NAM 34/1/4
21 August  1991

Mrs. Vera Hatton
8 Watt Street
Huskisson NSW 2548

Dear Vera,
As discussed during our recent conversation please find enclosed a copy of the report, concerning two Montague whalers;

The report was compiled by the Senior Technical Instructor Shipwright from HMAS NIRIMBA in late 1988.
Essentially, whaler 107 is almost beyond repair.
Whaler 872 requires extensive (and costly) repair and is likely to be in. a similar state by now to 1107.
The repair to 872 would need to be professionally super­vised arid would be very expensive but 1107 could possibly be 'spares' for 872.

Should you wish to 'acquire' these whalers on behalf of the Lady Denman Heritage Complex,  may Isuggest you write to;


I have spoken to CMDR George and he is expecting your letter.
Between you and CMDR George, you should be able to make the ap­propriate survey, acquisition and transportation arrangements.
Good luck!

Yours sincerely,
'Spike' Campey

H.E. Campey
Commander RANEM Museum Director

1991.09.17: Restoration of Whaler - Delapidated (sic) Condition. Photographs by Keith Moore.   Vera Hatton with Whaler at Balmoral. 1991_09_17_Hatton_V_HMAS_Penguin.jpg
	Warrant Officer Dixie Foord & Vera Hatton with whaler at HMAS Penquin (sic) Naval Station, Balmoral,17 17/9/1991. 1991_09_17_WO_Foord_Hatton_V_HMAS_Penguin.jpg Right: Alf Settre with Whaler at Balmoral. 1991_09_17_Settree_A_HMAS_Penguin.jpg

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1991.09.19: John Hatton MP [LDHC] to Commander C F George, HMAS Penguin, Balmoral.
1991_09_19_Hatton_J_HMAS_Penguin.pdf
 
19 September 1991
Commander C F George,
RAN Commanding Officer HMAS Penguin
Naval PO BALMORAL NSW 2091

Dear Commander George

My wife Vera has just returned from having inspected the two montague whale boats at.HMAS Penguin.
She was accompanied by Mr Alf Settree, retired Shipwright and Keith Moore, Treasurer of the Lady Denman Heritage Complex.

They were delighted to see the whale boats were not in as bad a condition as they had expected and we would like the two whalers at the Lady Denman Complex to be fully restored and displayed.

These are exactly the same whalers as were used at Jervis Bay Naval College for training young officers. We have a photograph taken 15 June 1920, when the Prince of Wales, Edward VIII visited the college at Jervis Bay. He is landing on the wharf and the two whale boats are on the davit on the wharf.

We understand you would be able to organise the loading of the two boats on to a truck at HMAS Penguin and would also be able to organise delivery to the Lady Denman site.

We will have organised at the Lady Denman Complex lifting appliances and personnel to assist on the date to be arranged.

As usual, the Navy's attention to detail and hospitality was "spot on". Many thanks on behalf of my wife and the other delegates from the Lady Denman Heritage Complex on the occasion of their visit to HMAS Penguin.

Yours sincerely
John Hatton MP
President Lady Denman Heritage Complex

1991_09_19_Hatton_J_HMAS_Penguin.pdf

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1991.10.23: Delivery of Whaleboats 872 and 1107 to LDMM.
Photographs: Unaccredited.
1991_09_19_Delivery_LDMM_1.jpg

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1991_09_19_Delivery_LDMM_2.jpg	1991_09_19_Delivery_LDMM_3.jpg
1991_09_19_Delivery_LDMM_4.jpg	1991_09_19_Delivery_LDMM_5.jpg

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Commander C.F George, RAN Commanding Officer HMAS Penguin Naval P.O Balmoral. NSW 2091

8 Watt St., Huskisson. 2540 10/5/93

Commander C.F George RAN
Commanding Officer
HMAS Penguin
Naval P.O
Balmoral NSW 2091


One of the two whalers you denoted to the Lady Denman Heritage complex is in the process of beign restored by the pupils of Vincentia School under the guidance of alf Settree, an experienced & retired boat builder.

This project is causing great community interest and it is wonderful to see something is finally happening with the whalers.
It will be under shelter shortly for the period of restoration & is mounted on a keelhold & work has commenced.

One of the whalers when we received it was stripped of all the brasswork & the complete rudder is missing.
Where these items removed & stored at the base?
If so, if it is possible to get any of the brasswork & the rudder?

If you don’t have these do you have any idea where we could obtain suitable brass work?
Could you also give us the date the whalers were built & where, & any history of where they were used?
The number W407 is carved into the woodwork near the rudder post.

This restoration has fired the community with excitement.

1993.05.21: N. Harding (Principal, Vincentia PS), R. Williams and V. Hatton (LDMM) to Captain  B. Adams, HMAS Creswell.
1993_05_21_Vincentia_PS_HMAS_Creswell.pdf

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The Royal Australian Navy has a long and proud historical connection with Jervis Bmyf  H.M.A.S.  Creswell  in particular,   the Lady Denman Maritime Museum has in its possession a photograph which was taken on 15th June, 1920, when  the Prince of Wales, Edward Vlll visited the college known then as H.M.A.S. Franklin.
He is shown landing on the wharf and two whaleboats of exactly the same type are pictured swinging on davits on the wharf.

The ultimate aim of the school and the Museum is to place this Whaler in its restored condition back on permanent public display at  the Museum at Huskisson, with a suitably inscribed brass plague giving credit  to the childrens (sic) efforts and an enlarged version of that historical photo suspended above the boat.
We sincerely trust you will  give favourable consideration to our urgent appeal for your help in bringing this project to fruition and and thus publicly maintaining the R.A.N.'s hertiage connected with Jervis Bay.

Yours faithfully,
Rex Williams
Committeeman  Lady Denman Museum (Co-ordinator of Project)
Mrs Narelle Harding Principal
Vincentia  Public School
Mrs Vera Hatton
Curator Lady Denman Museum

1993_05_21_Vincentia_PS_HMAS_Creswell.pdf

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1993.12.23: Ex-RAN Whaler being restored for Lady Denman Museum by the pupils of Vincentia Public School.
Photographs by Vera Hatton.

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D. Gorrell, John Hatton and Alf Settree. 1993_12_23_Settree_Hatton_Gorrel_VPS_2.jpg	Alf Settree, shipwright. 1993_12_23_Settree_VPS.jpg
Alf  John Hatton, Alf Settree and D. Gorrell. 1993_12_23_Settree_Hatton_Gorrel_VPS.jpg	John Hatton and Alf Settree. 1993_12_23_Settree_Hatton_VPS.jpg

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1994.03.22: Restored Whaleboat on site at the LDMM.
Photographs by Vera Hatton.

1994.03.22_LDMM_Hatton_V_1.jpg

1994.03.22_LDMM_Hatton_V_2.jpg

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1994.04.22: VPS invitation to Mrs. Vera Hatton for the official presentation of restored whaleboat to the Lady Denman Museum.
1994_04_22_VPS_Hatton_Presentation.pdf


1994_04_22_VPS_Hatton_Presentation.pdf
1994_04_22_VPS_Hatton_Presentation_b.pdf

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1994.04.22: Certificate of Appreciation to Lady Denman Museum from VPS.
1994_04_22_VPS_LDM_Appreciation.pdf

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 1994.05.00: Rohan Westmore : The History of the Lady Denman Complex • The RAN Montague Whaler
[Jervis Bay Magazine, May] 1994, unpaginated.
1994_05_00_Westmore_MW_Resto_JB.pdf

This is one of  two whalers donated to the] Lady Den­man Heritage in 1992 (in need of complete restoration) by Com­mander George, Commanding Officer of HMAS Penguin, based at Balmoral built in Fremantle in 1945 constructed for use in the Navy's Training of Midshipmen, an essential part of their basic training in seamanship.
The Whaler is 27ft in length and has a beam of 6ft 4 inches and is fitted with a mast sail and an adjustable centre board, to allow sailing in shallow waters and for fine tuning of sailing.

Restoration Project
A proposal by Rex Williams (members LDHC Com­mittee) to Mrs Narelle Harding, Principal of Vincentia Public School to allow Students a the school to restore the Whaler, under the supervision of Alf Settree, our resident boat builder, Rex Williams and school co-ordinator Alan Baiton, resulted in the proposal being agreed to. Arrangements were made to have John Taylor with his crane to lift the Whaler onto John Gough's truck and transport it from LDHC to Vincentia Public School in April 1993.
The transfer of the whaler was videoed by TV Journalist Steve Barnes.
Armed with scrapers and screwdrivers etc. supplied by the Navy's HMAS Creswell, the students undertook the laborious task of cleaning out the bottom of the boat of leaves, sand
debris, the scraping off of many layers of old weather hardened paint, repairs to the planking, copper rivet­ing of new planking, and finally sandpapering the entire boat in preparation for undercoating and at least two finishing coats of marine gloss enamel.
However, these fittings became available when another whaler, (this time from Albatross Aviation Museum) was offered to Alf Settree, and when delivered to the school complete with all brass fittings required to complete the restoration.

A period of two years had been allowed for the Restoration to be completed, however due to the enthusiasm, dedication and combined efforts of all those involved and not forget­ting Alf Settree, Alan Baiton and Rex Williams' inspiration to the students, the restoration of the Whaler was completed in less than 12 months.
The School Co-ordinator of the project Alan Baiton said that the whole effort has been a great team effort and a rewarding experience to all the students taking part.

Montague Whaler restored
Rex Williams advised the LDHC Committee that the Whalers restoration was completed on Friday 22 February 1994.
The Whaler was picked up from the school on 6 March 1994 with the assistance of John Gough and John Taylor ind returned to LDHC.
A handing over ceremony at the school was to be organised at a date to be advised.

The Handing Over Ceremony
The Ceremony was organised by Mrs Narelle Harding, Principal of Vincentia Public School and was held on Friday 22 April 1994 at the school.

The Official Party

A Special thank you to
John Gough (Jervis Bay Welding) for supplying truck to transport the Whaler, John Taylor (Taylors Cranes) for lifting the boat on and off the truck both ends, HMAS Creswell Commanding Officer Captain Brian Adams for supplying materials used for the boats restoration, including tools, paint and copper nails etc. Ste­ve Barnes TV Journalist for videoing the transfer of the Whaler to the School, the restoration project and return of the restored Whaler to the LDHC.
The brass plaque donated by Graham Longworth of Shoalhaven Industrial Engraving.
The plaque was presented to the Heritage Committee President John Hatton MP, and Vera Hatton Museum Curator.

The Plaque has been attached to the Whaler, which is now on permament display at the Museum, and everyone visiting the museum admires the quality of the restoration and the dedication of the students of Vincentia Public School.

 

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