Mallina, 1913
This painting shows the cargo ship Mallina before she was requisitioned by the RAN.
- About John Charles Allcot
John was born on 14 November 1888 in England, and at the age of 14 John was apprenticed to lithographers, and attended classes at the Liverpool Institute and School of Art. In 1906 he worked in the Mersey tugboats and next year sailed as a deck-boy in the barque, Invermark. He loved painting and would scrounge ship's paint, sailcloth and handkerchiefs with which to depict the sea, ships and life on board.
Arriving in Sydney in the Miltiades in 1909, Allcot signed on with the old clipper, Antiope. He worked in coastal, island and intercolonial vessels out of Sydney before giving up the sea in 1912. He then supported himself by painting theatre sets and obtained commissions for ship paintings from Sydney photographers. In the 1940s he painted the seas for ship-models built by the sculptor Robert Klippel.
Allcot’s studio became a meeting-place for those interested in ships, paintings and models. Regular visitors included maritime artists Oswald Brett and Ian Hansen. Allcot used water-colour, gouache and oils to paint his ships.
Allcot showed impeccable attention to detail in his ship paintings and in 1954 his painting of the Cutty Sark was presented to the Duke of Edinburgh.
His work is represented in private and public collections in Australia and abroad.
- About HMAS Mallina
HMAS Mallina was a cargo ship built for the Australian United Steam Navigation Company. She was requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy in August 1914, as a store carrier and collier. She was returned to her owners in February 1915. In 1929 she was sold to Japanese owners. On 24 September 1944 she was sunk by US naval aircraft off Burias Island, Sibuyan Sea.
More reading
- Additional resources for John Charles Allcot
- Additional resources for HMAS Mallina