Summary

Leather-bound photo album created by George Palmer during his migrant voyage on the RMS Orion to Melbourne with his wife Gertrude and two daughters from England in 1947. The album records the Palmer's voyage, almost day-by-day, including ports, daily activities, shipboard views and final scenes in Melbourne. The album itself, with its Egyptian motifs, was probably purchased by George en route along the Suez for the purpose of containing his photographic travelogue. It provides an important compliment to his journal.

Description of Content

Brown leather photo album with Egyptian design images etched in relief on front and back covers. Tan leather edging around cover. Inside front and back cover have stippled surfaces. Inside spine bound with brown leather strap threaded through two punch holes. 15 single sided stiff black card pages, each with four small sepia photographs attached with four brown paper photo corners. Each page has a title, date and each image a caption, all hand written in white ink. Every page is interleaved with off white (discoloured) tissue paper. The album commences at Tilbury dock, London, 25/2/1947 and progresses through Gibralta, north African coast, Port Said, Suez Canal, Aden, Ceylon (Colombo and Candy), Perth, and concludes in Melbourne at Warburton and Albert Park Lake, 27/3/1947. Images also include deck scenes and activities, and images of George Palmer, his wife Gertie and their daughters, Shirley and Lesley.

Physical Description

Brown leather photo album with Egyptian design images etched in relief on front and back covers. Tan leather edging around cover. Inside front and back cover have stippled surfaces. Inside spine bound with brown leather strap threaded through two punch holes. 15 single sided stiff black card pages, each with four small sepia photographs attached with four brown paper photo corners. Each page has a title, date and each image a caption, all hand written in white ink. Every page is interleaved with off white (discoloured) tissue paper. The album commences at Tilbury dock, London, on the 25 February 1947 and progresses through Gibraltar, north African coast, Port Said, Suez Canal, Aden, Ceylon (Colombo and Candy), Perth, and concludes in Melbourne at Warburton and Albert Park Lake, on 27 March 1947. Images also include deck scenes and activities, and images of George Palmer, his wife Gertie and their daughters, Shirley and Lesley.

Significance

This collection provides an invaluable record of one family's migration experience, from the first seed of desire to leave England, to the securing of employment, application processes, packing, departure, journey and immediate arrival in Melbourne. The journal is particularly rich in terms of its detailed account of daily shipboard life, including the descriptions of cabins, decks, interior spaces, facilities, lighting, food, mail systems, weather, ports, and activities. While not the actual original document, it is an immediate copy, contemporary to its time and reflects the significance of this rite of passage for the thousands of migrants who arrived in Australia during the post-war period. The photo album provides an evocative complimentary visual record of the experience.

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