Research triggered by an album photograph

I have uploaded a research essay triggered by seeing a photograph in an album I was assessing for auction. That was nine years ago. My interest in the image stayed with me and recently have I brought pieces of information together to identify the background to the photo in question.

This image has become important in the context of how the new settlement was seeing itself and how it went on to portray life in the new town of Melbourne to those back in England who were considering the adventure to the other side of the world.

These first images are precious. They are loaded with layers of meaning both to the audience of its time and to today’s viewers looking back to  the first years of this colonial town before it became an international city.

Along the way my research looked at  the works of Edward Noyce, William Thomas Knight, John Hunter Kerr and Robert Russell — and a few more.

When I started this research I was a visitor to the city.
Now it is my home city — My Melbourne.
Click here for my essay.