Here are some technical highlights of
Heliopolis.
She was built as the second
Katoomba yacht for Kenneth M. Clark of Paisley (the first one was built in 1898) in 1903. One year later she was transferred to Mrs. Heriot in Rouen, France who called her
Salvator. In 1910 she went to Mr. F.H. de Saint Senoch in Le Havre, France.
During World War I she was requisitioned in 1915 and returned to her owners in 1919. In 1924 she passed to the hands of Anthony Drexel, a major philanthropist of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the founder of Drexel University. He gave her the name
Sayonara. NB: This is the second
Sayonara of Anthony Drexel. The first one is mentioned in
http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=57229 and eventually became Potamianos'
Popi.
Then, in 1930 she went to Baron Empain in Antwerpen, Belgium who named her Heliopolis. Typaldos did not change the name!
Many will be wondering who was Baron Empain and why he gave his yacht the name Heliopolis. A good introduction is in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Empain He was a Belgian engineer, entrepreneur and Egyptologist. In 1905 Baron Empain started building the model city of Heliopolis near Cairo, Egypt, with his own elaborate, Indian-inspired palace as its main attraction.
Please read also http://www.egy.com/landmarks/97-05-01.1.shtml Pay special attention to the photograph " Baron Empain's palace seen from the mansion of Prince Ibrahim Halim "
Also " Rare aerial view of part of Heliopolis showing Baron Empain's Hindu palace with Prince Ibrahim Halim's mansion and the Desert Institute situated diagonally behind it (to its left). Also seen is Villa Boghos Nubar surrounded by thick vegetation. In the fore several buildings including triangular palace of Sultan Hussein Kamel opposite Empain (across Avenue des Palais). Next to it Heliopolis Mosque. Two avenues running perpendicular from Hindu Palace: Avenue de la Basilique & Avenue Nubar"
By the way, for those who do not know it, a famous Greek composer, Yannis Christou, was born in Heliopolis See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giannis_Christou
Heliopolis stayed with the Royal Navy from 1940 to 1946 and was bought by Haralambos Typaldos in 1947. She was modified in Piraeus by Alex. Filippou and was placed in commercial routes in 1948..........