Inauguration of the Benguela Railway at Luau, Angola- Congo Frontier 10th June 1929
AssociatedAssociated with
Sir Robert Williams
(Aberdeen, Scotland, 1860 - 1938)
Date1929
Object NameAlbum
Mediumpaper
ClassificationsEngineering
DimensionsOverall (Height x Width x Depth): 33.1 × 26.3 × 5.1mm
AcquisitionBequeathed in 1946 by Sir Robert Williams.
Copyright© the copyright holder
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDMS021921
About MeBlack photograph album with title inscribed in gold on the front cover. The pages are paper and bound with two pins through the block and cover. The photos are pasted in, numbered and identified with captions written in black ink, as follows:1. The RMMV "Carnarvon Castle" Southampton, MY 24 - 1929
2. HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught on his way to board the Carnarvon Castle
3. Prince Arthur arrives on board C. Castle
4. HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught on board the Carnarvon Castle with Ct [Larradio]
5. L to R Major Hindley, Sir Robert Williams [Bart] HRH Prince Arthur Ladt Williams Count [Larradio], Miss [d'Almeda], Capt. A Thomson May 24, 1929
6. Aboard the Carnarvon Castle just before leaving Southampton
7. Comm. W J Stanley RD, RNR C. Castle
8. Comm. W J Stanley RD, RNR C. Castle
9. CO C. Steer CE H. Miles 1stE A Mackenzie Officers Carnarvon Castle
10. Dropping the Pilot
11. Pushing along at 16.3 knots
12. Deck View Carnarvon Castle looking forward
13. Bows of Carnarvon Castle [?] Crow's Nest
14. View looking aft Carnarvon Castle from Crow's Nest
15. Sir Robert Williams Bt Captain W.F. Stanley and Prince Arthur on bridge Carnarvon Castle
16. On the bridge Carnarvon Castle
17. On the bridge Carnarvon Castle
18. Auction Sweep on Ship's daily run M Hay selling
19. L to R Capt. A.A. Thomson, M.T.B. Davis, Sir Robert Williams Bt, and Mrs Davis Carnarvon Castle
20. Deck Tennis Carnarvon Castle
21. Sir Robert Williams Bt at deck quoits C.Cle
22. Count Lorradio - Deck Tennis
23. Miss Greenwood at deck quoits
24. The bottle race
25. HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught acts a judge in The Tug of War
26. Prince Arthur plays at deck quoits with Sir Robert
26a Count Lorradio and Comm [Machado] - deck quoits "Balmoral Castle"
26b Miss [d'Almeda] guides Col Mollett past the bottles
26c Ladies Tug of War
26d Sir Robert at the Auction Sweep
27. Deck Tennis Carnarvon Castle
28. Messrs A.H.Tucker, R.O.[Dannt] R.L.Mollett of [Pawlings]
29. Sir Robert Williams Bt with the Rhodesians
29b. Trading boats at Madeira
29a. Madeira
29c. Trading boats at Madeira
30. Lobito Bay taken from Carnarvon Castle on arrival June 6, 1929
30a. Lobito Bay showing shipping at [Maia] Wharf
30b. HMS Delphinium fires a Royal Salute on arrival of Carnarvon Castle at Lobito
31. Arrival of Carnarvon Castle in Lobito Bay HMS Daffodil right of photo
32. HMS Daffodil alongside the Carnarvon Castle in Lobito Bay
33. Carnarvon Castle in Lobito Bay
34. Carnarvon Castle on arrival in Lobito Bay June 6 - 29
35. HMS Delphinium in Lobito Bay
36. The Portuguese SS Angola alongside the Ry Jetty in Lobito Bay
37. HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught during the playing of the National Anthem
38. Native Guard of Honour await arrival of the party from England at the Railway Jetty Lobito
39. Signor Brock of Lobito who let off numerous rockets
Arrival of Carnarvon Castle in Lobito Bay
Sambo's Native Band
39a. Sambo's Native Band
40. The Governor's Palace - Lobito
41. The Governor's Palace Lobito
42. General Mach ado’s tomb - Lobito
43. General Machado's tomb at Lobito R.Ws. wreath
44. Part of the fine beach on the Spit
45. Scene in native village on the Spit at Lobito
46. A [envious] native fishing boat, open at one end
47. American West African Line boat steaming up Lobito Bay
48. Native Market at Lobito, SS Angola seen in background
49. Busy shipping scene at the Main Wharf, Lobito. SS Amboine and [Warraga]
50. Loading Mealies at main wharf
Scenes at Lobito Station at departure of the special train for LUAU
Col. Greenwood VC, Mr J. Valerian, Major G. Pigot-Moodie
51. Be-decked Engine of the Special Train
52. Prince Arthur interested in the mechanism of the engine
53. Fuelling and watering
53a. Lobito Station showing rear of Special
54. Scene at Lobito Station on departure of the Special
55. Group outside Club at Lobito
54a. Glimpse of Lobito Bay from train leaving (n.b. figure of Sir Robert Williams has been cut and pasted on top)
55a. L to R Mr T.B. Davis, Sir Robert Williams Bt and Count [Larradio]
55b. The Special at Catumbela
56. Animated scene at Benguela Station on arrival of the 'Special'
57. Group taken at Lengue
58. Lengue
58a. Rack Track. Crossing Lengue Gorge
58b. The 'Rack' section
59. View near Korotera
96a. Siral Estate at Alto Catumbela
59b. Running through Korotera district (n.b. same image of Sir Robert Williams has been cut and pasted on top)
59a. View of the track in Korotera district
60. The 'Special' at Lepe. [Hamon]Rock in backgd. 6000ft above sea level.
61. The Special drawn by 'Garrett' engine, steaming out of Lepe
62. Archway showing Vila Robert Williams in the distance
63. Arrival at Vila Robert Williams
64. Vila Robert Williams
65. Sir Robert Williams Bt and citizens of [Caala] on the platform of Vila Robert Williams
66. Animated scene at the arrival of Sir Robert at Vila Robert Williams
67. Sir Robert replies to address of welcome at [Caala]
68. Vila Robert Williams
68a. Leaving Vila Robert Williams (n.b. same image of Sir Robert Williams has been cut and pasted on top)
69. Group taken at Vila Robert Williams
70. Huambo. View showing part of main shop
71. Huambo. The Wagon Sheds
72. Huambo. View showing portion of machine shop
73. Huambo. Machine shop showing wheel lathe
74. Huambo. Erecting a crane in machine shop
75. Huambo. Blacksmiths shop showing huge hammers
76. Huambo. Portion of blacksmiths shop - spring testing machine left of photo
77. Huambo. Electric Power generating station, subsidiary to the Hydro-Electric supply from Quando
78. Native Railway Workers queue for [rations]
79. Huambo. Huge Water Supply Tank, 80,000 Galls for the Railway Workshops and Town
80. Huambo. Water Supply Tank to supply Railway shops & village. Capacity 80,000 Galls
81. Huambo. A street in the Railway Employees Model Garden Suburb
82.83. Huambo. Panorama of Benguela Railway Co.’s model village for its employees
84. Quando Dam. General view showing location of dam. Quando Mission in the background.
85. Quando Dam. Photo shows the falls of the River Quando and the dam partly built
86. Quando Dam. The River as seen from the Dam which will feed the pipeline for power supply
87. Quando Dam. Natives making blasting holes in the rock.
88. Quando Dam. Preparing the way for the pipe line.
89. Quando Dam. Rolling down a section for the pipe line.
90. Quando Dam. Pipe sections ready to be laid down
91. Quando Dam. Lowering a section of the pipe line into position
92. Quando Dam. Showing the way prepared to take the pipe line on solid concrete supports
93. Quando Dam. A section of completed pipe line N.B. Covered with grass for protection against heat until water flows through
94. The Portuguese Minister of Colonies, The High Commissioner of Angola, HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught
95. Fuelling and watering the Special
95a. Group taken at the end of [Quanga] Bridge
96. View on Agricultural Estate at Koemba
Koemba Waterfalls
97. Arrival of 'Special' at Vila [Luso]
98. Native Guard of Honour at Vila [Luso]
98a. Natives at Vila [Luso]
98b. Natives at Vila [Luso]
98c. Mother and child. Vila [Luso]
99. The Special nearing the frontier at Luau
Native welcome at [Teixeira de Souga]
100. Natives at [Teixeira de Souga] on arrival of Special
101. Village chief and followers at [Teixeira de Souga]
102. Natives sing a song of welcome on arrival of Special
Grass Shelter at LUAU where the Banquet was held after Opening
103. Grass Shelter at LUAU where the Banquet was held after Opening
104. Showing the end of the Railway Angolan Territory as seen from Belgian Congo Territory looking across the River LUAU
105. River LUAU. Natural frontier between Angolan and Belgian Congo
106. LUAU. The last pair of Rails looking across the River LUAU towards the Belgian Congo
107. The end of Benguela Railway showing lines projecting over River LUAU and Belgian Congo on the other side
134a. Frontier stone at LUAU about to be unveiled
134b. The frontier stone at LUAU unveiled June 10, 1929
134c. BENGUELA RAILWAY Concession to Robert Williams 28 Nov 1902, Company formed 26 May 1903, Construction completed 28 Aug 1928, Inauguration Ceremony 10 June 1929
Scene at Opening Ceremony at LUAU June 10, 1929
108. Sir Robert Williams signs the visitors’ book after the Opening Ceremony
109. Signing the Visitors Book after Opening Ceremony
110. Group taken in front of Stone: Prince Arthur of Connaught, Portuguese Cols Minister, High Commr of Angola, Sir Robert Williams, Lady Williams
111. Group round the historic frontier stone taken after the Opening Ceremony at LUAU
112. Taken in front of stone after the Opening Ceremony June 10, 1929 Portuguese Colonial Minister, High Commionr of Angola, Sir Robert Williams Bt
113. Antique Plate presented to Sir Robert Williams by Employees of the Benguela Railway. Model of Benguela Railway made by the Chief Baker on 'Balmoral Castle'
114. Fancy Dress Ball on 'Balmoral Castle' The Baroness von Blixen as a mid-Victorian
115. Fancy Dress Ball on 'Balmoral Castle' The Baroness von Blixen as a mid-Victorian
116. Mr Smallbones - British Consul - Loanda
117. Baroness von Blixen. Mr H Varian
118. Mr Hank Varian
119. Group taken on steps of the Club at Lobito
120. Mr McKay, Col. Greenwood VC
121. Signor Ramallio Locomotives CDFB
122. L to R: Com. Machado, Mrs Chaves, Mr Chaves, Col. Greenwood
123. Comm. Machado
124. Mr T.B. David
125. [Dondi] Mission. Natives interested in Car.
126. [Dondi] Mission. Native boys carrying 'dobies' for building a house
127. [Dondi] Mission. Natives building a house
128. [Dondi] Mission. Native Girls at Drill
129. [Dondi] Mission. Native Choir sing "Hallelujah Chorus"
130. [Dondi] Mission. Native Choir singing "Hallelujah Chorus"
131. [Dondi] Mission. Girls give a display of native dancing
132. Capt. T.H. [Kerbey] 'Balmoral Castle'
133. Engine Driver and fuel boy CDFB
134. Arrival of the Special back in Lobito. Sir Robert and Lady Williams first off
201. SS Angola alongside Railway Jetty Lobito Bay
204. Vila Robert Williams
203. Siral Estate at Alta Catumbela
202. Siral Estate at Alta Calumbela
208. Construction of pumping station near Huambo to supply water to the Railway Workshops
206. Quando Dam in course of construction
205. Quando Dam to create a Hydro-Electric power supply for Railway Shops at Huambo
207. Quando Dam. A completed section of the pipeline.
211.
210.
209. Koema Waterfalls
212. Arrival of the Special at Vila [Luso]
213. Scene on arrival of Special at Vila [Luso]
214. Special nearing frontier at LUAU
215. The terminus of Benguela Ry at frontier LUAU
216. View at LUAU showing river and end of Ry
217. River LUAU taken from temporary bridge
Loose:
Postcard entitled: At Robert Williams station June 8, 1929; inscribed on back: 1 Jan 1930 Best wishes for a happy New Year from A. Madeira Pinto
Photograph: Sir Robert Williams and Rhodesian boys on board SS Balmoral Castle
![46. A [envious] native fishing boat, open at one end](/internal/media/dispatcher/73488/thumbnail)
![49. Busy shipping scene at the Main Wharf, Lobito. SS Amboine and [Warraga]](/internal/media/dispatcher/73955/thumbnail)
![4. HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught on board the Carnarvon Castle with Ct [Larradio]](/internal/media/dispatcher/73351/thumbnail)
Sir Robert Williams
1929
![5. L to R Major Hindley, Sir Robert Williams [Bart] HRH Prince Arthur Ladt Williams Count [Larradio], Miss [d'Almeda], Capt. A Thomson May 24, 1929](/internal/media/dispatcher/73353/thumbnail)
