Among the artists, performers and musicians to grace the decks of the Wimmera was English violinist Marie Hall who visited New Zealand in 1907 during a World Tour. She departed Sydney aboard the Wimmera on 29 June 1907 and arrived at Wellington on 3 July.
Miss Marie Hall, the talented violinist, who arrived in Wellington yesterday evening, was brought up in a musical atmosphere as her father was at one time harpist in the Carl Rosa Opera Company and operatic singers visited the house. Miss Hall herself was put to the harp as a child, but surreptitiously practised the violin, for which she had a preference, and surprised her parents with a talent which left no other course open than to leave her unfettered in her choice. After many trials she played before Kubelik, and under his advice went to Prague, where, at the end of 20 months, Herr Seveik, the most successful teacher of the day, pronounced her a violin-virtuoso of the first rank. After leaving Bohemia Miss Marie Hall made her debut at Queen’s Hall, London, in 1903, when according to the Daily Telegraph “the town fell at her feet.” Since then Miss Hall has toured the continent, Canada, the United States and Australia. Her violin is a famous instrument, and before it came into her possession only Paganini, and sometimes Wienawski, had used it during the last 100 years. Its date is 1709.
Evening Post Volume LXXIV, Issue 4, 4 July 1907, Page 7
SS Wimmera 