Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Robert Cain - letter received from his brother, William N. Cain, 8 Jan. 1901, describing the Commonwealth Celebrations in Sydney
MLMSS 6379

Anderson St
South Yarra
8th Jan’y 1900
My dear Robert
I received your most welcome and interesting letter yesterday. The day Father and myself arrived from Sydney. I will now proceed to tell you something about our trip to Sydney. We left here on Saturday 29th Jan in the “Rome” it was a very nice trip up, the weather was fine and the sea smooth and I was not sick, so you can tell it must have been very smooth. Among the passengers was Mr R.H. Robertson, as he did not recognize me I did not speak to him but Father did. We arrived in Sydney on Saturday and at once went out to Petersham where we both stopped for the night. You will be pleased to learn that Emma is now quite well and is just the same as she was before she became ill. We stayed at Petersham all Sunday and on Monday we went into town and stopped the night at the “Australia” in order to be ready for Tuesday morning, when the great celebrations were to take place. On Tuesday morning we went into Macquarie St. and got into a grand-stand erected in Parliament House grounds and waited there. (Mr Maiden kindly got us tickets for this stand). At about 10:30 the head of the procession came into sight; it was arranged in the following order
1. Representatives of Trade & Labour Unions
2. Representatives of Friendly Societies
3. Representatives of the Press
4. District Court Judges
5. Heads of Various Churches
6. Ex-members of Executive Councils
7. Consul-Generals & Consuls
8. Mayors of Capitals
9. Members of Legislative Assemblies
10. Members of Legislative Councils
11. Knights
12. Ex-Executive Councilors
13. Chancellors & Senators of Universities
14. Judges
15. Speakers of Legislative Assemblies
16. Presidents of Legislative Councils
17. Ministers of Commonwealth and of the various States & Colonies
18. Prime Minister of Australia and Premiers of States and Colonies
19. The Cardinal
20. The Primate
21. The Chief Justices
22. The Visiting Governors
23. The Admiral
24. The Lieutenant Governor of N.S.W.
25. The Governor-General and Suite accompanied by the Escort
Now as the Escort was such a sight I must describe it to you as well as I can. First of all came the mounted police, then the troops of the various States (you will notice we call colonies states now) with their bands, the N.S.W. contingent which went to the Soudan several years ago, the returned South African troops, cadets etc, then came the Indian troops under the command of Col. Peyton after the Indians came the Imperial Troops in the following order
Col Crole Wyndham with staff and orderlies first then Royal Horse Artillery with 2 guns
1st Life Guards
2nd Life Guards
Royal Horse Guards
Dragoon Guards
7th Hussars
21st Lancers
Royal Field Artillery with 2 guns
Royal Engineers with pontoon and saloon sections
Band of Highland Light Infantry
Royal Garrison Artillery
Grenadier Guards
Coldstream Guards
Scots Guards
Irish Guards
2nd Queen’s infantry of line
3rd Buffs
Somersetshire Light Infantry
Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
5th Northumberland Fusiliers
7th Royal Fusiliers
23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers
87th Royal Irish Fusiliers
26th Scottish Rifles
King’s Royal Rifles
Rifle Brigade
Pipers of Scottish Groups
Highland Light Infantry
Seaforth Highlanders
Cameron Highlanders
Army Service Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
Chaplains
Army Ordinance Department
Army Pay Department
4th (Militia Battalion) Norfolk Regiment
1st (Volunteer) Battalion of Devon Regiment
Ambulance

And then the Governor General with N.S.W. Lancer’s Escort and then the Naval Forces. ?? the end of the Procession disappeared we immediately started off for Centennial Park to view the Swearing in of Lord Hopetoun; we came across a cab and immediately drove off to Centennial Park. We arrived there before the procession and got a good seat. When the Governor came we saw Mr Blackmore read the Proclamation and saw Lord Hopetoun sign the document and take the oath, whereupon a salute of 21 guns was fired and thus we saw the greatest event in Australian History, that is ever likely to take place. On Tuesday we went down to Manly and I stopped with Mr Woods’ for that night. Next day we were going to the review but father met Mr Tavener at the Hotel and he asked up to go round the harbor in the Government Launch, which we did and enjoyed ourselves very much. On Friday we had lunch on board the German steamer “Grosser Kurfurst” one of the largest steamers afloat. The boat was made into a kind of hotel where the N.S.W. Government put up some of the visiting officials. That evening we had invitations to go down to the harbor to witness the fireworks on the harbor, but as we were waiting for one of the chartered boats we again met Mr Tavener and he asked us to again go on the Government launch, but when we got to the man-of-war steps we discovered that we could see the fireworks from there just as well, so we stayed there. The firework display was a grand sight, all the boats were illuminated, the men-of-war were burning bright lights and firing guns and then on top of all this there were fireworks, which gave Sydney harbour a most beautiful aspect. I don’t suppose a sight like it could be seen at any other place in the world. On Saturday we left in the Britona and had a nice trip down. It was a strange thing that coming down we had the same company at table with one exception. Going up in the “Rome” our table was, the Messrs Trenchard , Smith, Miller, E.H. Flaek, Cook, Father and myself ; coming down Mr White (agent for P&O Co.) took Mr Cook’s place. We had a letter from Arthur the other day, he is still getting on alright and wants Janey to go over to him, which she is really thinking of doing. We have had two or three long letters from Walter and he seems to be enjoying himself immensely at Perricoota. The garden is now looking splendid, it is very bright with all kinds of flowers. The tennis court is not yet finished, I have just written for the man to come and finish it. I think I have now told you all the news I can so will close my letter with much love from all.
I remain your affectionate brother, Willie N. Cain