SS Maheno and Sunbeam

Possibly 1934 to 1936

Page 14 of photograph album. Maheno and Sunbeam at Lyttelton, and John and Eddie at Pleasant Point. [Top left] View of the SS Maheno moored in Lyttelton Harbour. Caption: Maheno at Lyttelton. [Centre] Four photograph corners, with the photograph missing. Caption: Sunbeam again 1936. [Top right] A group of unidentified people sailing aboard Sunbeam at Redcliffs. Caption: Sunbeam at Redcliffs. [Bottom left] Portrait of Eddie Walsh and John. Caption: John & I at Pleasant Point. [Bottom right] Unidentified person aboard a dingy in Lyttelton. Caption: Reefing Lyttelton.

Contributors note: "The photographs in the album were taken by my father, Edward (Eddie) Walsh. He was one of ten children. His father, George Senior, died due to workplace poisoning when Eddie was 16, and to compensate the family for their loss, my father was offered a position at George's place of work, Bunting and Co. The family was very religious, and during World War II, was a conscientious objector. He was imprisoned at the detention camp at Balmoral, in the Hurunui. As he was very mechanically minded, my father worked on the forestry blocks fixing the trucks, which meant he had some freedom from the detention camp. At the time of his imprisonment, he was married, with a son. My mother had relocated to the area and was helping a family with six children under five – a set of triplets, twins and a singleton. Before moving to the Hurunui, she and her son lived with her mother-in-law in Vogel Street. Having a husband as a conscientious object was very difficult for her when meeting other women whose husbands were fighting in the war."

Creator: Eddie Walsh

Contributor: Walsh Family

Source: Entry in the 2025 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt.

Reference ID: CCL-PH25-2015

Uploaded by: CCL Photo Hunt

No known copyright