Following the resignation of Consul General Willem Lodewijk Bosschart in Melbourne in 1921, Consul Petrus Ephrem ‘Peter’ Teppema in Sydney became Consul General, since 1922 Consul General. In 1947 he became the 2nd official Ambassador for the Netherlands in Canberra.

Here we see Dutch Consul-General Teppema, Madame Teppema and Rear-Admiral C C Kayser on board HNLMS JAVA, 10 October 1930.

The Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy) including HNLMS JAVA, HNLMS EVERSTEN and HNLMS DE RUYTER arrived in Sydney on 3 October 1930. The ships berthed in West Circular Quay and The Sydney Morning Herald reported on the ‘unfamiliar spectacle’ of the Dutch squadron arrival.

On 10 October, the squadron hosted a reception on board JAVA ‘as a return for the hospitality they had received while in Sydney’. The SMH reported that distinguished guests were greeted by the Dutch Consul-General Petrus Ephrem Teppema, Madame Carmen Delprat Teppema and Rear-Admiral Kayser. Madame Teppema is described as wearing ‘a jacket suit of black morocain, with a white satin blouse and a black baku hat’ and carrying ‘a bouquet of pink carnations.’

These photos are part of the Australian National Maritime Museum’s Samuel J. Hood Studio collection. Sam Hood (1872-1953) was a Sydney photographer with a passion for ships. His 60-year career spanned the romantic age of sail and two world wars. The photos in the collection were taken mainly in Sydney and Newcastle during the first half of the 20th century.

The ANMM undertakes research and accepts public comments that enhance the information we hold about images in our collection. This record has been updated accordingly.

HNLMS Java cruiser of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The ship was built by the Koninklijke Maatschappij de Schelde in Flushing and laid down on 31 May 1916. The ship was launched on 6 August 1921, and commissioned on 1 May 1925. She was sunk during the Battle of the Java Sea on 27 February 1942.