Historical information

This album contains photographs of a family, (the Horns of ‘Wildwood’, Warrnambool) and other photographs of Warrnambool – the foreshore, the Soldiers’ Memorial, the Breakwater, the Hopkins River, Liebig and Timor Streets etc. It has been made by a member of the Horn family and given as a Christmas present to other members of the family. Charles James Horn came to Australia in 1881and was a tutor to the Barber family of ‘Staywood Park’, Wangoom. He and his wife Emma then worked a property at Cudgee before settling in Warrnambool at ‘Wildwood’ in North Warrnambool. One of their sons, Charles Bernard Horn married Margaret Cairns in 1916 but died in 1927. Another son, Leslie, was killed in World War One.

Significance

This little album is of great interest because it contains photographs of the Horn family and other photographs of views in Warrnambool. It is therefore of considerable historical interest and will be very useful to researchers. As it is a handmade item it is also of interest because it is an example of the sort of homemade items made as presents at a time (the late 1920s) when finances for something more expensive may not have been available.

Physical description

These are two items which are believed to be linked. One is an envelope marked ‘C.J. Horn, Wildwood, Warrnambool’ and the other is a blue-covered homemade album of photographs bound with red wool. The front cover has ‘Warrnambool’ written in red ink and the back of the front cover is stamped ‘Ralph Barnes, Chemist, Warrnambool’. There are 22 sepia-coloured photographs of a family (the Horns) and other views of Warrnambool. All have a label on the back. The back page of the cover has an advertisement for ‘Seltona’ self-toning paper.

Inscriptions & markings

‘Warrnambool’
‘7 sheets glossy Seltona’ collodion self-toning paper containing gold, Sole Manufacturers, Wellington and Ward, Elstree, Herts.’
‘From us both to you both, Wishing you a Happy Christmas and a Glad New Year’.