Summary

Postcard featuring black and white image of Coogee Bay, N.S.W., with people on the beach and in the water. The postcard also includes a handwritten message.

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 image of Coogee Bay in New South Wales. Image depicts a beach scene with people bathing, strolling around or sitting on the beach. Hand writing around the image. Reverse side with hand written address and date stamps. One of the two stamps was removed. Postcard belongs to the Oceana postcard series.

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.

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