The lifebuoy postcard frame was given to Ethel Ruby Nobelius to commemorate her nineteenth birthday on board the S.S. Mongolia during a trip to Ceylon with her parents, Carl and Emily Nobelius. Ethel Ruby Nobelius was born on 27 October 1887 in Emerald and died on 2 August 1965 in Mildura at the age of 77. She was the Nobelius family's second oldest daughter. In total there were eleven children, including three girls, though three sons died in infancy. Ruby's father, Carl Axel Nobelius, was born in Finland in 1851 to a Swedish horticulturalist family and emigrated to Melbourne from Sweden in 1871. He worked at nurseries in Toorak and South Yarra before purchasing sixty-three acres of land in the new settlement of Emerald where he grew plant stock including fruit and ornamental trees which were sold to Australian and international clients for public parks, municipal landscaping projects and private gardens. These included the Fitzroy Gardens and Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne and buyers in Europe, the Americas, Asia and New Zealand. Nobelius sourced plants from many countries, and in some instances was the first nurseryman in Australia to do so. Locally, Gembrook Nurseries were an important industry and major employer in Emerald and the surrounding area and had a profound influence on the development of the township, including in the development of infrastructure such as the narrow-gauge railway used to transport stock to the main line in Ferntree Gully, which is now known as the Puffing Billy railway. It is not known where the lifebuoy postcard frame was made. It appears to be official merchandise for the ship S.S. Mongolia, operated as part of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company ("P&O"). P&O were one of the first passenger voyage companies, incorporating in 1840 by Royal Charter and beginning passenger services in 1844. P&O were successful initially because they obtained contracts to carry official mail, which is indicated on the designation 'R.M.S.' or Royal Mail Ship on the lifebuoy. The line was originally formed to operate between England, Spain and Portugal; the colours of the Portuguese and Spanish flags were used to form the P&O company or house flag which can be seen on the item. Services to and from Australia directly did not begin until 1932, indicating that the Nobelius family may have travelled to board the ship at an international port prior to their journey to Ceylon. On the 23rd of June, 1917, the S.S. Mongolia struck a mine laid by a German ship entitled 'Wolf', eighty kilometres from the port of Bombay, India, en route to Australia. Twenty-one people died in the initial explosion or from wounds sustained in the blast and two crew members drowned during the evacuation, but more than 450 people were successfully evacuated in the thirteen minutes it took the ship to sink.The item is significant as it provides evidence of a trip to Ceylon made by Carl Axel Nobelius in 1906 which may have influenced stock available in the Gembrook nurseries, commonly known as the Nobelius nurseries. The Nobelius nurseries exported stock to many parks and municipalities and private buyers throughout the world in the early 20th Century so an international trip made by the proprietor potentially influenced the distribution of plant species during this period. In addition, the item commemorates the ship S.S. Mongolia which was sunk by Germany in 1917, during World War 1.The item is a wooden photo frame in the shape of a lifebuoy with attached cord. It is painted a cream colour, with decoration featuring two flags and the names of the ship and shipping line, one in each of four sections around the edges. On the item's left is a version of the Australian flag without the Federation Star or Southern Cross elements. On the item's right is the white, blue, red and yellow company flag of the P&O shipping line. Both flags are paired with an additional anchor design element. The top section contains the initials P.&O. R.M.S. and the lower section the word Mongolia. The frame contains a black and white postcard depicting the S.S. Mongolia.Obverse: P.&O. R.M.S. / S S ong ." P O / MONGOLIA Reverse: THE BOAT Ruby Carl & Emily / Travelled to Ceylon / 1906 / Given to Ruby / on her 19th birthday / 24/10/06 /1906, p&o, peninsular and oriental steam navigation company, carl axel nobelius, ruby nobelius, ethel ruby nobelius, gembrook nurseries, nobelius nurseries, lifebuoy, memorabilia, souvenir, ship, ceylon, s.s. mongolia, royal mail ship, world war 1, ww1, first world war

In 1892 Carl moved his family and eight surviving children Hilda, Oscar, Percy, Archie, Ruby, Rupert, Clifford, and Stella to a house which he had built at Emerald. Their sons Oscar and Archie were keen cricketers and the local paper recorded a match between their Narre Warren team and a team from Clyde. Both were gifted bowlers.This record holds historic significance as it captures the history of agriculture in Emerald's history. It also captures the house of Archie Nobelius who was the son of Carl and Emily Nobelius. There is also strong research potential due to the presumed time period the photograph was taken and the home and nursery pictured.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper. This black and white photograph depicts Emerald Nursery located near the Recreation Reserve, showing the ornamental section planted at the time of the photograph being taken. In the background, we see the home of Archie Nobelius, which was recently erected at the time of the photograph been taken.Obverse: Home of / Arch Nobelius / Emerald Recreation / Reserve / ORNAMENTAL SECTION, SHOWING RECENTLY ERECTED BUSH HOUSE 75 /archie nobelius, nobelius family, nobelius nursery, nobelius, emerald, victoria, australia, emerald nursery