The Shaw Savill & Albion passenger/cargo vessel Mamari is seen berthed at Queens Wharf in Wellington circa 1905. This Mamari was built in 1904 in Belfast and was 8114 tons gross. Length was 455 feet (139 metres) and breadth 56 ft (17 metres). Propulsion was quadruple expansion, constructed in Belfast, via twin screws. Speed was 13 knots approximately. In 1927 she was renamed Gerolstein for Arnold Bernstein for the transport of cargo only. 1938 saw her being transferred to Red Star Line ownership and in May 1939 the Holland America Line acquired the company name, selling Gerolstein to H.C. Horn where she was renamed Consul Horn. In June 1942 a mine off Borkum sank her.
The watchtower visible was used as a signal tower. When a ship was sighted arriving at the Heads, a system of signal flags was used to let the harbour pilots know what sort of vessel had arrived. The signal was relayed from Beacon Hill to a signal house on the top of Mount Victoria and then on to the tower at Queens Wharf. We kids at Hataitai School used to call it the haunted house until the local fire brigade burned it down in a spectacular blaze about 1954.
(Thanks to David Newton for the info.)
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