Henry Beater Christian (1886-1962) , was a descendant of one of the earliest settler families in Kew. Employed at the Kew Asylum as a 'public servant', he was a skilled amateur photographer, photographing numerous scenes in Kew and on his travels around Victoria. The majority of his photographs date from 1916 to 1929. His finest photographs are housed in two photograph albums. Digital copy of a photograph from page 23 of the 47-page photograph album containing 261 gelatinous silver images, loaned by Diane Washfold with permission given to digitise and hold a copy in our collection. In the 1920s, the photographer travelled throughout Victoria, including on the west coast from Port Campbell to Port Fairy. Trips were presumably made by train and by foot. Lynda Tieman and her team at the Port Fairy Historical Society were able to identify a number of Henry Christian's photographs of Port Fairy, of which this is one. The scene is of Boarding School Beach at Port Fairy and of bathing boxes on the stone reef.henry beater christian (1886-1962), landscape photography, christian-washfold collection, photograph albums, port fairy (vic.), boarding school beach

Bathing Boxes - South Beach. One of several versions as they were washed away during big stormsBlack and white photograph of Boarding School Bay looking south east showing bathing boxes on the right and in the background what maybe the boarding school on the far hillJ.L.Fox Hairdresser and Tobacconist Port fairy Hattams retunour?beach, boarding school bay, south beach, pea soup, bathing boxes, reefs, rocks, ocean, sea, boarding school

Black and white photograph of the South beach with the Bathing boxes and swings in the centre middle ground and six people walking across the the sand in the foreground taken for use as a postcardBathing boxes and Beach Port Fairybeach, bathing boxes, south beach, pea soup, boarding school bay, swings, ocean, sea

Marram grass (1st year) South Beach about 1884 planted to stop the erosion of the sand dunes having been stripped of all the tea tree and native grass cover, the tea tree bark being used for tanning leatherBlack and white Photograph of the dunes above Boarding School Bay sewn with Marram grass Marram grass (1st year) South Beach about 1884marram grass, south beach, agriculture, dunes

This card was probably used as an advertisement. (The Stag built 1848-1853.Land was purchased from Atkinson to build a licensed premises, it later became a boarding house also a boarding school now is used mainly as accommodation and also a Restaurant )Black and white photograph of a drawing of Seacombe House as Port Fairy College with large descriptionPort Fairy College (Boys and Girls) G.W.Ratten Headmaster. I qualified success in all kinds of examinations. Ninety five per cent passes obtained. Over 100 pupils already passed. Commercial classes a speciality. All the educational advantages combined with the pleasures of the seaside, bathing, shelling, beaches & c. Perfect climate. The Sanatorium of Victoria. Delicate pupils especially cared forhotel, stag, seacombe, inn, boarding school, sackville street, cox street

The first year planting of Marrum Grass on Boarding School Bay dunes to stop the erosion of the sand caused by denuding the dunes of the scrubby tea tree that would have covered the dunes. They cut the tea trees down to use for tanning animal hides for leather and clothing rare photograph of the first years progress of the planting of marrum grass on the dunes of Boarding School Bay to halt the sand drift caused by the removal of tea trees.black and white photograph of the newly planted Marram Grass on the dunes at South Beachhandwritten: About 1884 See also 10.00.002 --- W.H.Storey - Marrum Grass. 1st Year. Boarding School Bay. Port Fairybotanical, marrum grass, boarding school bay, samuel avery