Ernest Eugene Kramer was born in Basle, Switzerland on 10 May 1889. He came to South Australia in September 1909. He married Euphemia Buchanan (whom he had met in Melbourne) in 1912. Euphemia was born in Creswick, north of Ballarat in 1887 and was raised on a farm in Bena, Gippsland, Victoria.

Ernest Kramer had a 'call' in 1912 to work with 'people in the bush and aboriginals', and, accompanied by Euphemia and baby son Colin began this work in 1913 on the Murray River in South Australia. They later travelled to Port Augusta, along the East-West Line (then under construction), to Tarcoola, north from Quorn to Oodnadatta in 1919 and on to Alice Springs in c.1921. Ernest Kramer was responsible for the building of the Ebenezer Tabernacle in Alice Springs in 1924. Initially independent and called 'The Australian Caravan Mission' the Kramers' missionary work was from 1925 to 1934 associated with the Aborigines' Friends' Association. Ernest Kramer travelled Central Australia with camels from his base in Alice Springs on numerous expeditions including a 'South West Expedition' in 1928 and 'North Tour' in 1934. He also accompanied the Board for Anthropological Research Expedition (see AA 346) to Mt Liebig in 1932. The Kramers left Alice Springs in 1934.

Ernest and Euphemia visited the United Kingdom and Switzerland in 1935. Ernest Kramer worked for the British and Foreign Bible Society until he retired aged 67.

Ernest Kramer died in February 1958; Euphemia died in 1971. They had four children: Colin, Mary, Faith and Grace.

This collection comprises diaries, notebook and related material relating to Ernest E and Euphemia Kramer. It was donated to the South Australian Museum Archives by their daughter Mary in November 1990 and July 1992.

Related Collections: AA 1 Aborigines Friends Association; AA 338 Tindale; AA 672 Kempe.

Note that the State Library of South Australia also has holdings relating to the Kramer family.