John “Dutchy” de Vos served as the bosun (bootsman) aboard the barque Garthneill, a steel-hulled, three-masted sailing ship originally built in 1895 in Glasgow as Inverneill. After its sale and renaming in 1921, the Garthneill became notable for its role in South Australia’s grain trade. Following its decommissioning in 1926, the vessel was converted into a floating electric barley-grading mill and storeship in Port Adelaide—the only one of its kind in Australia
Mr. de Vos joined the Garthneill on 9 May 1921 and remained with the ship as its shipkeeper after the officers and crew were paid off. He lived aboard the vessel in the captain’s quarters with his wife and family until the early 1930s. The photograph (right) of “Dutchy” de Vos with the Garthneill crew is preserved in the History Trust of South Australia’s collection .
In November 1935, the Garthneill was towed to the Ship’s Graveyard at Garden Island on the Port River, where it was scuttled. Remnants of the ship remain visible among the mangroves today .
While detailed personal records of Mr. de Vos are limited, his long-term association with the Garthneill highlights his significant role in the maritime history of Port Adelaide.
Dutchy De Vos and Asher (from Australia) on board Garthneill, 1926 History Trust of South Australia’s collection .
