Historical information

The original postcards in this series (2013.002 to 2013.018) were generously loaned to Williamstown Botanic Gardens by a private collector for copying.

Significance

They are evidence of the interest the gardens held as a subject for postcard publishers. The text and images provide a snapshot into fashions, social interests and concerns of the time. The professionally produced images provide a pictorial history of Gardens including changing planting styles, various structures and features of the Gardens eg the aviary, cannons, the fountain, the second Curator’s Lodge and gates. The images offer an opportunity to compare garden vistas with the present day.
This postcard shows the main east-west axial path with a typical Victorian/Edwardian mown grass strip which in turn borders formal shrub beds with herbaceous plantings. The photo was taken after the Mexican Fan Palms (Washingtonia robusta) planted in 1915, which in turn were replaced with the same species in 1987.

Physical description

Sepia postcard of the Palm Avenue at the gardens looking west to a white statue on a plinth. The statue is of Williamstown MLA, Alfred Thomas Clark. Palms and shrubs line both sides of the path and trees can be seen behind the statue. The shadows of the plantings are across the path.

Inscriptions & markings

Front: VALENTINE’S, M.360 PALM AVENUE WILLIAMSTOWN GARDENS MELBOURNE, VICTORIA. REAL PHOTO.
Reverse: vertical on left side of card and underlined: ‘Published by the Valentine & Sons Publishing Co. Ltd. / Melbourne. Sydney & Brisbane’. Top centre of card: Contains logo of ‘VALENTINES / REAL PHOTO SERIES / POSTCARD’. There is a red two penny Australian Postage stamp on the top right hand corner. The address of the sender is 1 Railway Place, Williamstown and the card is addressed to Mr and Mrs Nayler (?) in Footscray. The remaining writing unable to be deciphered