HENRY SMERDON (Harry) HOLMES was born in 1897 at the family property, ’Sauchieburn’, 17 km north of Ballarat, in the Ascot district. He was the youngest of four children. After finishing his education at St Patrick’s College, Ballarat, Henry joined the Holmes family farming interests. At the age of 18 he enlisted and served with AIF in Egypt, France and Belgium 1915-1918. Henry served at the famous battlegrounds of Ypes and Somme in the Australian Army 8th Battalion. He was a Driver with the 4th D.A.C. The postcard is of "The Ascot" boys. Includes [Samuel] Gordon Spittle, Henry [Harry] Holmes's first cousin, and other Ascot lads and district connections: neighbours, Ascot State School classmates and football mates from Clunes / Creswick districts. [Research by a granddaughter of Henry Smerdon Holmes, Jane Dyer (nee Chatham) 2024] Ray Blight and Gordon Les Sim were former students of the Ballarat School of Mines. Les Sim was associated with Sim and Co. hardware and wood merchants). Eight soldiers of the AIF. They are the tent mates of Harry Holmes a Driver with the 5th D.A.C. The names of the soldiers are John Raymond (Ray) Blight, Joseph Fawcett, John Joseph (Jack) Nase, Gordon Spittle, Harry Holmes, Harold Joseph Reid, James Leslie (Les) Sim, Leslie John Walters. handwritten in pen on verso "This is a snap of our tent mates. Reading left to right. Back row, Jack Nase, Joe Fawcett, H. Reid. Middle - Les Walters, Ray Blight, Gordon Les Sim, (Sim and Co wood merchants) and Harryworld war 1, chatham, jack nase, chatham family archive, joe fawcett, h. reid, blight, sim, les walters, ray blight, gordon les sim, pickford, world war, gordon spittle, harry holmes, les sim, horace pickford, world war one, aif, armed services

THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS OF 1939 CENTENARY OF CLUNES STREET PARADE, BLACK AND WHITE HORSES , WITH RIDERS IN FANCY DRESS.BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH OF PARADE OF HORSES AND PEOPLE IN SERVICE ST. CLUNES, VICTORIAA. ARNOLD TIMBER MERCHANTlocal history, photography, photographs, shops, auction mart, events and celebrations, back to clunes

.1 PAINTING OF A COTTAGE WITH PICKET FENCE AND FRONT GARDEN OF THE HILL STREET HOME .2 OVAL PHOTOGRAPH OF LOUISA SWAINSON .3 PHOTOGRAPH OF JOHN SWAINSON .4 HANDWRITTEN LETTER :DEAR SIR OR MADAM PLEASE FIND ENCLOSED PHOTO OF LOUISA SWAINSON NEE WORLEY. SHE WAS A NURSE AT HOSPITAL. THE SECOND WIFE OF JOHN SWAINSON..THEY HAD 3 CHILDREN. A PAINTING OF THE HILL STREET HOME, BY THE YOUNGEST DAUGHTER RUBY. SHE MARRIED A WELSH MERCHANT MARINE SAILOR. FOR MANY YEARS THEY LIVED ON THE ROAD UP TO TH MITCHELL'S PROPERTY. AFTER LOUISA PASSED AWAY (JOHN'S FIRST WIFE DIED AFTER GIVING BIRTH TO 4 CHILDREN) ALSO ENCLOSED IS A HANDPAINTED PHOTO OF JOHN SWAISON. ALSO HIS DETAILS WHICH WERE SENT TO UK FOR THE PAINTING. ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER HAS INFORMED US ACTUALLY JOHN'S NAME WAS SVENSON. HE CHANGED IT WHEN HE JUMPED SHIP IN SYDNEY ON HEARING THAT GOLD HAD BEEN FOUND IN CLUNES. .3 ON THE BACK : HANDWRITTEN ON TOP: THIS PICTURE IS TO GO TO AUSTRALIA AND AS IT CANNOT COME BACK FOR ALTERATIONS PLEASE SEE THAT THE PROOF IS FOLLOWED IN THE MIDDLE A GLUED ON DAMAGED PIECE OF PAPER HANDWRITTEN - EYES: HAZEL, WHITE STREAKED WITH BLOOD VEINS HAIR, WHISKERS AND BEARD: DARK BROUN ALMOST BLACK DREE DARK 23/2/80 ON THE BOTTOM A RECTANGLE PIECE OF PAPER GLUED ON AND TYPED THIS PICTURE IS TO GO TO AUSTRALIA AND AS IT CANNOT COME BACK FOR ALTERATIONS PLEASE SEE THAT THE PROOF IS FOLLOWED EYES HAZEL WHITE STREAKED SLIGHT WITH BLOOD VEINS HAIR WHISKERS AND BEARD DARK BROWN ALMOST BLACK DRESS DARKjohn swainson, louisa swainson, worley, john svenson