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Frank Rees George: Intrepid Cameleer & Pioneer in Outback Australia

Rob George to Anne Scherer, 25 September 2022

Hi Anne, Michael has passed on your request to me and I am delighted to respond!  George was the camel driver on a geological expedition in 1905/6 led by my great uncle Frank Rees George that led ultimately to Frank’s death in Alice Springs in early 1906.  George wrote a letter to Frank’s mother, Ediva, (known as Nora) and my great grandmother, explaining to her the details of Frank’s incredible journey and his final hours.  It’s a wonderful letter made even more poignant by the fact that it was penned by a man who cannot have had a lot of education.  Please find a copy of the letter attached together with a photo that I think is George with the camels on the expedition.  The letter was originally in a box of family memorabilia that we carted around rural South Australia (my father was a bank manager so we moved frequently) and which he donated to the State Archives in the mid 60’s.  The letter is available at the archives.

I also have a letter sent to my father (another Frank Rees George) on behalf of George written by the superintendant of the Old Timer’s Home, Walter Curtis,  while George was still living there.   I will send it this in another email as it is quite large.
If you are interested you can view the video I made a couple of years ago based on George’s letter called “A Letter From The Alice”.  You can view it here:  https://vimeo.com/237347812
All the best, Rob
Alice Old Timers Letter 55 copy-compressed
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