Historical information

This photograph depicts the visit of Sir Rohan Delacombe and Lady Delacombe (on right) to Beechworth in 1965. Also present are Shire Secretary Graham Gray and Mrs Gray (left), and Shire President J McCauley and Mrs McCauley, centre.

His Excellency Sir Rohan Delacombe (1906–1991) was appointed Governor of Victoria on 8 May 1963 and served until 1974, when he was replaced by the first Australian-born governor, Sir Henry Winneke.

Born on 25 October 1906 at St Julians, Malta, Sir Rohan was the second child and only son of Addis Delacombe, a British army pay officer, and his wife Emma Louise Mary, née Leland. The Delacombe family seat was Shrewton Manor, near Salisbury, Wiltshire, and several generations of Delacombes had served in the armed forces.

Sir Rohan took up his role in Australia following long and distinguished military and diplomatic career. He is reported to have taken great interest in local events and politics, and at the time this image was taken, he and Lady Delacombe made several appearances as guests of local government representatives at centres around Victoria.

Significance

This photograph is historically significant for its record of the visit of Sir Rohan and Lady Delacombe at Beechworth in 1965. It may be compared and studied alongside other photographs and objects in the Burke Museum.

Physical description

A black and white rectangular reproduction photograph printed on paper.

Inscriptions & markings

Reverse:
A02556-2 /