Ruth Hollick, Moonee Ponds photographer

 

Photo: Ruth Hollick, Moonee Ponds

This portrait of a woman and child was taken in Ruth Hollick's home studio in Moonee Ponds in 1918. The Hollick home was on the south side of Park Street. Ruth took a number of photos in the local area, and these are referred to in an article about her on the Time Travellers website.  At the end of 1918 she took over the studio of Mina Moore in Collins Street, Melbourne, and went on to develop a reputation for child portraiture, particularly using natural light.     

The subjects of the above photo are not currently known.  This photo is one of a pair.  The other photo is inscribed on the back "With love to Auntie Lola March 1918."   If you can identify this pair, we would love to hear from you.

Dover Studio backdrops

Taken at the Dover Studio to celebrate the marriage of Edward Charles Oram and Violet Barnes.  "To Mother from  your loving son and daughter, Ted & Vi, xx, Aug 2nd 1919". It further refines the early studio background used by Frank Rider after taking over from the late Frank Vallance. Two new photos of the studio from 1919 can be seen at the above link on the Time Travellers website. The dado line showing in the gap between the couple possibly appeared in some photos taken by the previous photographer,  Frank Vallance.  Photo courtesy of Mrs Judy Provan (Paynesville, Vic) and Dayle Mills (Bundoora, Vic).

Possible Essendon Cricket team, circa 1886 - or not....

Photo courtesy of Kerryn Taylor, AncestorChasing. .

The above photo has kindly been shared by Kerryn Taylor, whose relatives were the Morgans who ran the Cross Keys Hotel in Essendon for some years.

The player second from the left in the back row is Alexander Morgan. Alexander Morgan left Essendon in 1886, aged 24, for Wellington, New Zealand, where he spent the rest of his life.  The photo could therefore have been taken in Essendon or Wellington, New Zealand, we aren't too sure.  If anyone can identify the team or any other players, that would be very helpful indeed.   A larger view of this photo can be seen on the Time Travellers website.

Another view of "Belmiers"

 

Another view of "Belmiers" on the corner of Lorraine and Buckley Streets has turned up.    It has been added to the Time Travellers website.  Courtesy of Walter J R Barber.

Essendon Baseball Club before the war

The pre-war Essendon Baseball Club, circa 1914.  In the front row are, second and third from the left Alick Swift and William Kennedy Park.  Alick enlisted in 1914 and fell at Gallipoli in 1915, never to return to his club.  If you can identify any other players, please let me know.  Some of the other men who played with this club are mentioned in a news article on the Time Travellers' webpage for the Essendon Baseball Club.

"Belmiers" and Violet Street, Essendon

This lovely snap shows the view from the front door of "Belmiers" looking north along Violet Street.  "Belmiers" was at 91 Buckley St, Essendon.  The house is still standing, but renumbered 155 Buckley Street.    Due to the generosity of Walter J R Barber of Warrnambool, we now have a number of photos of "Belmiers" and the two young men who left from this address to serve in the great war - Harold Snape and his brother Robert Snape.    We also have an addition to photos from the Essendon State School, this time from about 1901.

More on Edith Peard's education

We are fortunate in that the Peard/Williams family were careful preservers of family documents, and here we have some further evidence of Edith's education. These images have now been added to Edith's Peard's story on the Time Travellers website.


Herbert Williamson may also have inspired Edith's interest in geography and and flora. It could explain why Edith owned an Introductory Text-book Physical Geography, by David Page, published by William Blackwood and Sons, eleventh edition, 1883. Edith signed the preface page "Edith F. Peard Greta 8-7-84".

Blackwoods Class Books in Natural Science with the price of two shillings and sixpence embossed on the cover.

Edith seems to have acquired her copy for two shillings and fourpence.

Edith signed at dated her book at Greta on 8 July 1884.

In later years Edith may have been following the teaching of her botanically inclined teacher when she wrote out instructions for transplanting Erica, giving the Latin botanical name.

From the Williams Family collection.