The Queen's Album
The Queen’s Album explores the unique story of an album of photographs gifted to Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle in 1882 on behalf of the people of NSW. In 2018, this photograph album was identified as the original prototype of an album presented to Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle in 1882. On Friday 17 December 1880, the Sydney Morning Herald announced that a large album of photographs had been produced by the Government of NSW to be presented to Her Majesty the Queen on behalf of the people of the colony. Described as a ‘marvel of sumptuous binding’ in purple velvet, the cover was decorated with the royal monogram in richly chased silver, and its corners were protected by elaborate silver scroll work. Containing 56 ‘unusually large’ photographs depicting the choicest scenes of ‘city, harbour, mountain, river, and spreading plain’, it was created to give Her Majesty ‘a favourable idea of one of the greatest of her Colonial dependencies’. Despite the hype and excitement surrounding its production, the Queen’s Album would not leave the colony for at least another year. In December 1881 the NSW Government Printer Thomas Richards finally received instructions to forward the album to the NSW Agent General Saul Samuel in London. The album – now with a ruby red velvet cover and eight additional photographs – was presented to Queen Victoria on 27 February 1882. The Queen recorded the event in her diary, noting that the album, ‘a present from the Colony, is very pretty’. Unfortunately, the current whereabouts of this album is unknown.
The Queen’s Album explores the unique story of an album of photographs gifted to Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle in 1882 on behalf of the people of NSW.
In 2018, this photograph album was identified as the original prototype of an album presented to Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle in 1882. On Friday 17 December 1880, the Sydney Morning Herald announced that a large album of photographs had been produced by the Government of NSW to be presented to Her Majesty the Queen on behalf of the people of the colony.
Described as a ‘marvel of sumptuous binding’ in purple velvet, the cover was decorated with the royal monogram in richly chased silver, and its corners were protected by elaborate silver scroll work. Containing 56 ‘unusually large’ photographs depicting the choicest scenes of ‘city, harbour, mountain, river, and spreading plain’, it was created to give Her Majesty ‘a favourable idea of one of the greatest of her Colonial dependencies’.
Despite the hype and excitement surrounding its production, the Queen’s Album would not leave the colony for at least another year. In December 1881 the NSW Government Printer Thomas Richards finally received instructions to forward the album to the NSW Agent General Saul Samuel in London.
The album – now with a ruby red velvet cover and eight additional photographs – was presented to Queen Victoria on 27 February 1882. The Queen recorded the event in her diary, noting that the album, ‘a present from the Colony, is very pretty’.
Unfortunately, the current whereabouts of this album is unknown.
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consist of panels and rich marginal borders,<br />
the fillets, mouldings, and panels being all<br />
of different kinds of fancy woods of a yellow<br />
and brownish hue, the principal mouldings<br />
set cross-grained, and the colours beautifully<br />
contrasted … <strong>The</strong> front and lid of the case are<br />
made to lift together; the album rests on a<br />
sliding shelf which can be manipulated with<br />
ease; the inside of the case is padded and lined<br />
with puce satin; and the case is provided with<br />
a handsome silver key. <strong>The</strong> general effect is<br />
strikingly rich—everything about the case<br />
and its contents being perfectly artistic<br />
and harmonious.<br />
In mid-December 1880, newspapers began<br />
reporting that the NSW Government was planning<br />
to send a ‘beautiful album … in an equally beautiful<br />
case’ to Queen Victoria. Rumours were that the<br />
album would be displayed at the Melbourne<br />
International Exhibition in 1880/81 prior to its<br />
departure overseas. Some Sydney Morning Herald<br />
letter writers suggested that as the album was<br />
to be gifted on behalf of the people of NSW, it<br />
should be available for that state’s constituents<br />
to view first before Melbournians.<br />
Although the album was ready to be dispatched<br />
in February 1881, it did not leave Australia’s shores<br />
until December. <strong>The</strong> delay was caused by the<br />
decision to add eight new photographs. <strong>The</strong>se<br />
depicted the Royal Navy’s sham fight held near<br />
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair on 12 April 1881 and the<br />
arrival of its Detached Squadron on 6 July 1881<br />
with Queen Victoria’s grandsons, Prince George<br />
and Prince Albert, on board. <strong>The</strong> initial album of<br />
56 photographs was discarded and a new album<br />
of 64 photographs—incorporating the naval activity<br />
scenes—duly fabricated. It was this second, larger<br />
album that was shipped out to Britain on the Cuzco.<br />
On 27 February 1882 the Agent General of NSW,<br />
Saul Samuel, presented the album to Queen Victoria.<br />
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