Item 04: Memoirs of a Colonial Boy by Robert Joseph Stewart, ca. 1971 - Page 23
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[Page 23]
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going off to this function in a low cut sleeveless evening dress I thought she looked so undressed, and more ready for a bath than a ball.
As Canberra had not yet arisen, the new Federal Parliament was temporarily accomodated in the House of the Victorian State Parliament in Spring St, Melbourne, a fine edifice, of brown sandstone, in Late Rennaissance style.
In Sydney a number of arches, built of materials indicative of the State's products (coal, wool, cereals, etc.) Elizabeth and Oxford Streets : the Coal Arch, down near the Quay collapsed and had to be rebuilt in a hurry, before the first of the celebrative processions was due to pass along this route.
In 1901 the Duke of Cornwall and York and his Duchess (later King George V and Queen Mary) voyaged to Australia to officially open the first parliament on the 17th May. Plans for this royal visit were in an advanced stage when Queen Victoria died, but the only big change was, that because the Court was in mourning, there were to be no State Dinners or Banquets; which, in fact, relieved the Duke and Duchess of much added strain.
The liner "Ophir" of 7,000 tons (then considered a big ship) had some of its accomodation [accommodation] remodelled and luxuriously furnished, for the Royal Entourage, and plainer quarters were provided for their humbler staff and the detatchments of Horse Guards and Foot Guards,and their military bands, being specially brought out to enhance the pagentary of the functions and processions. The "Ophir" still had sail yards on her masts, and I often saw her in after years, when she berthed at Circular Quay on her regular mail and passenger run. Royal Mail Steamers were at least 14 "knotters" in those days, and the time of transmitting mails between London and Sydney was 30 to 35 days; much time being saved by putting the mails on, or off, the Continental Railways at Naples, which was then a regular port of call for P & O and Orient Line ships.
The Royal Couple were enthusiastically acclaimed as they passed in procession, in an open carriage, along the densely