THE FEDERATION ROYAL VISIT - 1901: Hosted by Keith Conlon

Today, Adelaide is a twenty-first century cosmopolitan city of more than a million people, but a century ago it was just one tenth of its current size…and decidedly British. And it was deliriously happy to welcome the future King and Queen of the Empire and the newly federated nation, Australia.

After the opening of the first federal parliament in Melbourne in May, the Duke of Cornwall and York and his wife toured the country, and Adelaide was ecstatic at the prospect of their arrival on July 9. There was a tumultuous show of loyalty as they sat through a serpentine procession through the city. It was the beginning of a busy week of events that would have the British Empire and Australian Federation on everybody's lips.

The couple that would become George V and Queen Mary saw a lot of North Terrace - a bust to unveil at The Art Gallery, a tree to plant in the Botanic Gardens and a Royal foundation stone to be laid in the University of Adelaide. The Duchess did the rounds of the hospitals during the week, and then on the 13th July one hundred years ago, His Royal Highness kindly laid the foundation stone for the new Queen's Home, planned as the first hospital for birthing mothers. It became known as the Queen Victoria Hospital, surviving more than ninety years. The Duchess had to cuddle a little girl who presented her with a posy - her father had just died in the war in South Africa.

Over the road, the Duke took the salute for a huge military review at Victoria Park racecourse in the parklands. Perhaps thirty thousand people gathered to see a marching show of loyalty to King and country. Many received medals from the future monarch, including a Private whose St. Bernard dog Nelson scored a special pat from the Duchess.

The second week in July marks the 100th anniversary of the enormously popular royal visit. Adelaide was in fervour. But who were the royal couple? He was called "The Sailor Prince" and the formal portraits show him in his Admirals' uniform. The grandson of Queen Victoria married Princess Victoria May (she had six other Christian names), and they left behind four young children during their triumphant Australasian tour. They left their mark at Government House, unveiling the beautiful stained glass Federation Windows with their royal and local symbols and a series of Australian bird panels.

At the picturesque Adelaide Oval, the royal box was high above the green for a mighty show of affection on the 11th July 1901. More than 5000 students sang their hearts out as Their Highnesses admired flag drill, a cutlass-brandishing performance and maypoles en masse. A now shady pair of trees was planted on the northwest mound before they left.

Across the park, St Peter's Cathedral was sufficiently constructed for the Duke to open the naive for the Anglican congregation. He also solemnly unveiled a brass memorial plaque for the South Australians who had already fallen in the ongoing Boer War. And there was the name of Captain Hipwell, whose grieving daughter was comforted by the Duchess the day before.

One week into their stay, the Royals took one last parade of the city streets - but nothing could match their triumphant progress when they arrived on July 9th, exactly a century ago. 130,000 people in their Sunday best jammed the city…close to half the state's population. It was like a Crows Premiership Parade and the annual Xmas Pageant rolled into one! A sea of loyal humanity clamoured for every vantagepoint, including the loftiest parapets.

Seats on the gaily-decorated Beehive Corner grandstands were selling for ten shillings, because royalty would pass them three times. The procession would pass through Victoria Square, where the Duke would pause solemnly before his grandmother's statue. She had died only a few months earlier. A happier note was sounded around at the East End, where a choir of children from market garden districts sang as the Prince's carriage passed under one of many decorated arches.

The focal point, however, was at the Adelaide Town Hall, under its tall Albert Tower. Thousands gathered - some in the "rainbow reserve" and others on roof tops. The façade was bedecked with royal blue panels, with emblems of the newly federated states of Australia. But, the signs also indicated it was also very much a celebration of the Empire "on which the sun never sets".

Then at night, the institutional buildings cluster - Treasury, GPO and Town Hall - were illuminated in spectacular fashion, creating people jams. Their features were traced in red, white and green by 9000 globes powered by specially imported generators.

The Royal Visit finished with a trip to seaside Glenelg on a regally decorated steam train, then to the Port, and onto the specially commissioned Royal Yacht, the passenger liner "Ophir". South Australia had proudly declared itself part of the new nation, and at the same time reaffirmed its role in the British Empire. And it all happened exactly a century ago during July……the Federation Royal Tour.

Keith's special thanks to
Jenny Scott
Curator, Photographic Collection
Mortlock Library
State Library of South Australia

Robert Thornton
Director
Adelaide City Council Archives

for their help in preparing this story. For more information please email info@postcards.sa.com.au