Gang Plank Collection

SHOW BOAT POSTER, 1927. Poster for the original Broadway production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammersteins musical Show Boat, 1927

HICKS: NOAHs ARK, 1846
Oil on canvas by Edward Hicks, 1846

Codex of the conquest of Mexico: the arrival of the Spanish, 16th century (miniature)
BEN85075 Codex of the conquest of Mexico: the arrival of the Spanish, 16th century (miniature) by Spanish School, (16th century); Biblioteca Medicea-Laurenziana, Florence, Italy; (add.info.: Ms Laur)

Ten Pound Poms a colloquial term used in Australia to describe British subjects who migrated to Australia after the Second World War under an assisted passage scheme created by the Australian

Welcome to All, illustration from the American magazine Puck
NYH177781 Welcome to All, illustration from the American magazine Puck (coloured engraving) by Keppler, Joseph (1838-94); Collection of the New-York Historical Society

View of Our First Landing at the Portuguese Establishment at Dille, Timor
TRV173959 View of Our First Landing at the Portuguese Establishment at Dille, Timor, from Voyage Autour du Monde sur les Corvettes de L Uranie 1817-20 engraved by Lerouge and Forget

Sir Bernard and Lady Docker seen here on their yacht in Cannes. September 1952 C4568

Society at Deauville. Sir Francis Lloyd with friends on the gangway of Captain Tyrrells yacht " Bantam ". 24 August 1921

IMMIGRANTS: GERMAN, 1874. German immigrants to the United States on a riverboat at the port of Cuxhaven, from which they board a steamship out of Hamburg bound for New York, 1874

NEW YORK CITY DOCKS, 1877. Stevedores unloading a ship at a dock in New York City. Wood engraving, American, 1877

STEAMSHIP: EMBARKING. The gangplank, just before sailing. Wood engraving, late-19th century

ANTI-IMMIGRANT CARTOON. Imported Duty Free. American cartoon by W. A. Rogers, 1888
ANTI-IMMIGRANT CARTOON. Imported Duty Free. American cartoon by W.A. Rogers, 1888, attacking big business for hiring immigrants to keep wages low and break strikes

SHREVEPORT: LEVEE, 1872. The levee at Shreveport, Louisiana. Wood engraving, 1872

STEAMSHIP: ARRIVAL, c1885. The end of the voyage. Wood engraving, c1885

GOLD MINERS, 1858. Prospectors at San Francisco waiting for ships to take them to the supposedly gold-laden Fraser River, British Columbia, in 1858. Contemporary line engraving

ZULU WAR: SOLDIERS, 1879. Embarkation of the 91st Highlanders at Southampton, England, bound for South Africa to fight in the Zulu War. Line engraving, 1879

WILLIAM BOOTH (1829-1912). English religious leader and founder of the Salvation Army. General Booth greeted at Southampton on 13 February 1892 upon returning to England after a seven-month

AUSTRALIAN GOLD RUSH, 1853. The landing of Australian gold at London, England, January 1853. Wood engraving from a contemporary English newspaper

British nurses and airmen land in France, 1939
Nurses wearing a Red Cross armlet and a Red Cross ribbon round their hats disembark from a Channel steamer after arriving at an undisclosed location in France in the early weeks of World War II

Sir Percy Everett piped on board RSS Discovery
Sea Scout Exhibition RSS Discovery Sir Percy Everett, Deputy Chief Scout, being piped on board the RSS Discovery by Sea Scouts. He was visiting an exhibition on board. 1944

Princess Mary disembarking at Calais, 1922
Princess Mary crosses the Channel with Viscount Lascelles for her honeymoon. Princess Mary, daughter of King George V and Queen Mary, married Viscount Lascelles, later 6th Earl of Harewood

Norwegian royal family embarking at Dover
King Haakon VII of Norway (1872-1957) and Queen Maud (1869-1938), together with their son, Crown Prince Olav (1903-1991), embarking at Dover to return home following a visit to the UK

Coaling a Royal Mail steam packet at Kingston, Jamaica
Scene at the harbour in Kingston, Jamaica, showing lines a women carrying baskets of coal on their heads on board a Royal Mail steam packet ship

American Civil war. Departure of the Great Eastern from the
Soldiers in full uniform marching up the gangplank of the troop carrier, the Great Eastern, with the docks of Liverpool in the background

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"Stepping onto History: The Gang Plank's Journey Through Time" From the grandeur of Broadway to the humble beginnings of immigrants seeking a new life, the gang plank has witnessed countless stories unfold. In 1927, as Show Boat took center stage on Broadway, its iconic poster captured the allure and excitement that awaited audiences stepping onto the gang plank into a world of music and drama. But long before this theatrical masterpiece, in 1846, Hicks painted an enchanting scene depicting Noah's Ark resting on land after surviving the great flood. The gang plank became a symbol of hope and salvation for those who sought refuge from disaster. Across oceans and continents, it welcomed Ten Pound Poms to Australia - British subjects embarking on a journey towards opportunity and adventure. Their dreams were etched into history as they walked down the gang plank with anticipation in their hearts. The American magazine Puck showcased an illustration titled "Welcome to All, " capturing the essence of diversity and inclusion at America's shores. The gang plank served as a bridge between cultures, inviting people from all walks of life to step ashore with open arms. On distant shores like Timor or Cannes in 1952, even high society found themselves crossing over this wooden pathway. Sir Bernard and Lady Docker graced their yacht's gangway while Society at Deauville saw Sir Francis Lloyd accompanied by friends making their stylish entrance. Not only did it witness moments of glamour but also historic events like Muhammad Ali standing proudly on Kinshasa's shore in 1974. With hospital ships moored nearby, he stepped off his vessel onto African soil ready to make boxing history. Yet amidst these grand tales lie quieter ones too - German immigrants boarding steamships bound for New York City in search of new beginnings. They crossed over the riverboat's deck onto crowded vessels with hopes held tightly within them.