First Class Saloon passenger Miss Gladys H Wilkinson’s scrapbook of her journey to Cape Town, South Africa departing Southampton on board RMS Dunvegan on Saturday July 7th 1900 and her subsequent 18 months spent in Grahamstown (now Makhanda), a staunchly English speaking colonial stronghold.
Seemingly a solo female traveller, Miss Wilkinson made the journey to join and support The Guild of Loyal Women, Grahamstown Branch, a pro-British voluntary organisation founded in early 1900 during the Second Boer War involved in supporting soldiers, providing education and child welfare.
The scrapbook offers an unfiltered interpretation of the intense nationalism of the time and a glimpse into the personal life, networks and social circles of its creator during this heated time. Included within its leaves are:
1. RMS DunvegaN Castle, Union Castle Line ephemera : a hand painted title page incorporating a pasted in image of the ship and details relating to the journey and bell times; a printed passenger list of c100 named First Saloon Passengers including Miss Wilkinson, the soprano Miss Virginie Cheron, Madame Belle Cole the contralto and many nursing sisters and doctors; a colour fold out map in excellent condition titled ‘Royal Mail Service Castle Line Map of South Africa’; autograph signatures of fellow passengers; a paper cutting and a hand drawn map produced following an on board lecture by fellow passenger African explorer Dr Carl Peters; 9 x on board entertainment programmes; b/w photographs of a dockside scene, a woman and child and a man with horses.
2. Grahamstown ephemera: c20 programmes for organ recitals, fancy dress balls, concerts and thanksgiving services in Grahamstown Town Hall, Cathedral Church, Albany Hall; a single photo and a b/w panorama made up of 2 photographs showing the ‘Welcome Home’ celebrations in Grahamstown town square; a morning market price list for fruit and veg dated March 12th [1900]; 10 b/w scenic landscape photographs stamped ‘Trem C Sole Photographic Artist’; Order of Service from Cathedral Church of St Michael on the day of the funeral of Queen Victoria; paper cuttings declaring Martial Law notices dated Jan 1901 for the districts of Albany and Bathurst; a street pass and night permit issued to Miss Wilkinson dated May and Oct 1901; c 30 contemporary paper cuttings relating to the ‘Boer Invasion’; photographs of actors, their signatures and a list of characters for a performance of The Prisoner of Zelda - Miss Wilkinson may feature in these images.
3. Guild of Loyal Women, South Africa ephemera: a banquet invitation to Miss W to celebrate the return from war of Marshall’s Horse Regiment; invitation to a Public Breakfast on 25th Dec 1900 in Steinmann’s Hotel to celebrate General Baden Powell; The Constitution of the Guild of the Loyal Women of South Africa including list of members and rules; various paper clippings relating to the activities of the Guild.
4. General LARGER paper cuttings: ‘Return of Marshall’s Horse’ Groot Penny Mail December 27 1900; ‘Hero of Mafeking Visits Grahamstowm to celebrate Baden Powell’s Visit’ Groots Penny Mail December 28 1900; ‘Baden Powell in Grahamstown’ Groots Penny Mail Dec 28 1900.
5. General: Vonderau’s Mail and Passenger Carts luggage labels for journey’s to and from Grahamstown to Fort Beaufort in Miss Wilkinson’s name dated Jan ‘01; paperwork for journey from Port Elizabeth to Durban aboard SS Pembroke dated July ‘01 including medical examination card, luggage examination certificate, intelligence department paperwork; b/w photographs of Durban West St, scenery and graves of the Manchester Regiment killed on Caeser’s Hill; return paperwork to England from the embarking officer dated 5th December 1901 for travel as a 1st class indulgence passenger aboard the Britannic.; programme for entertainment on board the White Star Line Britannic and A Christmas Day on board menu dated Dec 12th 1901; c20 additional photographs laid in depicting individuals and everyday scenes ‘Gathering Oranges’ and ‘ Ox wagon Train’; several sketches and drawings most probably by Miss Wilkinson.
PHYSICAL CONDITION : A sturdy half black over brown roan landscape album measuring 37 cm x 26 cm. The front board is detached and spine panel not really present - remnants sit within leaves) Album block is sound; several of the previously taped in pieces of ephemera now sit loose within the 50 leaves.
