The owner of the 'Autograph' book was Mary Alys (Gipps) Kirkland, the daughter of Richard Brook Woodthorpe Gipps (c.1872-1946). The family had migrated from Great Britain to Coorparoo, Brisbane, where most of the items in the album were created. In June 1925, The [Brisbane] Telegraph reported the wedding of Richard Gipps to Mary Alys Kirkland at Elvaston, The Righi, South Yarra. The bride, like the groom, was originally from Queensland, but at the time of her marriage lived with her parents at 21 The Righi. The album passed to their daughter Rosemary Alison (Gipps) Vaughan-Smith, and thence by donation to the collection of the Kew Historical Society. While the signatures are interesting, they are not rare. Rather it is the illustrations that dazzle with the surety of their design and execution. In the portraits, one can recognise the debt that Edwardian art and design owed to the Pre-Raphaelites whose serene and poised idealisations of women are exemplified in the drawings, albeit simplified for a new 20th century sensibility. Typical, is a very early portrait from 1906 of Mary Alys Kirkland by a 20-year-old Garnet Agnew (1886-1951). Agnew later became an illustrator for The Brisbane Courier and The Queenslander Illustrated Weekly, creating cover illustrations for these publications between 1926 and 1930. Another pen and ink portrait of Mary Alys Kirkland was created in 1910 by Augusta Frances Isabel Hobday (1884-1961). Augusta, with her brother and sister, Percy Stanhope Hobday and Gladys Hobday, were artists and teachers. Each was involved for many years in the Queensland Art Society. While the album has historic, aesthetic and social significance to Brisbane’s history, as a document, its preoccupations have a wider Australian relevance and importance. Compiled between 1905 and 1922, the 'Autograph' book has considerable aesthetic coherence, even though drawings and text are by different hands. Together, it provides a vivid depiction of social life and values in Brisbane in the period preceding the First World War. Like other autograph albums of the period, it is a compilation of pen and ink sketches, watercolours, quotations, poems, aphorisms and signatures. Most entries are from Queensland, particularly Coorparoo in Brisbane; friends and acquaintances from other Australian States also contributed items. The autograph album predictably contains numerous mementoes of the notable and the forgotten. It includes the signatures of the British contralto Dame Clara Butt (1872-1936) her husband, the baritone R. H. Kennerley Rumford (1870-1957), and that of the Australian actress and singer Nellie Stewart (1858-1931). autograph albums, manuscripts - kew historical society, rosemary vaughan-smith, vaughan-smith collection, dame clara butt, garnet andrew, augusta frances isabel hobday, coorparoo - brisbane, nellie stewart, mary alys kirkland, mary alys gipps (nee kirkland)

Iron-framed Thurmer upright piano with dark wooden panels. Two marks where candlesticks or other objects may have been attached can be seen on the front panel. Decorative carving on sides. 2 pedals.Thurmer; Sole Agents Allan & co. Pty Ltd Melbourne, on front. Paper sticker inside top lid - 'Ferd. Thurmer'.musical instruments, keyboard, thurmer, piano, augusta borrack (ziebell), leo borrack, allan & co.

ill, maps, p.248.non-fictionReminiscence of railway people working on the Commonwealth Railway from Port Augusta to Kalgoolie and Alice Springs. transcontinental railway - australia - history, australian folklore. special subjects: railway services. personal observations. collections.

ill. p.138.non-fictionA history of the building of the transcontinental railway from Port Augusta in South Australia to Kalgoolie in Western Australia in 1917.railroad construction - australia - history, transcontinental railway - australia - history

ill, maps, p.17.non-fictionA brochure possibly from 1968 promoting the Trans-Australian railway from Port Augusta to Kalgoolie, both freight and passenger.transcontinental railway - australia - history, railroad passenger trains - australia

ill, maps, p.32.non-fictionA brochure seemingly pre 1962 promoting the Trans-Australian railway from Port Augusta to Kalgoolie, both freight and passenger.transcontinental railway - australia - history, railroad passenger trains - australia

ill, maps, p.22.non-fictionA brochure promoting the first 50 years of the Trans-Australian railway from Port Augusta to Kalgoolie in 1967.transcontinental railway - australia - history, railroad passenger trains - australia

ill, p.29.non-fictionA souvenir issue of a magazine to commemorate the completion and opening of the East-West (Port Augusta - Kalgoorlie) section of the Commonwealth Railways in 1917.transcontinental railway - australia - history, commonwealth railways (australia) -- history.

ill, maps, p.52.non-fictionA history of the preserved Pichi Richi Railway built on part of the former Commonwealth Railways 3'6" railway from Port Augusta to Alice Springs in South Australia.railroad construction - south australia - history, commonwealth railways (australia) -- history.

ill, maps, p.56.non-fictionA history of the 3'6" railway from Peterborough South Australia to Quorn to meet the Commonwealth Railway from Port Augusta to Alice Springs.railroad construction - south australia - history, commonwealth railways (australia) -- history.

ill, maps, p.64.non-fictionA brief history of the 3'6" Commonwealth Railway from Port Augusta South Australia to Quorn & on to Alice Springs, & the junction with the S.A.R. from Quorn to Peterborough.railroad construction - south australia - history, commonwealth railways (australia) -- history.

ill, maps, p.16.non-fictionA Commonwealth Railways brochure promoting the railway service from Port Augusta to Alice Springs on the Central Australian railway and to Darwin via road and the Northern Australian Railway.commonwealth railways (australia) -- history., railroad operations - australia - history

ill, p.32.non-fictionA history of the preserved Pichi Richi Railway from Quorn built on part of the former Commonwealth Railways 3'6" railway from Port Augusta to Alice Springs.railroad construction - south australia - history, commonwealth railways (australia) -- history.

ill, p.32.non-fictionA commemorative booklet for the opening of the preserved 3'6" Pichi Richi Railway out of Quorn South Australia on the old Commonwealth Railways line from Port Augusta to Alice Springs 20th July 1974.railroad construction - south australia - history, commonwealth railways (australia) -- history.

ill, p.18.non-fictionA booklet on the 40th anniversary commemoration of the Grand South Aussie Rail Tours from Adelaide to Victor Harbor, Quorn, Port Augusta, Peterborough, Port Pirie, Moonta, Wallaroo and back to Adelaide in 1962. Commemorated 3-9th October 2002.railway tours - south australia, tourist railways and museums - australia

index, ill, maps, p.260.non-fictionThe story of the construction of the legendary railway known as the Ghan, which runs from Port Augusta to Alice Springs and was completed in 1929.railroads -- alice springs, northern territory -- history., ghan (train) -- history.

index, ill, maps, p.280.A history of the building of the Transcontinental railway from Port Augusta to Kalgoorlie, the first great work of Australia's federation.railway construction - australia, trans-australian railway - history