Items commemorating the first England-Australia aerial flight [PRG 1701/3/1-2] • Mixed material
First England to Australia aerial flight commemorative hand fan.
Cardboard hand fan with a wooden handle produced by John Martin & Co. Ltd., Adelaide to commemorate the first aerial flight from England to Australia in 1919. The front of the fan includes two black and white portraits of Captain Ross Smith and Lieutenant Keith Smith wearing Air Force uniform, and an illustration depicting a map and the route taken by the crew. At the top is written 'Aerial Flight, England to AUstralia, 1919', and lists the crew members underneath: 'Capt. Ross SMith, M.C., D.F.C., Lieut. Keith Smith, Sergt. J.M. Bennett, Sergt. W.H. Shiers. At the bottom of the fan are listed the stopping points made by the crew during the flight from London, across Europe, Africa and Asia, to Darwin. On the back of the fan is advertising for John Martin & Co. Ltd. with the text 'Busy! Busy! Busy!' and black and white illustrations of the department store on Rundle Street, Adelaide, with the slogan 'The BIG store "where your money goes farthest"'.
First England to Australia aerial flight commemorative hand fan.
Cardboard hand fan with a wooden handle produced by John Martin & Co. Ltd., Adelaide to commemorate the first aerial flight from England to Australia in 1919. The front of the fan includes two black and white portraits of Captain Ross Smith and Lieutenant Keith Smith wearing Air Force uniform, and an illustration depicting a map and the route taken by the crew. At the top is written 'Aerial Flight, England to AUstralia, 1919', and lists the crew members underneath: 'Capt. Ross SMith, M.C., D.F.C., Lieut. Keith Smith, Sergt. J.M. Bennett, Sergt. W.H. Shiers. At the bottom of the fan are listed the stopping points made by the crew during the flight from London, across Europe, Africa and Asia, to Darwin. On the back of the fan is advertising for John Martin & Co. Ltd. with the text 'Busy! Busy! Busy!' and black and white illustrations of the department store on Rundle Street, Adelaide, with the slogan 'The BIG store "where your money goes farthest"'.
'The Sleeping Beauty' programme.
Programme for a gala performance of the pantomime 'The Sleeping Beauty', written by Frank Dix, presented by J.C. Williamson Ltd. in honour of Sir Ross Smith and crew at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, on 25 February 1920. Signed in pen across the top 'Wednesday 25th Feb. 1920, W.H. Shiers' (Walter Henry Shiers, mechanic on the Vickers Vimy crew). On the back of the programme is a black and white photograph of the Vickers Vimy aircraft, with caption: 'The Vickers-Vimy machine in which the great flight from England to Australia was accomplished', and portraits of Capt. Sir Ross M. Smith, K.B.E., M.C., D.F.C., A.F.C., and Lieut. Sir Keith Smith K.B.E., in Air Force uniforms.
'The Sleeping Beauty' programme.
Programme for a gala performance of the pantomime 'The Sleeping Beauty', written by Frank Dix, presented by J.C. Williamson Ltd. in honour of Sir Ross Smith and crew at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, on 25 February 1920. Signed in pen across the top 'Wednesday 25th Feb. 1920, W.H. Shiers' (Walter Henry Shiers, mechanic on the Vickers Vimy crew). On the back of the programme is a black and white photograph of the Vickers Vimy aircraft, with caption: 'The Vickers-Vimy machine in which the great flight from England to Australia was accomplished', and portraits of Capt. Sir Ross M. Smith, K.B.E., M.C., D.F.C., A.F.C., and Lieut. Sir Keith Smith K.B.E., in Air Force uniforms.