Item MM 111167 Digital Photograph - Holden Brothers Circus, Man Spinning Rope around Three Children, Backyard, Footscray, circa 1925

Description of Content

A man spinning a rope around three children in a suburban backyard, circa 1925 This photograph shows Ernie Holden of Holden Brothers Circus 'spinning the rope' around his daughter Melba (on the right) with two children, friends of the family, Kensington, circa 1925. Melba believes Ernie is 'dressed up to visit, so the Holden family was probably visiting the Kinnear family. The Kinnear family sold rope, they had a factory in Footscray on Ballarat Road, corner of Gordon Street. They used to export rope as well. Holden's Circus used the rope for spinning, for the tents. The right rope for the right job was very important. Hemp ropes don't spin properly, for example.'