Autograph album containing signatures, sketches, inscriptions, quotes, and poems from the period 1911 to 1940.
The album includes autographs from some of the passengers aboard the RMS 'Ruahine' which left Wellington on 6 April 1911 for England. Among the passengers were the Second Saloon passengers Sydney Lough Thompson and his new bride, Maude Ethel Cole. There is a pencil sketch by S L Thompson dated 8 May 1911 on the third leaf of the volume. There are also sketches and autographs created aboard the RMS 'Remuera' which departed from London on 29 September 1911 bound for New Zealand.
Some of the other autographs in the album include:
- Charles Kingsford Smith, pilot of the 'Southern Cross' Trans-Tasman flight from Australia to New Zealand in 1933.
- Jack Percival, passenger on the 'Southern Cross', was an aeronautical correspondent for the 'Sun Herald' newspaper.
- Jean Gardner Batten, 1934, New Zealand pioneering aviator.
- Richard E Byrd, leader of Antarctic expeditions.
- Captain Gustav L Brown, captain of the steamer 'Eleanor Bolling' on Byrd's expedition to Antarctica.
- Ian Donnelly, "at the 'Sun' office for the last time. Christchurch 29-VI-35", New Zealand journalist and editor.
- Sir Francis Charles Chichester, aviator and sailor.
- William James Arnold Brittenden, 1910-1986, Christchurch teacher, historian, writer and city councillor.
- Colonel Robert Logan, administrator of Samoa.
- G J Lancaster, headmaster of Christchurch Boys High School, 1929.
- Reverend Melville Harcourt Wybert, September 1938, Church of England, chaplain in World War Two.
- Players at the New Zealand Tennis championship of 1929 and 1930, including D G France, C Angas, E L Bartleet, C J Donohoe, C Sproule, and F Kalms.
Illustrations and sketches include the following captions:
- "How we passed the Horn! S.S. Ruahine 8 May 1911 H J Babbage", ink sketch.
- "S. L. Thompson 'Ruahine' 8/5/11", portrait in pencil.
- "'Londoners' B Pfundt May 7, 1911. S.S. Ruahine", ink sketch of couple in formal costume dress.
- "Eventful Careers. Greg's idea of the Public School Boy", ink sketch of gentleman with cigar.
- "A Lesson on Womens Rights. Riotous lives can never know the Pleasures of Temperance", ink drawing.
- "Rio de Janeiro R.M.S. 'Ruahine', D S. May 5, 1911", watercolour sketch of subject carrying flat basket on head, with streetscape in background.
- "Philip Wahl. del. R.M.S. Ruahine 7. iv. 11", pencil portrait by Philip Wahl of Cambridge, New Zealand.
- "Remuera" ink and pencil ship portrait framed in ring buoy with title inscribed, by G E Startup, dated 9 November 1911.
- "The Galloping Major", pencil sketch by C James.
- "Marconi Station, Siasconset, Mass., USA. Situated in Lat 41" 16' N Long 69" 58' W. Communicates with ships at sea call letters MSC. Geo F K Ball. 9th Nov. 1911." Ink sketch showing masts and transmission station, and Morse code alphabet and numbers.
