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Auction: 24025 - Historical Documents Featuring the Major David Cecil Underwood Jr Collection of Royal Visits to India 1876-1906
Lot: 318

Southern Africa
1947 Royal Visit to South Africa
A superb archive of detailed correspondence generated by the railways General Manager and his assistants in relation to this Royal Visit comprising unmatched detail. Highlights include numerous maps and plans for station changes and improvements, meticulous detail given of each carriage, revealing the remarkable luxury of the royal carriages, The King's featured a telephone shower, electrically heated bath mirror, loud speaker, figured English walnut, silk curtains and individual rooms with bathrooms for both his Equerry and his Doctor. Complete inventories of all portable items in each carriage are listed out. Additionally correspondence prior to purchase and eventual listings of interesting items such as flags and gramophone records with a complete list of works to be stocked on the train. Additionally a comprehensive list of rockets and plan for the firework display to be held for Princess Elizabeth's 21st birthday comprising 82 different rockets. Various progress reports and staff issues are also included with telegrams bearing train station hand stamps and numerous printed Special Instruction pamphlets.
A remarkable archive offering a significant amount of insight and remarkable scope for further research.

Notes: The collection has been put together and sorted by Collected by Albert William Smith (1905 - 1973), born in Vryburg, South Africa and later settled in Parkhust, Johannesburg, South Africa. He was a clerk who became the manager of associated railway properties, specifically of the sports fields such as bowling greens and soccer fields.

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Estimate
£1,500 to £2,000

Starting price
£1000