Item HT 29046 Postcard - William Tell Summer House Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, To Nettie Scott from Janet Flinn, Melbourne, 20 Oct 1906

Summary

Postcard featuring black and white image of William tell Summer House situated at a lake in the botanical Gardens Melbourne and 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 William tell Summer House in the Botanical Gardens, Melbourne. Hand writing under image. Reverse side with hand written address, date stamps and stamp.

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.