Summary
Postcard featuring sepia image looking down Swanston Street Melbourne and featuring the Town Hall.
It is one of sixty seven postcards dated from the 5 January 1904 to 16 April 1907, all addressed to James Baird Scott and his family living in Paisley, Scotland. Fifty three of the cards are sent from Victoria, Australia, by Marion Flinn and her family and feature Melbourne landmarks and suburbs, scenes from Victoria and New South Wales. Fourteen postcards are sent from various international locations including South Africa, Nigeria, India, Singapore and western Europe apparently by extended members of James Baird's family either holidaying or working.
Physical Description
Black and white postcard, with round image of Town Hall, Melbourne. Street scene with tram. Hand writing around the image. Reverse side with hand written address and date stamp. Stamp was removed.
Significance
This collection of early 20th century postcards provides an invaluable pictorial record of urban and rural landscapes in Melbourne,Victoria and New South Wales. It also captures the social and political attitudes and observations of one Melbourne family, relating to domestic and social life, literature, politics, and Australian culture. Themes such as nationalism, the postiion of women and prejudices surrounding Aboriginal Australians, global shipping and communication are also referenced by both the visual iconography and the commentary on the postcards.
More Information
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Collecting Areas
Home & Community, Leisure, Information & Communication, Images & Image Making, Public Life & Institutions
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Moreen Shields, Jun 2011
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Sender
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Addressed To
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Inscriptions
Printed: Town Hall, Melbourne. Handwritten text: Melbourne, 13th Jan 1904 'My dear Nettie, I hoped you liked your cards last week and now I am sending you another reach of Collins St. It is just above the one I sent your father at Xmas. There is a good slope here and vehicles avoid it by going another way. My girls will be going back to school on Monday, so we are taking many little outings, while we can. Yesterday we spent all day on the bay in a lovely paddle boat built in Glasgow the Hygeian. There was a tremendous crowd on board. But we had such a lovely day and I would just have liked if the steamer had turned our heads and carried us away away on that lovely road to Scotland. I shall write to your father next week if all is well. and send a card to Anna . now I must hurry up for Janet tells me it is time. I posted this so Good Bye, Little cousin, and give my best love to your father, mother Anna & Baby and yourself - From your loving cousin Marion.' Miss Nettie Scott 3 Macintyre Place Paisley Scotland
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
139 mm (Width), 88 mm (Height)
landscape
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Keywords
Buildings, Civic Life, Correspondence, Melbourne Landmarks, Postcards, Scottish Communities, Scottish Immigration, Town Halls, Trams, Urban Landscapes
