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Municipality of Katoomba, Blue Mountains, N.S.W. Presented To H.R.H. The Duke of Gloucester On the Occasion of His Visit to Katoomba, 27th November, 1934. 'H. Phillips Photographer'. Photograph album once belonging to H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester, son of King George V and Queen Mary, and brother to Edward, later King Edward VIII and George, later King George VI. The album also came with a New South Wales guidebook inscribed "To H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, 23rd June 1920", presumably given to Prince Edward during his 1920 visit to Australia. The photo album was presented to the Duke by Mayor William Freelander on behalf of the Council and Municipality of Katoomba during his visit there as part of his 1934 tour of Australia & New Zealand. The Duke went to Australia to take part in celebrations for the centenary of the establishment of Victoria. He also unveiled and dedicated Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance and the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park, Sydney. He remained in Australia from 4 October to 11 December 1934. He later served as Governor-General of Australia from 1945 to 1947. The album contains 25 tissue guarded views of Katoomba and Leura with locations hand-written beneath each image (most images shown). The images are monochrome except for a couple of hand-coloured examples. Ten of the images have a very fine hexagonal patterned surface. 'H. Phillips Photographer' written inside rear cover. Three of the photographs are of the "Prince Henry Cliff Walk", named in honour of the Duke and opened during his visit. Other views include "Echo Point", the junction of the Leura & Katoomba sections of the "Prince Henry Cliff Walk". 'Echo Point entrance to Leura "Prince Henry Cliff Walk". "Prince Henry Cliff Walk" Katoomba. Three Sisters of Jamieson Valley, Katoomba. Katoomba Cascades. Wollumai Lookout. Echo Point. Rustic Arch and Shelter Shed. Floodlit Leura Cascades. Bell Rock Bridal Veil Fall P.H.C.W, Leura. Winnie's Grotto. Burra Burra Lookout. Milla Murra & Jalla Walla Lookouts. Lady Carrington Lookout. Spooners Cave. Tourists inspect Orphan Rock during construction of stairway. Black cloth covered boards with embossed gold lettering to front. 3 x 25 x 35 cm. String bound with 25 tissue guarded photographs. Binding sound and all photographs in excellent condition. Front cover a little dusty with a few indentations. Creasing to half a dozen tissue guards and small loss to edge of 2 or 3 more. Small repair top edge of dedication page and Town Clerk's signature almost invisible.Harry Phillips, was born in Ballarat, Victoria in 1873 and moved to Katoomba in 1908 with his wife and only child, Isabel. His first shop was situated in Katoomba Street before moving to larger premises at 179 Katoomba Street. Later adding another shop in Main Street, Katoomba. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900 ? 1974), was the third son and fourth child of King George V and Queen Mary. He was born on the Sandringham Estate during the reign of his great-grandmother Queen Victoria. On 6 May 1910, Prince George ascended the throne as George V, and Henry became the third in line to the throne. In 1934, he went to Australia and New Zealand. Because the Duke was shy, he sometimes appeared stiff and formal, but he and the Duchess travelled widely in Australia using his own plane during their time in office. The people received him with overwhelming enthusiasm. In late 1944 the Duke was unexpectedly appointed Governor-General of Australia after the death in 1942 of his younger brother, the Duke of Kent, who had previously been offered the position. When Prime Minister Curtin died in 1945, the Duke appointed Frank Forde as prime minister. Gloucester left Australia in March 1947, after two years in the post, due to the need to act as Senior Counsellor of State during a visit by George VI and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret to South Africa. More images available upon request.
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