Historical information

The drags would have been leaving St George's Church of England in Mont Albert Road.
The foundation stone for St George's Church of England, Mont Albert was laid in 1886 on land donated by Edward Dyer and the first service was preached in January 1887. From 1904 until 1907 it was known as Holy Trinity, Surrey Hills. The original church was weatherboard and replaced by a brick one in the Gothic Revival style which was designed by local architect George J V Blackburne, who also designed the Wesleyan School at Surrey Hills. The building was partly funded by donations, profits from a bazaar and concert, and other people donated furnishings.
The church had boundaries along Mont Albert Road and St Georges Road. In 1998 the Church was sold and converted into a complex of units. Its current address is 19 St Georges Avenue, Mont Albert.
The annual Sunday School picnic was held at Hampton and drags were the usual mode of transport.
'Lugano' was built in 1893 for William Wilson, a prominent stonemason and importer of marble fireplaces. In 1903 it became the home of William Holmes who was Chief Electrical Engineer for the Victorian Railways. He designed the electrification of the Melbourne suburban network. 'Lugano' stayed in the Holmes family until the 1930s.
The annual Sunday School picnic was held at at a variety of locations and drags were the usual mode of transport.
Donor information is that this was taken as the congregation prepared to depart for at Hampton on the picnic held on 25/2/1922.
There are 2 copies: the original donated print and an enlargement. The original was mounted on card with photo mounts along with 506, 871, 872, and 873. It measures 13 cm x 9 cm.

Physical description

Black and white photo of 4 'drags' (horse-drawn hooded carriages) lined up in Mont Albert Road near the corner of St George's Avenue, in readiness for departure for the Sunday School picnic. The carriages are loaded with people and decorated with flags. The front carriage has a material sign attached to the side; the top line of writing is not decipherable, but the bottom one reads "SURREY HILLS". Four men stand in the road, which has bluestone curb and channelling. In the background is 'Lugano'.

Inscriptions & markings

On rear in ink: "S.S. picnic to Hampton / 25th. Feb. 1922" and in a different hand in biro: "At Mont Albert. St George's Church"