A 'Game Book' and photograph relating to the visit of the Duke of Cornwall and York to Buckland Park estate, South Australia, on 12 July 1901 during his tour of the colonies
Oblong small folio (215 × 345 mm), a bespoke shooters' register with each page ruled in blue with red columns headed 'Date', 'Place', 'No. of Guns', 'Names of Guns', 'Ducks', 'Swans', 'Plover', 'Stilts', 'Turkeys', 'Quail', 'Sand Piper', 'Hares', 'Rabbits', 'Snipe', [blank], 'Total', and 'Remarks'. The label of the manufacturer, J.H. Sherring & Co., Adelaide, is mounted on the front pastedown. On an early blank, the following warning is written in ink: 'No shooter to have a drink after dinner until this book is entered up for the day.... 9.11.97'.
Full calf, lettered in gilt on the front cover 'Game Book | Buckland Park'; leather slightly marked and a little scuffed; in excellent condition. The gelatin silver portrait photograph (197 × 143 mm) is on the original thick card mount (295 × 245 mm), with the caption 'George V at Buckland Park' and the name of the photographer, J. Gazard, in white ink at the foot of the mount. Minor surface damage and creasing to the right-hand side of the mount; the photograph is in excellent condition. The Duke is pictured with Lord Richard Nevill, private secretary to the Governor of South Australia.
Buckland Park is a pastoral property near Port Gawler, South Australia. George Frederick Ernest Albert, The Duke of Cornwall and York and later King George V (1865-1936) was the second eldest son of King Edward VII, who ascended the throne on Queen Victoria's death in January 1901. With the first Parliament of Australia set to open in early May, the mourning King sent George, now next in line to the throne, to Australia as his representative. The Duke and his Duchess, Mary (1867-1953) left England on 15 March aboard an Orient steamship specially chartered for the voyage. Two days after arriving in Melbourne, on 9 May, the royal couple drove through streets lined with cheering crowds to the Exhibition Building, where the Duke declared the Parliament open before thousands of guests. 'The Duke and Duchess were kept busy with a program ranging from dinner and a University Commencement to the presentation of prizes to public schools. They also managed to visit briefly country Victoria. Nevertheless, during their 10-day visit they still managed to fit in a day's shooting. The tour also included visits to other states, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada' (Museums Victoria website). The official party made a short visit to South Australia (10-15 July), not least to take up an invitation for another day's shooting ... Alice Foster tells the story in the 'Salisbury and District Local History Newsletter' (December 2019): 'Mr Leonard Browne, the owner of Buckland Park (and at the time in England), invited the Royal party to a shooting excursion to his property. The Royal party consisted of HRH The Duke of Cornwall, Prince Alexander of Teck, Lord Wenlock, Sir Charles Cust, The Hon. Derek-Keppel, Commodore Winsloe and Commander Faussett. On 3rd July 1901 a special meeting was held in the Salisbury Institute to make arrangements for welcoming their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, who were to make a short stay on their journey to Buckland Park on Friday 12th July. There was a large attendance and Mr J.P. Swann was elected chairman on the motion of Dr E. Brookes, seconded by the Rev. S. Moncrieff. It was decided to form a committee who were empowered to make the necessary arrangements. As Salisbury was the only town in South Australia to be visited by the Royal party there was great enthusiasm from the residents with suggestions for decorating the railway station. An orange arch, consisting of branches, blossoms and fruit would be formed and extended from the station gate to the spot where his Royal Highness's carriage would stand. The scholars of Salisbury and neighbouring schools would constitute a guard of honour to the Duke. The Royal train left North Terrace station a few minutes after 9 am, driven by Mr Thomas Youll, and sped swiftly on its way reaching Salisbury at 9.25 am. A crowd of townsfolk had assembled and church choirs and state school children united in singing the national anthem. The Hon. J. Stirling MLC drove His Royal Highness from Salisbury to Buckland Park, arriving at 11 am. A good morning's sport was obtained in the swamps near the sea and luncheon was prepared in two marquees. A facsimile of the pigeongram sent by His Royal Highness follows: "We only got about 325 [this should read 35] ducks this morning, hope to get some peacocks this afternoon. G." ... The special train left Salisbury at 6.08 pm and arrived in Adelaide at 6.20 pm', with all on board tired but happy. The game book saw little use, with only the first three pages filled in. The first entry is dated 29 January 1898, and there are 20 separate entries in that year. There are ten parties in 1901, one in 1902, two in 1907, and the final one in 1936. However, 1901 is the stellar year, with numerous old South Australian names manning the guns: these include Baker, Belt, Hawker, Jacob, Matheson, Phillipson, Rounsevell, and Stow. The names of the Duke's party are listed in a scribe's hand; only 40 peafowl were added to the aforementioned ducks, and the remarks column has nothing remarkable to say ('One hour at ducks in morning only'). A fortnight later, Messrs Hawker, Phillipson, Belt, Belt, Stow and Matheson had better luck, bagging 41 ducks, 2 stilts, 1 avocet, 1 sandpiper, and 2 rabbits, and reporting it was 'Cold & wet. Birds fairly plentiful but wary of new hides. Meat pies good'. [2 items].
Item #127784
Price (AUD):
$1,500.00