Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
A guide to the Captain John T. Torrance personal photographs, 1901-1973
P09-003 (SAFR 22230)
No online items
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Title: Captain John T. Torrance personal photographs
Date: 1901-1973
Identifier/Call Number: P09-003 (SAFR 22230)
Creator:
Torrance, John T., Captain
Physical Description:
19 items.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The Captain John T. Torrance personal photographs, 1901-1973 (SAFR 22230, P09-003) consists of photographic prints, copy negatives
and photograph albums concerning the life and working career of Captain John T. Torrance. The collection has been processed
to the file and item unit levels and is available for use without restrictions.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other
case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
July 10, 2014, SAFR-02092, 7 photographic prints were added by E. LeBlanc.
The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include
the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter
experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide
please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], P09-003 (SAFR 22230), Captain John T. Torrance personal photographs, San Francisco Maritime National Historical
Park
SAFR-02017
SAFR-02092
The collection was donated by the wife of the nephew of Captain John T. Torrance's wife.
Historical or Biographical Note
Captain John T. Torrance was born 26 July 1896 in Chetopa Kansas and began his sailing career as a messboy aboard a lumber
steamer at San Pedro, Calif. in the summer of 1916.
Torrance was at the 1916 Preparedness Day Parade in San Francisco at the time of the famous bombing. He and a friend had been
standing at the corner of Steuart Street and Market, the site of the bombing, just 10 minutes before the explosion. He worked
on the Army Transport Tug SLOCUM out of Fort Mason (San Francisco) during World War I and served aboard her on the East Coast,
Bermuda and France. He joined the full-rigged ship ARAPAHOE as an A.B. sailor in June 1918 for voyage to Manila. During the
voyage, they rescued 8 survivors of the schooner ETHEL ZANE after it had floundered in a gale. They engaged in a race to San
Francisco with the 4-masted bark AMVERS of Antwerp. Torrance left the ARAPAHOE in San Francisco. He then shipped on the WEST
ERRAL from Los Angeles to Union Iron Works, San Francisco and carried coal from Oakland to Hawaii then to New York. He returned
to San Francisco in 1919 and sailed on the ship JAMES ROLPH from San Francisco to England. After receiving his master's license,
Capt.
Torrance served mostly on oil tankers and yachts. Torrance died on January 5, 1975 in Long Beach, CA. Source: Autobiographical
essay by Captain John T. Torrance found with album in this collection, series 03, file 02.
The Captain John T. Torrance personal photographs, 1901-1973 (SAFR 22230, P09-003) consists of photographic prints, copy negatives
and photograph albums concerning the life and working career of Captain John T. Torrance. The collection has been processed
to the file and item unit levels and is available for use without restrictions.
This photograph collection documents Torrence's life as a child and his life at sea and some of the vessels he sailed on including
BUNKER HILL, ARAPAHOE and JAMES ROLPH. After receiving his master's license, Capt. Torrance served mostly on oil tankers and
yachts. Many of the photographs are unique period images including albumen photographs on cabinet cards of the Captain as
a child. Many photographs are identified and two of the photo albums are thoroughly captioned. There is also an autobiographical
essay that is tucked into one of the albums and explains the relevancy of the vessel photographs to Torrence's career.
18 items in 3 flat boxes and 1 shared 8 inch box.
The Captain John T. Torrance papers, 1905-1975 (SAFR 22211, HDC 1581)
- This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Sailing ships
Merchant ships
Torrance, John T., Captain
James Rolph (built 1884, rebuilt 1919; ship, 3m)
Los Angeles Military Academy
John F. Craig (built 1923; tug)
Arapahoe ( built 1884; ship, 3m)
Photographic prints
Photograph albums
Crew portraits
Portrait photographs
Captain