Proper luggage

My grandfather's trunk, for a journey we know nothing of.

GPKH - the middle initials stand for Percy Kerr, and according to my father the Kerr refers to an Australian branch of the family related to architect Peter Kerr who worked with Pugin on the Palace of Westminster before emigrating to Melbourne in 1852 and designing the Parliament buikding there. All of which i think i have just heard for the first time today as a result of taking this photo and then needing to quiz Dad.

Dad was in South Africa twice as a child, once with his mum visiting her sister in Cape Town, then evacuated on his own in 1939 to live there till he came back aged 19 to go to college. He's always hoped he could sail again, but never managed. Perhaps this trunk, kept in the bedroom under its red linen cover, acted as a constant reminder of that desire.