Miscellaneous

Hope of the World 

This colour embossed print is of a poem 'Hope of the World’ by Charles Stuart Gilmour.  It is marked "Designed and printed by S.T.Leigh & Co. Ltd, Raleigh Park, Kensington, Sydney, an organization of craftsmen."                   

A copy of this print can be found in the Powerhouse Museum in New South Wales, Australia.  It dates to about 1934.    

The print features the text of a poem "Hope of the World" by Charles Stuart Gilmour, 1934. The poem is printed within an illustration of a stained glass window which has a decorative border. At the top of the window are doves holding olive branches. On the left is a knight in armour with a scroll reading "War hath her shame" and underneath him a depiction of a skull. On the right is a woman in robes with a scroll "Peace hath her victories" and underneath her symbols of art, science and industry (artist's palette, mallet, book, harp, scientific equipment). At the bottom of the window is the motto "Amor vincit omnia" (Love conquers all).

Printed at bottom right of poem 'CHARLES STUART GILMOUR 1934'.  Printed at bottom centre of print 'DESIGNED AND PRINTED BY S.T. LEIGH & CO. LTD., RALEIGH PARK, KENSINGTON, SYDNEY, "AN ORGANISATION OF CRAFTSMEN." / WITH COMPLIMENTS'.

ST Leigh and Co Ltd was a Sydney printing firm, established in 1852. The company was in its Raleigh Park, Kensington premises by at least 1927.  Their 1888 letterhead, an example of which is in the Museum Archives, indicates their activities were "artists, designers & chromo lithographers, engravers and general printers, account book manufacturers" and their 1928 letterhead reads "printers, lithographers, manufacturing stationers, decorated tin & cardboard box manufacturers".    In 1928 they organized a major Printing Trades Exhibit held at the Museum (then known as the Technological Museum, Sydney).  The Printing Trades Exhibit was on display throughout the 1930s and our 1940 annual report indicates that ST Leigh & Co Ltd had contributed further exhibits to it that year:

It is possible that Paul Harris visited the Museum and saw these printing exhibits.  And perhaps these prints were given to visitors?  The Museum has no evidence for this, but it seems plausible.  Of course he may simply have met representatives of ST Leigh & Co Ltd during his Rotary activities in Sydney and have been given the print by them.  The "With compliments" would suggest that the print was not for sale. 

We are grateful to Helen Yoxall, the Archives Manager of the Powerhouse Museum, for the above description.

This ongoing project is the work of RGHF historian Basil Lewis, first posted 7 April 2006 This section is maintained by RGHF webmaster Paul D. McLain. If you can help identify or supply more information about anything on this page, please contact us at www.historycomment.org

We acknowledge the assistance of DG 11/12 David Templin, ROTARY/One (RGHF Member), Neil Dahlmann of Rotary Club of Highland Park in District 6440, and Jack Selway, USA, with providing photos used in this section.

After you see the museum office, meet his partners and office workers at Harris Dodds & Brown. (A page of photographs of the actual office in the early 2000's)

Learn more about tours of Rotary International Headquarters

Miscellaneous