disqualified.
Approaching the first mark Arakoon was prominent and succeeded in reaching the objective first at 4h lm 23s. Rosetta followed 14 seconds later with Gloria, NSW, Furious and Scot next. Then came Arline with Florrie twelfth.
Down the wind Arakoon more than held her own and she gybed at the Shark Island pile 39 seconds before Gloria which was 10 seconds ahead of Rosetta with NSW one second farther away in fourth place. Then came Arline, Onda, Scot, Advance, Florrie and the rest.
Arakoon’s admirers got a fright when she nearly capsized in negotiating the gybe. Skipper Barber however rose to the occasion and effected a great save. Later in at the same spot Kismet was not so fortunate and treated her crew to a bath.
Leading to Clark Island Rosetta dropped her ballooner into the water as a result of which her progress was retarded and she dropped back to seventh place, the lending sextette at the rounding mark being Arakoon, Gloria, NSW, Arllne, Onda and Florrie.
Shortly after rounding NSW struck trouble and lost ground. On the second turn to windward in the fresher breeze Arline sailed a great beat and took up the lead. In Taylor Bay at the buoy off Chowder Head she had 39 seconds in hand from Gloria with Florrie 3 seconds further away in third.
Across stream to Shark Island Florrie infused additional interest into the race by overhauling Gloria and closing in on the leader. Arline gvbed at the Shark Island pile 27 seconds before Florrie with Gloria and Arakoon next.
With only a mile to be traversed Arline at this stage appeared to have the race won but her ballooner was rendered useless over the rest of the course owing to the balloon sheets carrying away The mishap pave Florrie and Gloria their opportunity and they had little difficulty in the circumstances in relegating Arline to third place. It was a stirring finish. Florrie won by seven seconds amidst great enthusiasm.
Result
Florrie II (H. Collins and Miss L. Young), 2 1/2m, £18 and Queen of Harbour Cup, 1; Gloria (E. Parsons and Miss D. Lawler), 5m, £11, 2; Arline (H. West and Miss G. Hamilton), 2 1/2m, £8, 3; Arakoon (R. Barber and Miss S Sadler), 5 1/2m, £6, 4; NSW (H.E. Thompson and Miss C. Foulstone), 4m, £4, 5; Onda (T. O. Young and Mrs D. Frawley), 5 1/2m, £2, 6; Yendys (N.W. Blackman and Miss W. Camfield), 3m, £1, 7.
Won by 7 seconds with 17 seconds between second and third. Then came Rosetta, Defiance, Advance, Furious, Mascotte, Britannia, Australia, Scot H C Press II, Pastime, Cutty Sark and Arawatta.
The prize money of £50 was given by the Benevolent Society of New South Wales which benefits to the extent of £3313 as a result of the Queen of the Harbour competition.
The Sydney Flying Squadron s Queen of the Harbour 18-footers race sailed on Saturday afternoon attracted a big crowd and resulted in a meritorious victory for Florrie II skippered by H. Collins. Miss L. Young representing the Botany Municipality who was in the winning boat will receive an Austin 7 motor car and will be crowned at the Capitol Theatre on February 3.
On the way to the start President J. J. Giltinan presented Judge Backhouse who started the race with a SFS pennant.
Prior to the race the 27 neatly-attired lady competitors assembled on Clark Island and were judged by Mrs Stuart Doyle in a competition for the most suitably dressed candidate Miss K. Keegan (Furious) was awarded first prize and Mrs D. Frawley (Onda) second
Splendid organisation, glorious sunshine ,a typical Nor-East breeze and a stirring contest were factors that helped to make the big aquatic function the best of its kind ever held on Sydney Harbour .The HMAS Canberra band rendered appropriate selections on Clark Island while the men from HMAS Australia and HMAS Canberra in heavy boats performed admirably in a humorous pirates’ raid the capture and subsequent rescue of the Queen being carried out by the tars in good style. One of the numerous New South Wales Air Force planes swooped down close to the water and dropped a pair of silver wings for Miss L. Young.
Early in the race Keriki got tangled up with a 16ft skiff. The skiff capsized and was driven ashore at Bradleys Head. Keriki was forced to retire. Working to Georges Head light the big fleet was scattered all over the harbour. Off Chowder Head Mississippi when going particularly well failed to go round for Scot and was promptly disqualified.
Approaching the first mark Arakoon was prominent and succeeded in reaching the objective first at 4h lm 23s. Rosetta followed 14 seconds later with Gloria, NSW, Furious and Scot next. Then came Arline with Florrie twelfth.
Down the wind Arakoon more than held her own and she gybed at the Shark Island pile 39 seconds before Gloria which was 10 seconds ahead of Rosetta with NSW one second farther away in fourth place. Then came Arline, Onda, Scot, Advance, Florrie and the rest.
Arakoon’s admirers got a fright when she nearly capsized in negotiating the gybe. Skipper Barber however rose to the occasion and effected a great save. Later in at the same spot Kismet was not so fortunate and treated her crew to a bath.
Leading to Clark Island Rosetta dropped her ballooner into the water as a result of which her progress was retarded and she dropped back to seventh place, the lending sextette at the rounding mark being Arakoon, Gloria, NSW, Arllne, Onda and Florrie.
Shortly after rounding NSW struck trouble and lost ground. On the second turn to windward in the fresher breeze Arline sailed a great beat and took up the lead. In Taylor Bay at the buoy off Chowder Head she had 39 seconds in hand from Gloria with Florrie 3 seconds further away in third.
Across stream to Shark Island Florrie infused additional interest into the race by overhauling Gloria and closing in on the leader. Arline gvbed at the Shark Island pile 27 seconds before Florrie with Gloria and Arakoon next.
With only a mile to be traversed Arline at this stage appeared to have the race won but her ballooner was rendered useless over the rest of the course owing to the balloon sheets carrying away The mishap pave Florrie and Gloria their opportunity and they had little difficulty in the circumstances in relegating Arline to third place. It was a stirring finish. Florrie won by seven seconds amidst great enthusiasm.
Result
Florrie II (H. Collins and Miss L. Young), 2 1/2m, £18 and Queen of Harbour Cup, 1; Gloria (E. Parsons and Miss D. Lawler), 5m, £11, 2; Arline (H. West and Miss G. Hamilton), 2 1/2m, £8, 3; Arakoon (R. Barber and Miss S Sadler), 5 1/2m, £6, 4; NSW (H.E. Thompson and Miss C. Foulstone), 4m, £4, 5; Onda (T. O. Young and Mrs D. Frawley), 5 1/2m, £2, 6; Yendys (N.W. Blackman and Miss W. Camfield), 3m, £1, 7.
Won by 7 seconds with 17 seconds between second and third. Then came Rosetta, Defiance, Advance, Furious, Mascotte, Britannia, Australia, Scot H C Press II, Pastime, Cutty Sark and Arawatta.
The prize money of £50 was given by the Benevolent Society of New South Wales which benefits to the extent of £3313 as a result of the Queen of the Harbour competition.
