Historical information
Top photo: The property 'Golden Glen', home of photographer, Albert Jones. At the right of the photo is an apple orchard over the other side of Watery Gully creek. The middle building in the photo is still standing, located on Wattle Glen - Kangaroo Ground Road between Pretty Hill Lane and Millers Road (Melway 271 A6) but on the opposite side of the road.
Bottom photo: The Wattle Glen General Store in this photo was located at the same intersection as the present Wattle Glen General Store (cnr of Reynolds Road and Kangaroo Ground Road) but on the diagonally opposite corner.
[Comment from Valda via Victorian Collections June 11, 2018]
"The addition to the store on the left, and the building at the back, were not part of the store/post office owned by the Keenan's. They were added by Mr and Mrs Alan (Janet) Frencham's in the ?mid-1950s."
See also EDHS_03112:
See Ref: EDHS_03112
A WINDOW ON THE PAST by Roger Sanders, The Sun, Wednesday, Auguist 11, 1976, pp 38-39
A fascinating window has been opened on the early life of the Eltham district.
It is a rare collection of 3,000 perfectly preserved glass plate photograph negatives.
The collection is the work of the late Albert Jones, a Diamond Creek orchardist and amateur photographer.
About 500 of the negatives have been printed and 100 are on display at Gallery 4, Eltham, as part of the Eltham Festival," which started on Friday.
They capture in fine detail rural and village life around Eltham, Hurstbridge, Kangaroo Ground, Yarra Glen and Diamond Valley from 1900 to 1930.
While the natural beauty of the district was painted in this period by Arthur Streeton (later Sir Arthur), Tom Roberts and Charles Conder, among others, photography was relatively new.
Yet Albert Jones used the new medium to compile a weighty album of pioneers at work, at home, at sport and on holidays.
He was at the first Yarra Glen race meeting, early Diamond Valley football matches and photographed soldiers from the district leaving for war.
He photographed early gold mines, men with horses laying the Diamond Creek-Hurstbridge rail track and the arrival of the first steam train at Hurstbridge.
He took his cameras on holiday around Victoria and the collection includes scenes from St. Kilda and Portsea and many country towns.
The Jones collection of negatives was found by Mr A. J. "Ned" Spark, of Balwyn, under a house he bought from Mr Jones' widow.
The plates almost went to the tip with a pile of rubbish before Mr Spark realised their potential value.
Mr Spark, who is retired, will continue the identification and recording of the photographs when he returns from holidays.
The exhibition of the Jones' photographs is open each afternoon until August 21 at Gallery 4, 1016 Main Rd., Eltham.
Photographs included in article:
• The priceless collection of glass plate negatives were found under this house in Eltham [actually Wattle Glen], home of Albert Jones and his wife.
• A quiet country pub - Panton Hills Hotel.
• Teams of draught horses were used in the building of the Diamond Creek-Hursbridge railway in 1910.
• Chinaman Jimmy using a gold cradle in Wattle Glen Gully.
• The photographer and orchardist Albert Jones. His work is on show as part of the Eltham Festival
• St Kilda Pier – several of the houses are still standing, but the waterfront has changed dramatically since this was taken before 1920.
• A picnic was a dressy affair at the start of the century – the women in this family group are decked in lace and pearls.
Physical description
Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 strips
Inscriptions & markings
Kodak Safety 5035
