Souvenir Programme of the King & Queen's visit to open Australia House, August 3rd 1918

Souvenir programme published to commemorate the opening of Australia House by King George V on August 3rd 1918. On the cover are printed crude portraits of the King and Queen together with the coat of arms of Australia. The programme includes details of the day's events including the royal processional route through central London and describes the building that became a new London landmark.
Such penny (1d) souvenir programmes were quickly and cheaply mass printed for all popular ceremonial events that took place in London in the early 20th century. They were primarily sold to spectators lining the route by street hawkers moving amongst the mass crowds. Ceremony and pageantry was very much a feature of the confident imperial capital and reinforced London's role as capital of the world's wealthiest and most powerful empire. Londoners were encouraged to support these shows of imperial domination, images of which were sent around the world, by providing a ready made flag waving, patriotic crowd. Such programmes as this were thus not only produced as souvenirs but also to encourage participation by informing Londoners where and when the events were taking place.