In 1832 William McGeoch & Co., Ltd was established, by William McGeoch senior at 113 Argyle St Glasgow as hardware merchants and exporters, and later were manufacturers of lamps and electrical fittings for ship, railway and domestic use. In the 1900s the company had expanded and had offices at 28 West Campbell Street Glasgow with a factory and warehouse located at the Warwick Works, 46 Coventry Rd, Birmingham. In 1922 the company had expanded and were employing 400 to 500 people. William seniors three sons had joined their father in establishing the business around 1888. The business was run by William McGeoch senior with Williams three sons Alexander, William and Andrew also taking an active part in the day to day running of the company. The company had expanded to such a degree that they were now manufacturing a variety of ships' hardware. This included metal cabin furnishings, signal lamps, ships' oil and candle lamps, motor lamps, switches, switchboards, electrical accessories and fittings. In 1982 William McGeoch & Co., Ltd was acquired by Bowthorpe Holdings Ltd.A lamp made by a significant manufacturer of marine equipment that made fittings for many famous ships including the Titanic.Marine oil Lamp with glass panels. Front panel missing. Access through glass panel door at side flat metal back. Metal fuel reservoir and no burner. Metal rounded chimney on top. Embossed McGeogh Maker Glasgowwarrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, lamp, ships lamp, wm mc geoch ltd, hardware merchants, ships outfitters

This leaflet was a promotion tool of the Warrnambool business, Swintons Pty Ltd. It was used to insert stamps given by the firm when goods were purchased. When the pages were filled with 200 stamps the owner was given two shillings and sixpence in cash. It was a reward to the regular customer. William and Ann Swinton migrated to Australia in 1854 and for a decade William Swinton worked as a builder and carpenter in the Warrnambool area. In 1865 he opened a store in Timor Street, Warrnambool selling groceries, hardware, glassware and china. By 1888 the business was known as William Swinton and Sons. Branch stores were opened in Cudgee, Nullawarre, Wangoom, West Warrnambool and South Warrnambool. After William Swinton’s death, his son, Robert, became the first managing director of Swintons Pty Ltd. In 1934 the business split, with George Swinton and Sons selling furnishings, clothing and glassware and Swintons Pty Ltd selling groceries, seeds, produce and hardware. Today the Swinton family still operates a furniture and bedding store in Timor Street. This leaflet is of interest as an example of the advertising practices carried out by the firm of Swintons Pty Ltd, an important business in Warrnambool for many years. The current Swinton business in Timor Street, Warrnambool is the oldest family business in Warrnambool and, with the name Swinton associated with Timor Street businesses for 152years, it is amongst the oldest family businesses in Australia.This is a leaflet with a grey cover and four pages inside. The cover has dark blue printing and the pages have black printing and are ruled into 15 spaces. There are over 100 blue stamps stuck onto the ruled spaces. The cover is tattered at the edges and one stamp is loose.‘Swintons Pty Ltd Timor Street Warrnambool Provision, Seed and Hardware Merchants Blue Cash Coupons Bank Book’ swinton family businesses, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

Invoice dated 25/01/1960 from A. R. Ham - Hardware Merchant - to Miss Prout for the sum of 4 pounds, 9 shillings and 6 pence.business, retail, a. r. ham

This booklet comes from the Warrnambool business of Swintons Pty Ltd. It is a booklet used to affix coupons issued to customers of the business who received one coupon for every shilling spent in the Swintons store (buying groceries, dairy produce or ironmongery). When the booklet was filled with 200 stamps then the customer received five shillings in cash. William and Ann Swinton migrated to Australia in 1854 and for a decade William Swinton worked as a builder and carpenter in the Warrnambool area, erecting many buildings, including the Wangoom Presbyterian Church. In 1865 he opened a store in Timor Street, Warrnambool selling groceries, glassware, china and hardware. By 1888 the business was known as William Swintons and Sons. Branch stores were opened at Cudgee, Nullawarre, Wangoom, West Warrnambool and South Warrnambool. After William Swinton died his son Robert became the first managing director of Swintons Pty Ltd. In 1934 the business split, with George Swinton and Sons selling furnishings, clothing and glassware and Swintons Pty Ltd selling seeds, produce and hardware. Today the Swinton family still operates a furniture and bedding store in Timor Street. This booklet is of interest as an example of the promotional tools used by Swintons Pty Ltd in the mid 20th century. The current Swinton business in Timor Street is the oldest family business in Warrnambool and, with the name Swinton associated with businesses in Timor Street for 152 years it is amongst the oldest family businesses in Australia. This is a blue-coloured booklet used as a promotional tool by Swintons Pty Ltd of Warrnambool. There is blue printing on the front and back of the booklet and space on the back for the name of the owner of the booklet. It contains eight pages with spaces on each page to affix 25 blue adhesive coupons or stamps. The pages are stapled. There are 200 coupons affixed to the pages. A couple of the coupons are torn. Front Cover: Swintons Pty Ltd Timor Street Warrnambool Provision, Seed and Hardware Merchants Blue Cash Coupons Bank Book Coupons: Swintons Cash Coupon 1/- Groceries swinton family warrnambool, history of warrnambool

Set of three Black and white negative by Wal Jack of Q148 and Q192 in the yard at Camberwell Depot, 19/1/1941. In the background is a building advertising Castrol Oil, Dunlop tyres and Shell petrol and D&J Evans Hardware Merchants.trams, tramways, camberwell depot, q class, tram 148, tram 192

R J Russell operated a timber and hardware store in Koroit Street Warrnambool around the 1950’s. He succeeded from Newcombe Pty Ltd which had operated a timber and hardware store on the site (the present Target store) from the 1870’s. The business continued to trade under the Newcombe name after the death of Newcombe around 1900.A common well used item with links to a local business.Wooden yard ruler with markings in one eigthth inch measurements and numbered in inches. Text written in black on both sides.On front side: J Russell Pty Ltd. Timber and hardware merchants 148 Koroit Street Warrnambool. Phone 22. On reverse: Fencing materials, general hardware, paints, oils , Glass. Contractors or builders. Phone 22r j russell warrnambool, newcombe pty ltd warrnambool, timber yards warrnambool

Off-white coloured calling card with black printing - C. S. Green & Son HARDWARE MERCHANTS 368 Post Office Melbourne Represented by (handwriting)W J Lee Calling about (handwriting) Mon 10th Wed121th Mch 1919 c. s. green & son, hardware merchnts, w j lee

Agfa Colour slide, cardboard, by Keith Caldwell dated 13-3-1962 of ex Sydney Scrubber climbing the Elizabeth St hill to the Haymarket roundabout. Tram in the green colour scheme. Has in the background the F. Dank's hardware merchants building in the background.In ink "Car 11 13-3-1962"trams, tramways, elizabeth st, scrubber tram, work trams

Invoices to Bendigo Historical Society when in Dudley House; A.R. Ham Hardware Merchant, 21/09/1973; Favaloro's Pastry Cooks Caterers, 24/11/1973; Kerr's Home of Sport & Cycles, 08/11/1973; Bartram & Bartram Furniture Removalists, 25/09/1974

Letter paper printed in dark blue on cream paper. Printed letterhead, W. J. G. Bloomfield, Machinery & Hardware Merchant, City Family Buildings, 51 High Street, Bendigo. The left edge of the page lists the merchandise available and Local Agent for Ingersoll-Rand (Aust.) Pty. Ltd.business, printers, cambridge press, cambridge press collection, w j g bloomfield, city family buildings, ingersoll-rand (aust.) pty ltd

Letter paper from Langley & Plumbe, Hardware Merchants, Plumbers, 172-4 Mundy Street, Bendigo. Date line ends 193-. Printed letterhead with the name, first name has three red lines through it. Picture of a bath below the name Langley. Down the left edge of the page is a logo, Certified M.M.B.W., and their specialities.business, printers, cambridge press, cambridge press collection, langley & plumbe, m.m.b.w.

Cheque with cheque butt attached and date line ending 192-. A. Meurers Pty. Ltd. Bendigo. Hardware Merchants. Sewerage Contractors printed at the top of cheque. Decorative background and an illustration of Meurers Patented Hygienic Glass Washer. The Bank of New South Wales, Bendigo printed in the centre. Decorative work along the left edge with Cambridge Press Print beside it. Printed in grey and black with red Not Negotiable across the centre.business, printers, cambridge press, cambridge press collection, a meurers pty ltd, the bank of new south wales bendigo, cambridge press, meurers patented hygenic glass washer

This was manufactured by Doulton at their Burslem factory at Stoke-On-Trent in England and imported by Feldheim Gotthelf & Co who were hardware merchants and importers in Sydney. The registered design number 188386 dates the item to 1892. The platter features an Australian theme showing Australian native flowers in 'Wattle' pattern. White rectangular platter. It has a slightly wavy edge with the brown 'wattle' design bordering around the outside of the platter.Marked DOULTON BURSLEM, ENGLAND WATTLE Rg No 188386. Below this is F C & Co. SYDNEY domestic items, platter

Pink Manilla Folder containing: General Correspondance Letters to and from suppliers of machinery and parts e.g. Electricity Supply Departments, Fred Milne & Son (Engineers), Thompsons Engineering & Pipe Co.Ltd, Miller & Co Machinery Pty Ltd, Alfred J Jorgenson, Bingle Machinery Co, The Richardson Gears Pty Ltd, Buckell & Jeffrey Pty Ltd, Commercial Union Assuarance Company Limited, Bendigo Machinery & Trading Co Pty Ltd, Ronaldson Bros & Tippett Pty Ltd (including a picture of a drawlift pump), J.G. Bloomfield, Ronaldson - Tippett list of 4583 Machines in Victoria & addfor crude oil engine, A.H McDonald & Co Pty Ltd & ad for crude oil engine, E Treliving letter & list of second hand materials for sale, J. Edwards-Retallack Machinery Manufacturers Representative, Hume & Iser Pty Ltd Timber & Hardware Merchants, Bendigo Timber Co Timber & Hardware Merchants, markings read 'Cent. Napoleon G.M.Co N.L Machinery', Correspondance dating from 16 July 1934 - 26 October 1950.organization, business, industrial - mining, mccoll rankin & stanistreet, mining, gold mining, central napoleon

Stiff & Gannon was a major retail outlet and employer in Wodonga from August 1946 until 28 February 1970.Local significance as Stiff & Gannon was a major retail outlet and employer in Wodonga from the mid 1940s.Purchase order book used for accounting by Stiff & Gannon, Hardware and Grocery Merchants, Wodonga and embossed business envelopes printed in red ink.Envelope Proper Right Top corner: "STIFF & GANNON/ HARDWARE/ SPORTING GOODS/ KITCHENWARE/ THE BIG BRIGHT STORE/ WODONGA". Envelope Proper Right Lower Corner: If not delivered in 7 days please return to/ Post Office Box 146, Wodonga, Vic, 3690" business, high street wodonga, general store, stiff and gannon

10934.37a: A small, rectangular piece of paper printed with the headed and body printed in black ink. the header reads: bought of Ray Thomson. Hardware Merchant, builders and plumbers supplies. 142 Myers Street, Bendigo Telephone 2466 After hours 1634 Handwritten in grey lead pencil, the receipt is dated 24 Sep 1953. price of items is not listed. 10934.37b: Belltopper Hill Egg Farm A small, square piece of paper printed with the body printed in black ink. the red, printed header reads: Belltopper Hill Egg Farm. Day-old chicks, hatching eggs, started pullets. A. & H. Bolton. Proprietors. Distributors. P.O. Box 77 Phone 957 and 927 Handwritten in grey lead pencil, the receipt is dated 7 Jan 1944 price of items is listed in pounds: 1 pound, 19 shillings, 5 pence. There is a large blue X in the centre of the page. 10934.37c: A small, rectangular piece of paper printed with the header and body printed in black ink. the header reads: bought of Ray Thomson. Hardware Merchant, builders and plumbers supplies. 142 Myers Street, Bendigo Telephone 2466 After hours 1634 Handwritten in grey lead pencil, the receipt is dated 11 Sep 1953. price of items is not listed.ac morton, ray thomson hardware merchant, belltopper hill egg farm

Mr Arthur Dunstan established a sawmill at Glen Wills in 1931 which operated for about 16 years. A larger and more modern sawmill with drying kilns was erected at Eskdale in 1947. He was contracted to build Wodonga’s municipal saleyards in 1935, followed by the Wangaratta saleyards which created so many forward orders that he bought a large block of land on the corner of Beechworth and Tallangatta Roads and opened a timber mill and hardware store. In 1974 other sawmills opened in Tallangatta Road near Chapple Street to cope with the expanding business. A large proportion of the company’s timber output was processed at the Wodonga yards into flooring, weatherboards, mouldings, and practically the whole output was distributed locally and throughout the Riverina and eastern freeboard of New South Wales, and Canberra. At its peak Dunstan’s was one of the biggest sawmilling businesses in Victoria and in Wodonga employed 150 people and milled 16,000,000 super feet of timber annually. Arthur Dunstan died in 1963 and the business was carried on by his sons Arthur Jr, Jack and Les, together with Reg McDermott and Neil Carr. Dunstan’s timber yards in Wodonga were sold to Ezard Industries in 1987 with the retail section being bought by BBC Hardware. Hardy’s took over the timber yard in 1989 and staff was gradually reduced to 51 by 1991. Processing fell to 1000-1200 tonnes of pine a month by 1992 and Hardy’s, by then part of Pacific Dunlop, finally closed operations in that year with the loss of the remaining 27 jobs. The area where Dunstan’s was located is now known as Southside.A black and white photo of a retail buildinga and workshopOn shopfront: DUNSTAN A & SONS HARDWARE JOINERY & TIMBER MERCHANTS RICKSHAW MAGICOLOR We stock and recommend HARDIES FIBROLITE SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAINT FINISHESdunstan's hardware wodonga, wodonga businesses, dunstan's timber

Copy of a piece about Richard Hartley Smith Abbott. Abbott was born in Bendigo. He was a hardware merchant, it operated as Abbot Supply Co. He was a director of the Bendigo gas Co, Sandhurst Building Society and Sandhurst Trustees Co. He also helped pioneer tanning in Australia and he had his tannery in Mandurang. He served on the Strathfieldsaye Council and later the Bendigo City Council. He was elected to the Legislative Council in 1907 and in 1932 served as a Senator. In 1887 he was on the committee to establish an art gallery. He served on the School of Mines Council. In 1910, he attended a meeting about Miners' Phthisis in Bendigo. He invested in the Bendigo mines and his firm was a major supplier of various hardware for the mining companies. There is also a photo.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - richard hartley smith abbott, parliamentary library, abbott supply co, bendigo gas co, sandhurst building society, sandhurst trustees co, strathfieldsaye council, bendigo city council, art gallery, school of mines council, miners' phthisis

Document, Hume & Iser Pty. Ltd.,Timber , Hardware and Iron Merchants Charleston St Bendigo Hardware store 67 Pall mall Invoice (dated 28.2.1970) and Receipt (dated 21.3.1970) for Mr. M.L.King.143 Olinda Street, Bendigo,3550.document, hume & iser

Two guides or leaflets: 1. A Cherry Growing in Victoria Bulletin 67 from The Department of Agriculture, Victoria, Australia. Pp. 24. It has full details and photographs for cherry growing contributed by several writers. Advertisements for agriculture are inside the front and back covers. Price 3D. is printed towards the bottom of the front cover. 2. A very damaged four page leaflet titled, Fruit Spraying Guide for the Home Gardener compiled by two contributors, (Reprinted from The Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Victoria.) It has several tables for various fruits, diseases, symptoms and treatment. (It is reprinted from The Journal of the department of Agriculture, Victoria.) Two Invoices are included in this entry: 1. F.W. Britton & Son Timber and Hardware Merchants. Invoice No. 2441 12 June 1948 for three items sold. 2. An account Sales Note Barrow Bros. Commission Agency Proprietary Limited Produce & Dairy Produce merchants and Manufacturers in Melbourne. Four items were sold, plus cartage on 23.3.50.non-fictionThe Cherry Growing in Victoria booklet and Fruit Spraying Guide for the Home Gardener leaflet were useful for understanding how to grow the local produce in Victorian conditions at the time. dockets, receipts, sales records, leaflets, information sheets, information booklets, instruction leaflets, fruit growing, fruit pests

various 1905 (Jul to Dec) company letterhead receipts from Melbourne companies, which J.H. Abbott used to access supplies of gelignite and fuses 2403.90 (A to GI Abbott Collection: Jul to Dec 1905: records and receipts for purchases of gelignite and fuses by J.H. Abbott & Co. from a wide range of generally Melbourne based companies 2403.90A: 6 invoices from Briscoe & Company & Limited, Wholesale Ironmonger & Hardware Merchants, Melbourne 2403.90B: 13 invoices from Perks Bros. & Co., Indentors & Importers, 31 Queen St Melbourne 2403.90C:6 invoices from Morris & Meeks, Melbourne 2403.90D: 27 invoices and credit notes from Richard Linton, Queen's Bridge, Melbourne 2403.90E: 24 invoices from Gibbs, Bright & Co. Melbourne 2403.90F: 19 invoices from The Australian Explosives & Chemicals Compy. Ltd., 138 Queen Str, Melbourne 2403.90G: 6 invoices from Bickford, Smith & Co., 99 Queen Str, Melbourne 2403.90H: 23 invoices from Dalgety and Company Limited, 461-471 Bourke Str, Melbourne 2403.90I: 30 invoices from McMicking & Co., 381 Little Collins Str, Melbournetrade company 1905, gelignite oproviders

The money till was used in the Stiff & Gannon General Store, Hardware, Draper and Grocery Merchants in High Street, Wodonga, which opened in August 1946 and closed on 28 February 1970.Local significance as Stiff & Gannon was a major retail outlet and employer in Wodonga from the mid 1940s. A wooden money till with two drawers. The bottom drawer has a metal handle and both drawers are lockable. Paper slot in lid for invoices"TRADE Docket Co. MARK / DOCKET BOOK Co. [AUST] /DISTRIBUTORS FOR W.A." on a plaque attached to one end of the top surface.business, hardware, drapery, wodonga, stiff & gannon, general store

32 invoices from Jan to Dec 1918, from a range of businesses; addressed to J.H. Abbott & Co. Abbott Collection: 32 invoices from Jan to Dec 1918, from a range of businesses; addressed to J.H. Abbott & Co. J.H. Abbott & Co. Bendigo invoice The State Assurance Co Ltd (of Liverpool) - 2 renewal receipts The British imperial Oil Co. Ltd. - 2 invoices & receipts The Lion Rolling Mills - 4 invoices & receipts McPhersons Pty. Ltd. - 2 invoices & receipts Miller & Co. Pty. Ltd. - 2 invoices & receipts George Russell, 454-460 Flinders Str Melbourne. - 3 invoices & receipts Ullathorne Hartridge Co. Ltd. invoice The Dunlop Rubber Co. of AUS. Ltd. - 3 invoices & receipts The Dalgety Company Limited - 2 receipted invoices Guthridge & Co. invoice The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria correspondence Eliza Tinsley, steel merchants Melbourne - invoice The Australian Explosives and Chemical Company Limited invoice & receipt The Gair Manufacturing Co. - 2 invoices & receipt C. S. Green & Son, 368-370 Post Office Place, Melbourne, hardware merchants' invoice Barnet Glass Rubber Co. Ltd. - receipted invoice C. Harper, saddle & harness Manufacturer & Importer, Bath Corner, Charing Cross, Bendigo - invoiceabbott, invoices

Various (July to Dec) 1904 company letterhead invoices which have supplied predominantly gelignite and fuses to J.H. Abbott .Abbott Collection: July to Dec 1904: records and receipts for purchases gelignite, fuses, etc.; by J.H. Abbott & Co from a wide range of generally Melbourne based companies: 2403.89a five invoices from Bickford, Smith & Co. gelignite and fuses, from 31 July to 30 Nov 1904 2403.89b five invoices from Morris & Meeks, Melbourne, gelignite, from 1 Aug to 1 Dec 1904 2403.89c 33 invoices from Gibbs, Bright & Co., gelignite, from 27 Jun to 24 Dec 1904 2403.89d 17 invoices from Richard Linton, gelatine dynamite, from 7 Jul to 31 Dec 1904 2403.89e 24 invoices from McMicking & Co., from 2 Jul to 30 Dec 1904 2403.89f 21 invoices from Perks Bros. & Co., from 27 Jul to 31 Dec 1904 2403.89g 27 invoices from Dalgety and Company Limited, from 21 Jul to 31 Dec 1904 2403.89g 11 invoices from Briscoe & Company Limited, Wholesale Ironmongers & Hardware Merchants, from 25 Oct 1904 to 30 Dec 1904 2403.89h 27 invoices from Dalgety and Company Limited, from 21 Jil to 31 Dec 1904 2403.89i 36 invoices from Australian Explosives and Chemicals Compy. Ltd, from 1 Jul to 31 Dec 1904trade company invoices 1904, j h abbott

Documents and copies of photos related to various Cornish enterprises in Bendigo: a. Line drawing (faint) of foundry owned by the Roberts family (Mitchell, Wills and King streets); b. copy of article from unknown source re United Iron Works with details of the firm and Roberts principals - William Roberts, Abraham Roberts and Arthur Roberts - with copies of photographic portraits (Bartlett Bros.) - bad copy with LH side of text partly illegible; c. copy of article titled 'Goyne's Battery Gratings re John Goyne and history of the business (submitted by person living at ''Rosemundy'', Goynes Road, Epsom - Goyne's home then on 20 acres); d. Photograph of old Robinson photo of Bendigo Stamper Grating Factory, Epsom and five men posed in front of large timber building (badly cut photo with LH edge missing. original photo (9 x 13) of ''Former Bendigo Cornish Fuse Factory'' (handwritten inscription on reverse) taken in recent times (hint - car in driveway); f. copy from un-named book of J Nankervis's Ham and Bacon Curing Factory, Golden Square - drawing of the establishment and a photos of winning display of small goods at the Bendigo Show (no date); g. copy from un-named book of photo of premises of A J Williams, Lily and McKenzie Streets - wooden structure with sign indicating Hardware Merchants and ??Mines Furnisher?? , showing three horse-driven small wagons (delivery?); h. copy of photo of Cornish store(1880s) at White Hills - mention of Frederick Stuckenschmidt (married Miss Mary Smith), William Mathews (original owner?) - corner brick building with family posed outside alongside horse and light cart;. reproduction of exhibit in Bendigo Spring Show, 1915 , the ''Made in Bendigo Exhibition'' - first prize awarded to Messrs H M Legg & Co. Progress Jams, preserves, tomato sauce, tomatoes products, candied peels etc. (folded and small tear).bendigo, buildings, early bendigo businesses, bendigo stamper grating factory. epsom. j. nankervic ham and bacon curing establishment. golden square. bendigo cornish fuse factory. cornish stores. messrs h. m. leggo and co. abraham roberts. arthur roberts. william roberts. goyne's battery gratings.

Miss Olive Codling was a Foundation Member and a Life Member of the Wodonga Historical Society. Many of her prize-winning photos are held in the Society Collection. She also held a range of roles and committee positions in a wide range of Wodonga community organisations. These included the Horticultural Society, the Wodonga Arts Council, the Wodonga Camera Club and the Wodonga Lapidary Club. Stiff & Gannon General Store, Hardware, Draper and Grocery Merchants was located in High Street, Wodonga. The business opened in August 1946 and closed on 28 February 1970. This photo collection is significant as it documents how the businesses and buildings in Wodonga have evolved and contributed to community throughout the 20th century. A black and white of Stiff & Gannon in High Street, Wodonga taken February 1970.wodonga businesses, high st wodonga, stiff & gannon

Black and white photograph of Abbott's in Bendigo Arcade, looking from Hargreaves St (now Mall) towards Pall Mall. Inscriptions in image: 'J H Abbot & Co, Boots, shoes, cheapest in Bendigo, Bennett's Arcade Stores, Fancy Goods' In margin at BRC 'V! 593.9'. Interesting photo showing fashions of the fifties and an idea of goods available through hardward and general merchants which would be similar to many others. Arcade ran from where 'Katies' are now in Pall Mall to Pall Mall (near the Beehive Building). On back: one third up on RHC in ink 'Bendigo Arcade, A Doney' Number 55 in top LHC History of object: Historic arcade opened c.1892. Demolished c.1960. Hargreaves Street end occupied by hardware and general merchant George Bennetts. Photograph Bendigo Advertiser 4.7.2000.Allan Doneyplace, arcade, bendigo arcade

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