WWI: Sydney Harbour Trust remembers

Portrait photos of Sydney Harbour Trust staff killed in action in World War I

This is a portrait series (NRS-20231) of employees of the Sydney Harbour Trust who died while on active military service with the AIF during World War I. Each photo has the name written on the reverse.

These oval shaped portraits are printed on thick card and have been cut out of an album or display board. The name of the person has been written in pencil on the back of the prints. Most portraits have also been numbered in pencil on the back. All except one portrait show the sitter in a military uniform.

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The Sydney Harbour Trust Commissioners (SHT) was a statutory body established by the Sydney Harbour Trust Act 1901 and was responsible for the general improvement, preservation and daily running of the Port of Sydney. All foreshores, lighthouses and tugs within Sydney Harbour which belonged to the Government were vested in the Trust, which also had the power to reclaim land for the erection of necessary infrastructure.

To this end the SHT had power to:

  • regulate the movement of vessels and the handling of cargo in the port through a Harbour Master;
  • collect wharfage rates and dues;
  • maintain wharf facilities such as swimming baths and fire fighting and safety equipment;
  • carry out dredging operations and removal of ship wrecks;
  • grant licences for the erection of piers.

The Sydney Harbour Trust operated from 1901 until 1936 when it was replaced by the Maritime Services Board.

For more details on the Sydney Harbour Trust Commissioners see Agency 517 in the catalogue.

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World War One

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Military personnel guide

This guide provides information on how to find arrivals of early military personnel and a list of records in our collection relating to Early British Army Regiments in NSW; Volunteer Force; Sudan Expedition; Boer War; World War I and World War II.

https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_square_thumbnail/public/Galleries/Windows%20into%20Wartime/NRS4481_MS3658P.jpg?itok=oD0lYPlL
On This Day

17 Dec 1915 - 'Waratah' recruitment march

On 17 December 1915 the "Waratah" recruitment march arrived in Sydney

Group photo of military men in various military uniforms

Researching your military ancestors

An introduction to key sources in the collection for researching military personnel in the 1800s and early 1900s

A group of soldiers marching
On This Day

1916 military riot in Sydney

On 14 February 1916 thousands of soldiers from the Liverpool military camp took strike action

Photo collections

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Muswellbrook Power Station Carl Street Apprentices For 1982 Annual Report

Electricity Commission

These photos record the power generation and transmission assets of the organisation and document the working conditions and social events of its employees

'Lady Hopetoun' docked at Commissioners Steps in front of the Sydney Harbour Trust building

Maritime Services Board

A sample of the 4000+ digitised glass plate negatives from the Maritime Services Board

Naval cadets from N.S.S. 'Sobraon' receiving swimming instruction

Government Printing Office Glass Negatives

From the late 19th century into the 20th century, photography played a significant role at the Government Printing Office, leading to a rich and varied collection of images depicting life in New South Wales

Onlookers stand behind barriers watching the streets being cleaned with fire hoses. Policemen stand on the road in front of the crowds

Purging pestilence – plague!

The Bubonic Plague hit Sydney in January 1900. Spreading from the waterfront, the rats carried the plague throughout the city. Within eight months 303 cases were reported and 103 people were dead

A Sundowner, Riverina District, c.1908

Lantern slides shown at the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition

Part of this collection of lantern slides was shown at the Franco-British Exhibition in London, 1908. Many of the slides are of typical country scenes such as saw mills, dairy farms, mining, and timber felling and hauling

Sydney Harbour Bridge construction. Preparing iron bark track timbers, 4 Oct 1931

Sydney Harbour Bridge

This photo series captures the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, from turning the first sod to completion, including the official opening and its initial use by the public

Bourke Court House, no date

Public buildings in NSW

This album, dating from c1880 to c1940, was created by the Government Architect's office and includes a diverse array of important public and institutional structures

A beach scene at Wattamolla, Royal National Park, no date.

Royal National Park

Many of the photos in this series depict recreational activities around Audley, showcasing people boating, playing sports, bushwalking, picnicking, and taking part in ceremonies

Group of boys feeding calves at Scheyville Training Farm, c1926

Scheyville Training Farm

Scheyville was a training farm for young men selected from the Sydney area and those arriving under various British immigration schemes

Interior archway of concourse in Central Railway Station, 1906

Photos from the railways

With around 30,000 photos from various series, you can delve into a visual history of the railways, the workers, and the stunning landscapes of Sydney and New South Wales