Sapper Galbraith at Leighton Studios, Moonee Ponds

Sapper A G F Galbraith, 1915.  Museums Victoria Collections https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/1741042

I have just noticed that Museums Victoria have now made out-of-copyright photos in their collection Public Domain.  The last time I looked, admittedly some while ago, permission was withheld for the use of their online images, despite being out of copyright.

Having a look through the collection last night I noticed the change.  The above portrait is interesting to me because firstly it is a portrait of one of the local men who volunteered for the Great War.  This portrait now appears on the webpage of Sapper A G F Galbraith of Essendon, who did not return to Australia.

The description of the photo reveals that it was taken at the Leighton Studios, which was in Margaret St, Moonee Ponds.  This photo gives the first view of a studio backdrop which appears in other photos, but is not revealed in other portraits, and this is useful for a study of backdrops of local studios which you can see on the Time Travellers of Essendon, Flemington, &c website.

The Foundling Archive

Catalogue description "women; group; lost and found; 1940".  I wonder if there is a studio name on the back?

While browsing through Victorian Collections, I came across this never-previously-encountered collection called "The Foundling Archive".  Contrary to expectations, the archive does not record lost children, but lost photos and ephemera.  The collection is described as follows:

"The foundling archive was established in 2013, as an experiment. We wanted to see if we could track Australia's social history through the old, personal photographs, films and small objects that no longer seemed relevant to their owners. These are the objects that find themselves being sold on ebay and in second-hand shops throughout Australia.

By looking at the bits and pieces we create, keep and eventually throw away, the foundling archive documents evidence of everyday life -of personalities, family dynamics, technological change and social development".

There are photos from places besides Victoria, though they are located in Brunswick, Victoria. A large group was taken in West Sydney.  Unfortunately, when they were cataloguing, other than occasionally including a placename in the title,  they didn't seem to think of recording the photographer's studio and place in the subject headings, so I saw, for instance, two photographs taken in a Perth Studio which you wouldn't know unless you enlarged the photo.

But they are interesting and worth a browse.   Victorian Collections can be searched by place or name, and many of you may find some items of interest there.  I just found a 1941 letter of condolence from the RSL to a woman who used to live in the house I lived in in the 1970s.   Amazing!

Which James Watson at The Springs?

The coloured section shows James Watson's farm at The Springs, which now forms part of the Tullamarine Industrial Estate.

There were two James Watsons in the vicinity of Keilor in the 1840s.  The first was James Watson of Hunter and Watson, a pastoral partnrship which is well-known to Keilor historians.  The other was another Scot who made some transactions under the name James Watson, but possibly because of confusion with his namesake, began using  his full name of James Butler Watson.    It was James Butler Watson who leased a 50 acre farm from JFLV Foster in 1842.  In her new article "James Butler Watson: early resident of The Springs", Christine Laskowski gives the process by which she revealed the identity of this other James Watson.  

Steele Creek and the Lady of the Lake

  Steele Creek and the Lady of the Lake was first published in 2013, and has been out of print since 2014.  Owing to popular demand, Christine Laskowski has agreed to get a limited reprint, with revisions.  If you want to have a copy of the book, you will need to reserve one to ensure you don't miss out.

You can download a copy of the form from the Time Travellers website.

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.