Glass Lantern Slides of the opening of Federal Parliament, Canberra in 1927 and other contemporary scenes.

The slides are in excellent physical condition, housed in a polished wooden partition box with dovetails, brass hinges and slide catches. They were presented in 1947 to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon Mr John Solomon Rosevear, in whose private vault the slides had been housed. Their functional origin and creator are unknown but it would appear from the system of control symbols (several and disassociated) that the slides are a selection from a much larger collection.

The series consists of one document, a manuscript of the address delivered by Prince Albert (later King George VI), on the occasion of the opening of Parliament House Canberra.

Correspondence and administrative files arranged in a multiple number sequence according to general subject headings. The files document the work of the Commonwealth Director and his staff in organising the Royal Visit. Although correspondence was being received as early as July 1926, notations made on folios suggest that the filing system was not commenced until September 1926. The series continued after the successful completion of the Royal Tour, until finalisation of financial and administrative matters related to the Tour.

This series consists of an incomplete index booklet for the correspondence and administrative files relating to the 1927 Royal Visit (series A6680). Only two pages of the booklet have been written on and only include entries for files up to DY7 of the correspondence file series which has files up to DY73/1.

Single file kept by the Defence Liaison Officer on the staff of the Commonwealth Director for the 1927 Royal Visit. It details financial procedures to be followed in connection with this Royal Visit and duplicates material in the main correspondence file series of the Commonwealth Director.

Records the planning and arrangements made by the Federal Capital Commission for the ceremonial opening of Parliament House on 9 May 1927, along with other functions associated with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Canberra.

Working papers with a small amount of correspondence, relating to the Royal Visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Canberra in May 1927 for the purpose of opening Parliament House.

The series consists of multiple copies of an index of files, one card, marked "File schedule", two cards detailing the extra (A, B, C) files, one card marked "Marking Register" and two cards with the file lists pasted on to them, all inside a Federal Capital Commission folder.

This is a handwritten register of 20 large format sheets attached to a Federal Capital Commission file cover. It is ruled into columns from left to right: Name or No of file; matters outstanding; date referred; to whom referred; remarks. It appears to have served as a check list to ensure completion of outstanding tasks prior to the arrival of the Royal visitors.

Contains papers of various committees charged by the Federal Capital Commission to oversee different aspects of the royal visit to Canberra. Committees whose records are held include: Tree and Tree Planting Committee, Housing and Provisioning Committee, Public Entertainment Committee, Stands and Decorations Committee, Cinematography Committee, School Children Committee, State Luncheon and Public Reception Committee, Medical and Sanitary Committee, Official Cars Committee.

This photograph was taken during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Western Australia in 1927. The photograph has the following legend on the border:

Visit of the Duke & Duchess of York to Western Australia, May 18th, 1927 and Fuelling with Shell at Skipper Bailey Ltd, Service Station, St George’s Terrace, Perth and Illustrations Ltd Photo.

The first car in the queue is a Crossley car. Twelve of these cars were imported for use during the Royal Visit especially fitted out. There were six 7-seater tourers, four limousines and two landaus all maroon and decorated with the royal seal on the rear doors. They also had metal seals on the bonnet front.

All the cars were lent to the Australian Government by the Crossley manufacturers in England and, when the tour was completed they were returned to the company’s representatives and sold from the shop floor.

Mr Len Searles, who took the photograph, worked for the Skipper Bailey Ltd, Service Station, St George’s Terrace, Perth.

Many of the items, such as photographs and invitations, are related to projects in Canberra such as the original survey of the city and area (1910), the hammering of the first pegs (1913), the laying of the foundations for the Commencement Column (1913), the laying of the foundation stone for the Capitol (1920) and the building and opening of Parliament House (1927). Some of the photographs in particular show what the area was like before major construction work was undertaken and indicate what life in the early years of Canberra was like.

Many of the newspaper articles and pamphlets show the changing attitudes to Canberra, its development and growth and the changing face of Australian society as a whole.

Amongst other royal paraphernalia, this series also contains an invitation to the opening ceremony of Parliament House.

Cabinet considered a number of matters in connection with the 1927 royal visit and the opening of Parliament. The following records are available on microfilm in all state and territory offices of the National Archives:

It will be remembered that the Government’s first instructions in regard to the general public for the Royal Visit were that arrangements were to be made for 5 000 guests in the stands outside Parliament House and for approximately 100 000 of the general public…

The result of the public advertisements for caterers in the vicinity of Parliament House was very disappointing ... not a single satisfactory tender was received; one was from a Mr E P May of Nature’s Own Production Company who talked about light lunches for 20 000 people with special emphasis on things known as Crispets and Crackerjack Popcorn and so forth… it was quite clear he had no conception of what was required for providing 20 000 lunches…

It was left to negotiate with Messrs Sargeants Ltd… they undertook after a lot of negotiation to cater provided we guaranteed them to the extent of 5 000 lunches. Unfortunately 5 000 lunches were not sold owing to the smallness of the crowd and the fact that the bulk of the crowd apparently brought their own meal, with the result that we shall have to stand up to the guarantee, the amount of which is the subject of negotiation at the moment. It may be mentioned here that several tons of food such as meat pies etc had to be buried by the Company as useless for return to Sydney or local disposal…

This item is a photograph taken from inside the House of Representatives at the opening of the first Parliament in Canberra.

On behalf of Government and people of Australia most loyally and respectfully request Your Majesty to permit Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York to visit Australia on the occasion of the official opening of Canberra in May 1927, and to perform the opening ceremony.

In making this request we recall with pleasure and pride Your Majesty’s own visit in 1901 when you graciously consented to open the first Federal Parliament.

We would regard it as singularly appropriate if your son were permitted to represent you at the establishment of the Federal Capital which marks another important phase in the development of this great British Commonwealth and is regarded by our people as an event of deep national significance and importance. We feel that the presence of His Royal Highness on such an occasion would evoke the strongest possible expressions of loyalty and enthusiasm and further strengthen the bonds which unite us to the Mother Country and to your Royal House.

The king consented to the visit on 16 July. However the practical arrangements associated with the tour proved bothersome. The Duke and Duchess wished to visit both Australia and New Zealand but problems arose over the scheduling of the respective visits. A suggestion that the Duke and Duchess visit New Zealand prior to coming to Australia prompted the following telegram from the Governor-General to RG Casey in London (dated 4 August):

If HRH coming of own volition visit Dominions in Pacific, Australia, as Senior Dominion would resent bitterly if New Zealand visited before Australia. With additional factor introduced that HRH coming at invitation of Australia to perform historic ceremony, if New Zealand visited first that feeling even more intense. Trend public sentiment not matter for argument but a fact...Considerable feeling exists between New South Wales and New Zealand and this factor must be taken into account.

The Australian Government, however, eventually conceded that it was more practical for the tour of New Zealand to be conducted prior to the Duke and Duchess’ arrival in Australia. It was finally decided that the royal couple should visit Wellington, New Zealand and also Perth, Adelaide, Hobart Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Their tour would culminate in Canberra after which they would return to England via the Panama Canal.

Another factor influencing the organisation of the tour was the Duchess of York who had only recently given birth to Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen on 21 April 1926. In a telegram dated 29 July 1926, the Governor-General was informed, ‘The main consideration dominating the situation is the King’s anxiety that the Duchess’ health should not be tried too severely either during the visit itself or by the return journey’.

A Cabinet committee was appointed on 7 May 1926 to prepare for both the opening of Parliament House and the royal visit. Two conferences were held on 21 June and 23 July 1926 to determine the main framework for the opening ceremony and to arrange aspects of the royal visit. This file contains copies of all the decisions made by this committee.

Long Live the Royal pair —
Duke and the Duchess fair,
Come to entwine
White Rose and Wattle Flower,
Emblems of Empire’s power,
Crowning great Canb’rra’s hour.

The organisers of the visit were criticised in the Press for making the opening of Parliament too inaccessible for members of the general public.

Held in the Melbourne office of the National Archives.

Held in the Sydney office of the National Archives.

Volumes 4 and 5 cover 1926–1927, the period of the royal visit of the Duke and Duchess of York.

The plane exploded on impact. Those killed were: Geoffrey Austin Street, Minister for the Army and Minister for Repatriation; James Valentine Fairbairn, Minister for Air and Civil Aviation; Sir Henry Somer Gullett, Vice-president of the Executive Council; General Sir Cyril Brudenell Bingham White, Chief of the General Staff; Lieutenant Colonel Francis Thornthwaite, Staff Officer to General White; Richard Edwin Elford, Private Secretary to Mr Fairbairn; and RAAF crew, Flight Lieutenant Richard Edward Hitchcock, Pilot Officer Richard Frederick Weisner, Corporal John Frederick Palmer and Aircraftman Charles Joseph Crosdale, 1940–1941.

This item is held by the Sydney office of the National Archives.

The accession of King George to the throne coincided with the decision by the Australian government to redesign the national currency. Robert Johnson of London’s Royal Mint wrote to Prime Minister Bruce on 6 January 1937 saying:

Perhaps you might also think it well to remind the Commonwealth authorities that the delay which is necessarily incurred in the preparation of the new King’s head, seems to afford to Australia an opportunity to issue a completely new series of Australian coinage.

The new currency that the Government brought into circulation in 1938 included the distinctive kangaroo design on the penny and half penny.

The Cabinet decided not to send another Victoria Cross winner to London to take Gunner Sullivan’s place in the procession. Reporting on the day of the coronation, the Sydney Morning Herald noted that:

when the Australian contingent was marching in the procession, a blank file was left in the memory of the late Gunner AP Sullivan VC…[56]

Service/Regimental Number: 56133; Place of birth: Prospect, South Australia; Place of enlistment: Port Pirie SA; Next of kin: Father, Arthur Monks Sullivan.

A display of the coronation robes of the King, Queen and two princesses toured Australia in early 1938. The exhibition cost a little over £1 000 (a portion of which was used to engage the services of Mr L B Thomas from the Department of Defence, ‘an expert in packing and folding’) to mount and was displayed in all state capitals and Canberra. It met with great success with 540 000 people coming to view the exhibition from across the country.

The War Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, France was constructed by the Australian Government and the Imperial War Graves Commission to commemorate the 10 866 Australian soldiers who died during World War I on the Western Front.

After years of controversy surrounding its construction, the Memorial was opened by George VI and Queen Elizabeth on 22 July 1938. This visitors’ book, although never used, was signed by the royal couple when they opened the Memorial.

This item is held by the Sydney office of the National Archives.

A letter from the Australian High Commissioner in London, Sir Thomas White, to Menzies dated 13 February 1952, discusses the death of the King. It also mentions the cancellation of the tour of Australia by Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, due to the death of the King and guesses at prospective dates for a new tour.

In this letter Sir Thomas also discusses the impact and ramifications of the death of the King:

For the Lying-in-State… some 70 000 people a day are filing through and even although there has been snow some have stayed at the doors all night to pass by in the early hours… There is no doubt whatever though that above it all is a spirit of elation that in the new Queen they have one who has all the attributes and training and the personality to carry the heavy responsibilities that will face the country. So that with the present political leadership and the second Elizabethan age starting, Britain can face a new and encouraging future.

This item is held by the Sydney office of the National Archives.