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
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
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/730997
Percy Brown Collection
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
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/323775
Bruce Sutherland Collection.
See also PH0274/0437.
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
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/314914
Darwina & William Fong Collection
Description:
Mrs Sue Wah Chin, during the evacuation period from Darwin
Posted 24-February 2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/703776
William Henry Lillicrapp Collection
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
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 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
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https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+9733
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 ;
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
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.
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 ;
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. ;
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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Australian Inland Mission collection.
Flynn, John, 1880-1951. At National Library
Title
Fanny [i.e. Fannie] Bay gaol : scenes from the North Australia Patrol and other general scenes, 1937 - 1942 / [John Flynn?].
Posted 7-March 2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/310513
Frank Blackwell Collection
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
Experiment: I have inserted into the picture, a small image of the current location. Good? Bad? Comments?
Posted 9-March 2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/751107
A. Jarvis Collection ;
Description:
"Star Pictures - Darwin, N.A." (shows exterior of Star Theatre, soon after construction?)
Waking Up the Town Movie 1925 1h 3m. (Silent movie).
Posted 11-March 2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/748636
M. R. Bradbrook Collection
Don:
I had a 1934 Chev, and this looks identical. I had the sedan model, then I moved onto a 39 Chev.
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: 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).
Posted 12-March 2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/817204
Harry Church Collection
Date Created: 01/07/1942
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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Photographer: Barnes, W. J.
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/739912
Peter Spillett Collection.
Description:
"Picnic at Rapid Creek, Darwin / Spillett". MS in pencil on back "Rapid Creek / Photo Will. J. Barnes".
Note that the display advertisement for Scrogg's Ammonia on the scrunched up newspaper at the centre of the photo appeared in Sydney's Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail between 1909 and 1921 which suggests that the 1899 date is not correct.
It looks like there has been an exchange of hats.
Posted 13-March 2022
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Photo Source Unknown
Aerial view of Smith Street early 1930s with the Vic Hotel centre right, the Star Theatre lower centre and the Commercial Bank to the left. Bennett Street can be seen in the top left corner.
Don:
As you can see, the B&W photo is a real shocker, but I feel I managed to push it into a workable image, that shows a lot of detail.
The structure of the Star Theatre can really be seen in this shot.
All of a sudden, the old photographs taken from the screen area pointing back to the audience, make a lot more sense now.
Posted 15-March 2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/330681
Buscall Collection
Date: 01-08-1928
Don:
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.
Looks like he is at work here. A telephone, and what appears to be specialized drawing desk in front of him. A small box marked "PATHe" at his finger tips.
This appears to be his version of "The Office".
The story goes that he fell and broke his back while trying to break back into Fannie Bay Goal, where he resided at the time.
He was a cripple for the rest of his life, and came up with many new innovative ideas, such as the popular Curio Cottage in Smith near Peel Street Darwin.
Kerry Mark - And the real story.
19-March-2022 See Newspaper clips.
Kerry Mark - Jack's Great Grand Daughter
16-March-2022
Picture taken inside Curio Cottage. He ran the shop and all his other businesses from this position. He had a typewriter there also and he was an avid writer…often describing what it felt like lying in that bed under the hot tin roof in summer and how he felt about the people who tried to pilfer his goods, various helpers/staff, visitors, the lead up to the war etc…just one man’s account and life in OLD Darwin.
Posted 16-March 2022
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https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+10119
Survey camp 1873, stables, etc at Fort Hill [also at B 46850].
Collection: Part of Darwin Collection
Bottom of Hughes Avenue.
Posted 17-March 2022
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Photo Source: Unknown
Darwin Races Fannie Bay 1915
A range of Pith Helmets and white suits for the men, and all ladies have very interesting fascinators.
A few digger's hats can be seen. BUT everybody, I mean everybody, has a hat.
The crowd has changed just a little bit.
Photo Source: NT News.
Posted 19-March 2022
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https://territorystories.nt.gov.au/10070/459186
Foelsche Photograph Album
The BAT (British Australia Telegraph Co.) buildings on the Esplanade.
It appears this photo was taken from Government House Grounds.
Posted 20-March 2022
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https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+1435/4/93
Photographer Nicholas, R. P
Subject World War, 1939-1945 - Aerial operations, Australian
One of the photographs from an album compiled by R.P. Nicholas, relating to his war service with the 87th Squadron, which was based at the Coomalie Creek base about 100 km south of Darwin.
Aerial photograph of Darwin oil tanks Approximately 1944
Don:
I found this photo extremely interesting but very hard to follow easily in the B&W Version.
So I took special care when I colourised it, and made it as sharp as I could possibly get, so that it could be zoomed up to 200% and still be readable.
I also flipped it 180 degrees to be more in keeping with Google Map orientation. To set it to true magnetic north, would delete possibly 35% of the image.
Perhaps what it needs are street labels to make things easier to follow. Or has someone already done this? Or is there anyone interested in doing this?
23-March-2022 - New resolution images:
A three way collaboration project by Don McKenzie, Bryan Baker, and Mick Gulovsen.
We now have a choice of medium (2500 pixels) and high (4000 pixels) resolution images.
For casual viewing, the medium resolution may suit.
You can actually have two tabs open on a PC in hi-res mode, and flick between the tabs for comparisons.
Andrew King interpreted the photo details:
The photo was taken on 6 April 1944 at 9:10 am. I think the "L" after the time might mean local time. The 12" is the focal length of the camera and the 6000 is the height in feet. All used for scaling aerial photos.
Posted 18-March 2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/736187
Collection: Percy Brown Collection
Copyright owner: Library & Archives NT
Description:
Radio operator (looks like Percy Brown) at work in the operating room, with photographs and equipment radio operators. Approx. 1919
Description Update 21-March-2022 by Don McKenzie.
Percy Brown was stationed in Darwin during the great war as a Radio Operator with the Darwin Coastal Service. This was located at the Gardens Darwin. He was an avid photographer and appears in what looks to be a Naval uniform in many other photographs. This specific shot of him gives a description that may well be incorrect. He is in uniform with a life jacket, so this could easily be the radio room of a ship at sea.
Posted 21-March 2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/331438
Peter Spillett Collection
Date Created: 28/03/1902
Description:
Captioned: "The Sand-fly after colliding with a cow." "What might easily have proved a far more serious accident occurred on the Railway line on Friday last (Good Friday by the way), when a small engine known as the 'Sandfly' in charge of Mr. W. Warman, which was engaged in hauling four trucks loaded with coal out to the 2 & a half-Mile, came to grief through colliding with a cow belonging to Mr. J. A. G. Little."
Posted 22-March 2022
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Photo Source: Robert Porter
Bank of New South Wales Darwin 1939 - 1940, but check out that old classic car in front of the bank whatever it may be.
Comments on car
Rob Gill
Late series Austin 7 wearing more than the normal amount of bodywork
Tom Carey
"Brooklands" style racer,Back story,prev. Darwjn< thread,Adelaide/Darwin.
Posted 23-March 2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/608872
George Hulme Cole Collection ;
Description:
Chinese New Year procession with men carrying the Australian and Chinese flags at the head of the procession, Cavenagh Street.
Posted 24-March 2022
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Photographer: Campbell, James Pinkerton
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/719827
Description:
Railway Goods Yard, Frances Bay Drive, Darwin. (shows horse drawn drays with loading - PF
Posted 25-March 2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/743711
F. R. Morris Collection ;
Description:
A Chinese procession with flags, cars and pedestrians.
Don:
First car is a T Model Ford.
Posted 26-March 2022
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Photographer: Buscall, J. C.
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/330603
Collection: Buscall Collection ;
Description:
Curio Cottage Garage, erected by S. Palmer, completed 30 April 1939.
Don:
I believe that the Garage was situated around the corner from Curio Cottage.
In Peel Street one door from Smith Street.
Posted 27-March 2022
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Photo Source: Kerry Mark
My nana, then Joyce Buscall .
Christmas Day at Curio Cottage 1941
Don:
Yes, it is a Christmas Party hat.
And very close to the first bombing of Darwin in Feb-1942. Life was about to change very quickly.
Cheryl:
What a beautiful lady.
Smith near Peel Street.
Check the Darwin CBD 1942 Residence Map.
Posted 28-March 2022
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