Creator unknown :Photograph album of family, friends, ships, aircraft, and views of Taranaki and Wellington

Album compiled by a New Zealander who appears to have lived in New Plymouth, and who may have served on HMS Diomede, and HMS Cumberland.

A large part of the album is taken up with photographs of family, friends, weddings, and household pets. Many of these have some identification. A group of photographs at the beginning show a crowd on an Auckland wharf farewelling HMS Diomede, 2 October 1929, and there is one photograph of spray breaking over the bow of the ship. There is little evidence that the creator of the album served on HMS Cumberland, but he had a sailor friend, Tom, who probably did. There are two portraits of Tom, with and without a beard, and a caption for a missing photograph "HMS Cumberland, China, 1930, Leslie and Tom." may also refer to him. This may have been the source of the three photographs taken in China, one showing a dead man lying in a street.

What the creator of the album was interested in were aircraft. These include - The `Faith in Australia' flown by Charles Ulm at Whanganui Airport. The creator getting into a New Plymouth Aeroclub aircraft, 1930. Aircraft at an air pagent. Kingsford Smith's `Southern Cross,' 1932. The creator in the cockpit of another aircraft, 1932.

Ships depicted include - `HMS Dunedin' at New Plymouth, 22 February 1929. `Rotorua.' `SS Susex.' `HMS Laburnum,' `Rangatiki.' Ferry at Days Bay, Lower Hutt. A German sailing ship at New Plymouth Harbour, New Year 1939.

Other photographs include - Groups of men on a beach. Men performing gymnastics out of doors. A gathering of English farmers and scenes in Taranaki, 1930. Coronation decorations, New Plymouth, 12 May 1937. Views of Wellington, 1937 and 1938.

Source of title - Title supplied by Library

Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s).

Physical Description: Photograph album

Provenance: Purchased at auction, 2010