Norma' Figurehead
1893-01-01/1893-12-31
South Australian Maritime Museum
Port Adelaide, Australia
Figurehead from the barque 'Norma', wrecked off Semaphore, South Australia (Wonga Shoal) in 1907. The figurehead depicts its namesake - 'Norma' a druid priestess from Welsh mythology. Norma's figurehead is clad in a white flowing robe and clutches a flaming torch in its right hand. It is missing its head.
The headless figurehead from Norma is a powerful reminder of the perils of shipping even in waters close to Port Adelaide.
Figureheads, carved wooden sculptures which ornamented the bow of a sailing ship, embodied the 'soul' of the vessel and were believed to offer the crew protection and safe passage on the seas. They were also used to identify a ship, reflecting its function or paying tribute to a person connected with the vessel.
- Title: Norma' Figurehead
- Date Created: 1893-01-01/1893-12-31
- Location: Port Adelaide, South Australia
- Provenance: ‘Norma’ was a four-masted barque of 2122 tons, built by Barclay, Curle & Company, Glasgow in 1893, which traded between Australia and the United Kingdom. On 21 April 1907, loaded with 31,045 bags of wheat, Norma anchored off Semaphore waiting for favourable winds. That morning, the barque ‘Ardencraig’, misjudging distances through the pelting rain, struck the Norma midships and sank it within fifteen minutes. All Norma’s crew escaped, except the ship’s carpenter who was missed in the chaos. Later that morning, the steamer ‘Jessie Darling’ misread the signals from the Ardencraig and steamed to its assistance. The shallow wreck of the Norma ripped a gaping hole in its hull and it too sank within eight minutes, settling on top of the Norma. The crew was saved and the vessel was subsequently repaired and re-floated within the next twelve months. Acknowledging the dangers posed by the wreck, authorities dynamited the site. It is not known whether the figurehead lost its head in the series of collisions or as a result of the detonation. Norma’s figurehead was discovered in the mangrove swamps of the Ships' Graveyard at Gawler Point and donated to the Port Adelaide Nautical Museum collection. Established in 1872, it is the oldest maritime collection in Australia and represents the Port Adelaide community, businesses and seafarers - some returning home from abroad and others passing through. Formerly located in the museum of the Port Adelaide Institute, established 1851, it was a part of the 19th century movement for self-education that led to the establishment of public libraries, schools and museums. The collection is now held by the South Australian Maritime Museum.
- Rights: History Trust of South Australia, CC-0, photographer: Kylie Macey
Get the app
Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more
