Historical information
This object is a photographic postcard showing some of the above-ground structures of the Golden Bar mine in Chiltern, including a building with a smokestack and the poppet head which is used to haul equipment, materials, and men above or below ground. The Golden Bar site, mined by the Golden Bar Mining Company which was formed in 1901, managed to yield approximately 12,453 oz of gold before work stopped in 1912 - it was one of the principal mines in the area, as well as the deepest and one of the richest.
The text on the postcard was handwritten by H.Gordon (?) to Issy (?), to show the mine where he presumably worked as he promises to take them 'above and below'.
The postcard can be approximately dated to between 1901-1912. It is stated that after 1902 Kodak added the line on the postcard backs to divide into correspondence and address sections as seen on the reverse of this object. In addition, there is also a similar Kodak photographic postcard in the Burke Museum collection that is dated to 1908 and has the same specific font type and manufacturer markings (see references for link). Lastly, the Golden Bar mine ceased operations in 1912 so the photograph was likely taken prior to this.
Significance
This photographic postcard is a rare and fair conditioned representation of one of the most significant gold mines in the Chiltern area, showing the above ground structures at the time it was being actively mined. This postcard also holds social significance as a snapshot of working life in the gold mining rush of Victoria, and a personal record of one of its miners.
Physical description
A sepia rectangular postcard printed on card.
Inscriptions & markings
Obverse:
Dudley Studio /
Golden Bar. Chiltern
Reverse:
BMM 8034 /
Post Card. /
Correspondence. /
Address Only. /
Kodak. Austral. 110 /
My Dear Issy (?), /
A card only, to show (?) the mine /
and when you come down I will /
take you above and below, /
All (...) love, me to. Has the baby /
gone home yet Heini (?) wants to know /
give my love to Syd when next you write /
Your loving (...), H. Gordon (?)
Subjects
References
- reCollections: Damage and Decay Heritage Collections Council (1998) reCollections: Damage and Decay, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Australian Government, accessed 19 September 2021.
- reCollections: Caring for Cultural Material 1 Heritage Collections Council (1998) reCollections: Caring for Cultural Materials 1, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Australian Government, accessed 19 September 2021.
- Victorian Goldfields Project: Historic Gold Mining Sites in the North East Region of Victoria Gippsland: Gazetteer (1999) Victorian Goldfields Project: Historic Gold Mining Sites in the North East Region of Victoria, Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
- How to spot a postcard (1900-1950s) Harding C (1 November 2013) 'How to spot a postcard (1900-1950s)', Science + Media Museum
- Postcard, 1908 Postcard that uses same Kodak photographic card stock - same printed inscription and font style/marking from manufacturer
- Mining poppet head McHugh B (23 February 2015) 'Mining poppet head', ABC News.
- Indigo Gold Trail information sheet and map
- Gold Mining History Explore Chiltern website
