Yet another unusual item in the wonderful Vern O'Brien collection at the Genealogical Society of the Northern Territory. It is a five shillings ticket in the 1922 Melbourne Cup Sweep run by the British- Australian Telegraph Company, which linked Australia to the outside world by cable.
According to author Xavier Herbert , BAT staff , British , regarded themselves as superior to the locals , were better dressed , led a busy social and sporting life . The following snap is of the BAT squad which won the Darwin Tennis Association competition 1922-23, also taken out by BAT the previous year .
In The Front Door ,Darwin 1869-1969, author Douglas Lockwood , described how in November 1871 BAT sent three large ships to Port Darwin and played out a cable more than 1000 miles to Bangoewangi in eastern Java .
He went on to say that the operating staff of Britishers , about 20, remained and they became " the aloof elite" of Palmerston society . " An invitation to their quarters , for many years to come ,would be only slightly less welcome , if at all ,than a summons to Government House . "
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| Government House today. |
