Many old photographs and stories of the history of Darwin
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Please share this story with your family and friends so that they can read about the Darwin stories, its history, and what it has to offer tourists.
Thank you very much, Don...
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The Stories:
Photographer: Foelsche, P. (Paul), 1831-1914
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/436192
Collection: Foelsche Photograph Album
Copyright owner: Library & Archives NT
P.R. Allen and Company 1885
Description:
MS in brown ink on mount "1885". Signboard in photograph "P.R. ALLEN & COY." Depicts a store front and verandah with two Aboriginal men at left standing by a dray.
Timothy Jones quotes a 1883 Government Report that states: 'Messes. J. Allen & Co. have erected a neat store in Chinatown and a really handsome residence for Mr Allen, who is a Chinaman'. He believes the store constructed was P.R. Allen & Co. The store was located on the corner of Bennett and Mitchell streets in Darwin, Northern Territory
Posted 21-February 2022

0800-151
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/730997
Percy Brown Collection
Bennett and Mitchell Street 1920s
Description:
Bennett Street, Darwin, looking past Mitchell Street towards Smith Street. A E Jolly & Co is on the corner of Bennett and Smith Streets (Jolly's full name: Alfred Edward Jolly). A street light is on the corner of Bennett and Mitchell Streets, and several telegraph poles are on the right side of the street.
Posted 22-February 2022

0800-152

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/323775
Bruce Sutherland Collection.
See also PH0274/0437.
BAT Staff 1920s
Description:
Jacques and Brax (Horrocks) in Roy Edwards car (T Model Ford) parked in the street. Buildings in background.
British Australian Telegraph.
Posted 23-February 2022

0800-153
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/703776
William Henry Lillicrapp Collection
Policeman's wife Edith McNab reading 1940
Description:
Edith McNab (Miller) married policeman Eric (Sandy) McNab at the Point Charles lighthouse in 1930. Their house -- which was very much admired -- was situated on the Stuart Highway, on the right-hand side when in-bound, just before the Daly Street bridge (near present-day Bridge Motors). The house was destroyed by
Cyclone Tracy in 1974, and Sandy McNab sustained injuries from which he died.
Note the push-out windows and cane chairs.
Don:
The walls are breeze through slats with roll down blinds.
Dan McNab 26-Feb-2022
This description i don't think is correct my father Bill McNab and myself and 2 sisters where in a railway house right next to Daly St bridge 17d Burt St was the address when Tracy hit our house only suffered minimal damage grandad was living out at the 17mile at the time but was in Nightcliff at nanna clarks place the night Tracy hit.
It was right next to railway line there was originally 3 houses there our was the only one left after Tracy our was closest to bridge right where the used car yard is today city wreckers was next door.
Posted 25-February 2022

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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/727707
Marie & Lindsay Perry Collection
Dr Goldsmith Darwin 1896-1904
Description:
Dr F.Goldsmith & Mrs Edith Goldsmith, (nee Edmunds). He was Chief Medical Officer of NT from 1896-1904. Seen in the court-yard of their house surrounded by pot plants
Posted 26-February 2022

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https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+10141
Skelton's stores, Bennett & Smith Street 1875
Skelton's stores, Bennett St. & Smith Street. Joseph Skelton relocated the printing press to the back of his store on Lot 44 (on the corner of Smith and Bennett Streets) after purchasing the Northern Territory Times and Government
Gazette in 1877.
Posted 27-February 2022

0800-157
https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+9733
Paul Foelsche Quarters 1870
Palmerston. Sub. Inspector of Police's Quarters (Mr Paul Foelsche) After arriving in Palmerston and realising there was no Police Station Foelsche and his six troopers built one. His first residence was a two room tin hut which was
later replaced by a three roomed house in Mitchell Street. Paul Foelsche was Keeper of the Palmerston Gaol from 1872 - 1874. The quarters were built on the site of what was later to be the Government Administrative Offices, almost
facing the Cable Quarters.
Mark McAdie 28-Feb-2022
Foelsche did not help build the station himself, and his Troopers roundly objected to having to build the police station themselves. They ultimately refused to finish it and the Resident eventually had to cave and hire day labour to finish it. Whilst building the police station which was constructed of local timber the trooper also cut timber for the first iteration of what is now Government House.
Posted 28-February 2022

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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/321993
Phyllis Moyle Collection ;
Esplanade Chinese Shops 1920
Description:
View from corner Cavenagh Street and the Esplanade looking along Esplanade toward Government Offices in distance , two Chinese shops in middle ground , Chinese shop on Cavenagh Street corner in foreground . Church of England residence obscured in centre .
Front to back: Sun Cheong Loong (Fang Cheong Loong) business name, Mook Sang, laundry owned by Willie Chin, Robert Chin and Charlie Chin.
Don:
Cavenagh Street no longer joins up with the Esplanade. You can see Hughes Ave dropping off to the left and Smith Street way past that, to the right.
Posted 1-March 2022

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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/330214
Peter Spillett Collection
The first job done in Darwin 1910
Description:
The first job done in Darwin by European labour, Nov. 1914/15. The construction of Customs Officer Watts' residence. Dick Hellings wearing apron. Carpenter Jack Buscall-Builder (1st on left). Customs Officer Watts last on right. Middle
foreground, Learmouth.
Jack Buscall was a Builder, and entrepreneur. If ever you lived in Darwin, or fell in love with it, you should know something about Jack.
Posted 2-March 2022

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Image: Kerry Mark
This is one of my favourite photos of Curio Cottage.
Curio Cottage 1929.
Location:
Smith near Peel Street Darwin.
Jack Buscall owned several properties in town however I think Curio Cottage was one he kept expanding on. I do know he had what was referred to as a menagerie out the back in 1939, crocks, snakes, geese, kangaroos etc "....for tourists" ?? as I have letters Buscall wrote to his brother describing it and also newspaper articles.
Jack Buscall (Builder, and entrepreneur, is the great grand father of Kerry Mark. Kerry has a great deal of information and photos of her ancestor.
If ever you lived in Darwin, or fell in love with it, you should know something about Jack.
Posted 3-March 2022

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Photographer: Lockwood, Douglas
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/431827
Douglas Lockwood Collection ;
Herald House The Esplanade 1956
Description:
Exterior view of the front of the house with a Chevrolet motor car in the driveway.
The house was the Herald House on The Esplanade. It was designed by D.K. Turner
of architectural firm Stephenson & Turner who were also responsible for the Hotel Darwin. The house floors were of green polished concrete as was featured in the Hotel Darwin. In 1968 an air-conditioned office was added at the side of the house.
Posted 5-March 2022

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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/723815
Northern Territory Government Photographer Collection. ;
Government House from Kitchener Drive 1976
Description:
Government House from Kitchener Drive. The bitumen plant tanks in foreground were some way from the base of the hill on which Government House sits.
Posted 6-March 2022

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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/310513
Frank Blackwell Collection
Cavenagh Street 1939
Description:
View of Cavenagh Street to the port and Chinatown - Gordon's Don Hotel right on Bennett Street, the banyan tree 'Tree of Knowledge' left. Date uncertain, around 1939
Posted 9-March 2022

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Experiment: I have inserted into the picture, a small image of the current location. Good? Bad? Comments?

0800-166 Star theatre Smith Street Darwin 1930.
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/751107
A. Jarvis Collection ;
Star theatre Smith Street Darwin 1930
Description:
"Star Pictures - Darwin, N.A." (shows exterior of Star Theatre, soon after construction?)
Posted 11-March 2022

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Waking Up the Town Movie 1925 1h 3m. (Silent movie).

0800-167 Darwin Railway Station train approaching 1941.
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/748636
M. R. Bradbrook Collection
Description:
Darwin Railway Station, train approaching.
Posted 12-March 2022
Don:
I had a 1934 Chev, and this looks identical. I had the sedan model, then I moved onto a 39 Chev.


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Don:
The house on the hill behind the station? I had caught fleeting glimpses of it in other photos, but this is a good shot of it. I Believe this is the Station Master's House. It would be sitting on what is now Tiger Brennan Drive.

Darwin Station Location.
Don:
After a few message and map exchanges with Bryan Baker, he came up with this map. I then placed some suitable text on it.
From Bryan Baker:
The front corner was 25m from the navy building (or one length of the building).

0800-168 Public Works Department at 13 mile Darwin 1942.
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/817204
Harry Church Collection
Date Created: 01/07/1942
Public Works Department at 13 mile 1942
Description:
Public Works Department premises at 13 mile, Darwin. Harry Church lived here for a while in 1942.
13 mile is about 21km today, so this would be a little past Yarrawonga on the Stuart highway.
Depending on how the crow flew in 1942.
Posted 14-March 2022

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