Lyttelton woman loved ships

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33482, 13 March 1974, Page 12

Lyttelton woman loved ships

SHIPPING NEWS

Probaby no woman In Canterbury knew more about ships than the "grand old lady" of Lyttelton, Mrs Emily Lydia Harvey, a cheerful and active octogenarian who Mrs Harvey, a true connoisseur of shipping, for many years had an unrivalled view of the port from her stately home in Coleridge Terrace. She had moved to Oamaru only a few weeks ago.

As a girl, she lived for 10 years aboard the coal hulk Darra (a former Orient Line passenger barque) at the port. Her father was the hulk-keeper. Describing the "floating home” which moved round Lyttelton Harbour as ships required bunkers, Mrs Harveysaid: "Our life was rich, full and overflowing. We met people from all over the world. Our quarters were clean, spacious and tastefully furnished. We grew violets outside in a bathtub, She attended school from the hulk and had to clamber ashore every day. Even the roughest and toughest men from every race in the world never used bad language when she was around, she recalled. Such a life under today’s pressure would be impossible, she always said.

Mrs Harvey could talk confidently and nostalgically of famous Antarctic ships—the Nimrod, Terra Nova, Morning and Discovery. She recalled with delight the Union Company’s beautiful Rotomahana of other days. Her maritime lore was astounding, her knowledge encyclopaedic. A keen Methodist churchgoer, Mrs Harvey, although widowed in early marriage, was always a cheerful person much loved by Lyttelton people. After leaving the Lyttelton Borough School, she worked in John Bates’s china shop. Her home in Lyttelton contained not only fine Dresden china, but a wine glass from the Antarctic vessel Discovery. Her Australian husband, an artillery and cavalry instructor, died 17 months after their marriage when he was thrown from a horse while teaching Nelson College boys. Mrs Harvey window-gazed at ships for hours. She read about ships dally. Early last year when the Swedish cruise liner Kungsholm was in port she said that it was the most beautiful ship of them all. Her views were indirectly received by the Swed-ish-American Line’s New York office. It acknowledged her appraisal gratefully in a letter sent to the local agent. Mrs Harvey loved her neighbours. her garden, her budgerigar, her view of shipping. A contented woman, she was younger than many people a quarter of her age, and she knew more about ships than many men who work with them. ARRIVALS Rangatira, (6.40 .a.m.), 9387, Capt. R. E. Pugh-Williams, Wellington (U.S.S.). Professor Deryugin. <7.50 a.m.), 3033, Capt. Georg Krasnov, Antarctica (Kinsey). (Fishery research.) Athleviscount, ( p.m.), 12,592, Capt. R. J. Swany. Marsden Point (U.S.S.). (Tanker.) DEPARTURES Rangatira. (9.26 a m.), 9387, Capt. R. E. Pugh-Williams, Wellington (U.S.S.). (Daylight.) . Harvester, <2 p.m.), 3701, Capt. Ng Chung Sing, Bluff (N.S.S.).

EXPECTED ARRIVALS Hawea, Melbourne, today. Holmlea, Wellington, today. Rangatira. Wellington, today. Coastal Trader. Timaru. today. Rangatira. Wellington, March 14. (Daylight.) Uolm-lale Port Chalmers, March 14. Atrevida, Napier. March 15. tonic, Sydney March 15. Inanna Auckland, March 16. Cap Vilano, New Plymouth, March 16. Iberic, Auckland, March 17. Royal Viking Star, Wellington

March 18. (Cruise.) Union Aotearoa Wellington,

March 19. Mahabir, Wellington. March 20. Soochow. Wellington. March 20. Maheno Auckland. March 20. Straat Chatham. Wellington March 20.

Ashbank, Wellington. March Atrevida, Wellington, March 2 Badenstein. Nelson, March 2. Roman Reefer. Auckland. Mai;

23. Roybank New Orleans Man

Katea, Newcastle, March 24. Mayfield, Napier, March 24 Agano Maru, Nauru. March 2 (Bulk ) Nedei Lek, Wellington, Man

24. Woosung. Wellington, March 21 Hobart Star. Wellington. Man' ' 28. Zhida. Wellington. March 28. Wenchow, Wellington. March 21 Tacoma Maru, Wellington. Man. 31 Marabank, Wellington. March 31 Brunes, Vancouver, late March

(Bulk.) Ngatoro, Melbourne, April 2. Japan Totara, Auckland, April 4 Hertford. Dunedin. April 5. Yamaasa Maru, Wellington,

April 5. Karepo, Newcastle. April 6. Marko Marulic. Auckland, April

8. Straat Cumberland, Auckland, April 8.

PROJECTED DEPARTURES Holmlea, Wellington, today. Hawea. Dunedin, today. Polina Osipenko. Napier, todaj. Rangatira. Wellington, today. Athelviscount New Plymouth,

today. (Tanker.) Rangatira, Wellington, March 14. Professor Deryugin Antarctica. March 14. (Fishery Re-

search.) Tongariro, Dunedin, March 14. Coastal Trader, Auckland, March 14. Frysna, Tauranga, March 14. lonic Napier March 16. Holindale, Chathams. March 16. Norfolk Maru, Auckland. March 16. Royal Viking Star, Milford Sound March 18. iCruise.) Inanna Nelson, March 19. Iberic, Napier, March 20. Cap Vilano. Dunedin, March 20. Maheno. Wellington, March 21. lion Aotearoa. Tauranga,

March 21. Soochow, Tauranga March 21. Ashbank Dunedin. March 23. Atrevida. Timaru, March 23. Straat Chatham. Auckland.

March 23. Roybank, , March 25. Mahabir. , March 25. Agano Maru. Dunedin. March 26. (Bulk.) • Badenstein, Napier, March 26. Neder Lek, Dunedin, March 27. Roman Reefer. Nelson, March 27. Woosung. Napier. March 28. Mayfield —. March 28. Hobart Star. Bluff, March 30. Zaida, Auckland, March 29. Katea,' Napier. March 30. ! Wenchow, Napier, March 31. Brunes, Dunedin, late March.

(Bulk.) Marabank, Dunedin, Apnl 2. Karepo Tauranga, April 3. Tacoma Maru. Auckland, April 4. Yamaasa Maru, Korea, April 6. Japan Totara. Wellington, April 9. Hertford. Hull, April 9. Marko Marulic Dunedin. April

Karepo, Tauranga, April 10. Ngatoro, Tauranga, April 10. Straat Cumberland, Auckland, April 11.

VESSELS IN PORT Tongariro. No. 1 Cashin Quay. Norfolk Maru, No. 2 Cashin

Quay. Polina Osipenko, G.P.E. Frysna, G.P.W. Professor Deryugin. No. 4 East Athelviscount, Oil Wharf.