Imagine holding a silver presentation cup, its metal cool to the touch, engraved with a date: 7 January 1911. At first glance, it looks like a typical high-society sporting trophy. But turn it over, trace the maker’s marks, read the inscription and dig into the archives and this single artifact unlocks a forgotten chapter of maritime history.

This cup connects two of the most celebrated four-masted sailing vessels of the early 20th century, the German barque Herzogin Cecilie and the British cadet ship Port Jackson in a moment of friendly, international camaraderie just years before the world plunged into war.

The Twin Giants of the Windjammer Era

To understand the weight of this trophy, we must first meet the two majestic iron-and-steel "windjammers" that dominated the global shipping lanes of the early 1900s.

The legendary Herzogin Cecilie. 

The British training ship Port Jackson.

Herzogin Cecilie (Germany)

Built in 1902 in Bremerhaven, the Herzogin Cecilie was a legendary steel four-masted barque. Named after Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, she operated under Norddeutscher Lloyd and became internationally famous for dominating the Australian Grain Races. In her prime, she was capable of astonishing speeds, once completing the run from Australia to the UK in just 86 days.

Port Jackson (Scotland)

Built in 1882 in Aberdeen, the Port Jackson was a magnificent iron four-masted barque. Operated by the famed Devitt & Moore line, she served as a premier cadet training ship, carrying hundreds of young British midshipmen across the globe to learn the rigorous craft of blue-water seamanship.

The Race for Sydney: Port Jackson vs. Mersey

The Port Jackson and the Mersey were both operated as elite merchant sail-training vessels. In the late months of 1910, both ships departed from Europe bound for Australia, carrying commercial cargo and dozens of young cadets.

The Departure: The Port Jackson departed first, leaving London. The Mersey trailed behind, setting sail from Liverpool on October 1st.

The Arrival: The Port Jackson held the lead for most of the voyage across the Atlantic and around the Cape of Good Hope. However, the Mersey ran an incredibly fast leg through the Southern Ocean.

The Rendezvous: January 1911 in Sydney Harbour

By late 1910, some of the world's most elite sail-training ships were converging on Australia. The Port Jackson and the White Star Line’s training ship Mersey had spent over three months racing head-to-head across the oceans from Europe. On 7 January 1911, the two massive British vessels arrived at the entrance of Sydney Harbour almost simultaneously, treating onlookers on the cliffs to a spectacular neck-and-neck finish.

But they weren't alone. Anchored in Sydney's Neutral Bay was the German giant Herzogin Cecilie.

For a brief, glittering window in the Southern Hemisphere's summer, Sydney Harbour was host to hundreds of young merchant marine apprentices from rival European nations.

The Origin of the Cup: A Battle of Oars

To keep hundreds of energetic young cadets occupied, foster international goodwill, and showcase their seamanship to the Australian public, the ships' captains and local officials organized weekend competitive regattas.

Because the massive 3,000-ton barques could not race inside the congested harbor, the crews faced off in the ships' own service boats, gigs and whaleboats.

On Saturday, 7 January 1911, a fiercely contested inter-ship rowing regatta was held. Cadets from the British Port Jackson and the German Herzogin Cecilie strained at the oars, pulling through the choppy waters of Sydney Harbour to claim victory.

To commemorate this high-profile clash of seamanship, prominent local figures liikely associated with the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron or wealthy wool merchants commissioned a high-status presentation trophy.The Sequel:

The friendly rivalry between the two crews culminated later that month on January 26th at the Sydney Anniversary Day Regatta, where the cadets faced off again in a formal "Training Ship's Boat" race, which was won by the Mersey crew.

Anatomy of a Rare Artifact

The markings on the base of this historical cup tell us exactly how prestigious this event was:

The Jeweler (Hardy Brothers): The cup was retailed by Hardy Brothers, Australia’s premier luxury jeweler and silversmith (famously known as the makers of the Melbourne Cup and the only Southern Hemisphere jeweler to hold a Royal Warrant).

The Location Stamp ("Sydney & Brisbane"): Hardy Brothers did not open their Melbourne showroom until 1918. Because this cup lists only Sydney and Brisbane, it flawlessly corroborates the pre-1918 window of the 1911 race.

"Made in England" & The Registry Numbers: In the early 20th century, Hardy Brothers used their London office to commission elite English silversmiths in Sheffield or Birmingham to craft high-end hollowware. The design code (76841) and the fraction (1/2) indicate this was part of a highly exclusive, limited production run, perfect for a prestigious sporting duel.

This cup represents a fragile moment in time. Just three years after these young German and British mariners laughed, competed, and toasted each other in Sydney Harbour, their nations would be at war.

Drastically Different Fates

The brotherhood celebrated by the cup in 1911 was completely shattered by the geopolitical storm that followed 3 years later with the outbreak of WWI.

Ultimate Fate

Herzogin Cecilie

Seized by the French as a prize of war; later sold to Finland's Gustaf Erikson.

Survived the war, but ran aground in thick fog off Devon, UK, in 1936. Her salvaged saloon is preserved in the Åland Maritime Museum.

Port Jackson

Utilised as a vital cargo vessel during the war she was later sold by the Devitt & Moore company and the funds used to purchase the College site.  Sadly she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-67 west of Ireland in 1917, tragically claiming the lives of 14 crew members.

Ultimately, a silver trophy from January 1911 is far more than a sports prize. It is a beautiful, bittersweet monument to a bygone era of sail, a testament to the supreme craftsmanship of Edwardian silversmiths and a physical anchor to an afternoon of peace and camaraderie on Sydney Harbour that was soon lost to the tides of history..

Unlocking Forgotten Stories

Discoveries like the history behind this 1911 presentation cup do not happen by chance; through the College's continued investment in dedicated archive spaces and increased archivist time, we are now able to devote even more attention to uncovering and sharing these remarkable stories.