|
Sue Wyatt - Tasmania,
Australia |
|
|
School | Sorell | Cemeteries | Genealogy |
|
© Web Design by |
|
Whales Teeth The whales teeth described below were taken from the jaw of a sperm whale on 8th July 1883 and presented to Maryanne Smith, daughter of Captain William Smith, master of the whaling ship, Marie Laurie (Pronounced Maria Lowery), on her 1st birthday. The Marie Laurie was a British built whaling barque of 328 tons, port of registry, Hobart. Her owner was William Sherwin and her master from 18th September, 1877 until 9th June, 1884, was Captain William Smith. With a crew of twenty five, the Marie Lowery left Hobart on 8th October, 1882, for the whaling grounds of the Bering Sea between Russia and Alaska, when Maryanne was just three months old and returned to her home port eighteen months later, on 22nd May, 1884. Maryanne Smith learned to walk aboard the rolling decks of the Marie Laurie and was eighteen months old when she first set foot on dry land! The whales teeth are two of a set of four that were scrimshawed by a seaman aboard the Marie Laurie with the high fashion of the day depicting women in fur coats. They were also polished with resin, hence the dark amber colour of the teeth. It is not known what became of the larger two teeth, but it is believed they were stolen during the time Maryanne was living at Recherche Bay, southern Tasmania. The whales teeth were given to Maryanne’s granddaughter, Phyllis McDermott, who lived with Maryanne, at Strahan until she was married in 1950. In August 2002, the whales teeth were handed over to Phyllis’ son, Kim McDermott, for safe keeping. Kim McDermott , August 20th 2002. |