The South Australian Maritime Museum preserves the oldest nautical collection in Australia. In 1872 the Port Adelaide Institute began a museum collection to complement its library and its educational and social programs. That collection grew over the following century reflecting the seafarers and the ships that visited Port Adelaide. It is now held in trust at the South Australian Maritime Museum.

The Maritime Museum’s collections ranges from the Port Adelaide Lighthouse that was first lit in 1869 to a plaque that explorer Matthew Flinders left at Memory Cove in 1802 to mark the loss of eight seafarers. It includes figureheads, nautical instruments, bathing costumes, shipwreck artefacts, paintings, models and vessels.

Our scope is the maritime heritage of South Australia from the coast to inland waters. The collection of over almost 20,000 objects and over 20,000 images is at once a window to the heritage of the local community and to the ships of the world.

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Bamboo toy furniture

Toy furniture set brought to South Australia as souvenir from China by Chief Petty Officer, Henry Perry.

The Perry family lived at the Torpedo Station between the North Arm of the Port River and the False Arm, on the eastern bank. Henry Perry was in charge of the Station from 1895 till it was disbanded in about 1913. He served on the Protector when it voyaged to China in 1900 to help quell the Boxer Rebellion. As Protector sailed down the Port River, Perry signalled goodbye with semaphore flags to his daughters, Eliza and Mabel. He brought back a number of exotic souvenirs from his voyage to China as gifts for his young family. These included several pairs of silk Chinese slippers and this toy furniture.

Associated locations: China, Port Adelaide

Caption: Chinese Minature Furniture - Five Pieces

AccessionNo: HT 2007.0677 a-e

Material: bamboo, tacks, woven material

Date Created: 1900

Physical Description:
Five pieces of bamboo furniture. a: Table b: Chair c: Chair d: Chair e: Chaise Longue

Significance:
The furniture was purchased in China by Chief Petty Officer Henry Perry of 'HMCS Protector'. The South Australian vessel had been sent to China in 1900 to help quell the Boxer Rebellion. Perry was also caretaker of the Torrens Island Torpedo Station in Port Adelaide. The furniture is both representative of the type of mementos collected by sailors on voyages and personalises the story of a major international conflict. It is linked to the Perry family, key players in Port Adelaide’s nautical history.

Provenance:
Hand made in China. Purchased by C.P.O. H. Perry for his children who lived at the Torpedo Station on the Port River. C.P.O. Perry purchased the toy furniture whilst in China as a member of the crew of HMCS PROTECTOR. He also purchased two pairs of silk shoes, an opium pipe and some postcards, hand-painted on bamboo, as presents for his six children: Eliza, Mabel, Hilda, Harry, Edith and Mary. The Perry family lived at the Torpedo Station between the North Arm of the Port River and the False Arm, on the eastern bank. Henry/Harry Perry was in charge of the Station from c. 1890 till it was disbanded c. 1913. All of the children grew up at the Torpedo Station, rowing or sailing up the River to school. This set of children's furniture was passed down through the Simmons to the Harrigan family.