Ville de Bordeaux
Figurehead of the French trader Ville de Bordeaux.
Soon after its arrival at Holdfast Bay in February 1841, former whaler and French trader Ville de Bordeaux was approached by Customs officers for suspicious behaviour and possible violation of the Registry and Navigation Acts. After a heated confrontation with the Customs department, the vessel was claimed forfeit to the Crown.
On 14 February Ville de Bordeaux slipped out of Holdfast Bay with a South Australian customs official still on board. The paddle-steamer Courier gave chase, carrying Robert Torrens, South Australia�s Collector of Customs, Port Adelaide Harbourmaster, Captain Thomas Lipson and a local police contingent. Local press reported PS Courier could not keep up steam and the police men were forced to 'walk the paddles' to keep the vessel moving.
On 18 February a repentant Ville de Bordeaux sailed to Port Adelaide to return its hostage. Here the ship was formally seized by the Crown and condemned. Two court cases ensued and in November the ship�s owner was formally charged with undertaking trade between British possessions as a foreign vessel. Stranded following seizure, the vessel was used as a stores hulk and then moored at the entrance to the harbour as South Australia's second lightship.
Honorary Curator of the Port Adelaide Nautical Museum, Vernon Smith, discovered the figurehead on the basement floor of the National Gallery. They had no intention in displaying the figurehead and an exchange was arranged between the two institutions.