Historical information

W.D. Vaughan (Kew's Civic Century, 1960, pp.195-6) quotes Council Minutes of 1938 and 1939 to record that: "After protracted negotiations between the Council, the Railways Department and the Tramways Board agreement was reached in June, 1938, for the filling of the railway cutting at the Harp Junction and shifting tram tracks to the High Street alignment ... The Outer Circle railway land from Princess Street to Park Crescent was purchased by the Kew Council in October, 1939, for 2,750 [pounds]. The land from Park Crescent to High Street was leased for 1 [pound] per annum. Considerable work was done in levelling the embankments to the original surface level."

Significance

Important and rare photograph of the period, showing major works by Kew Council in Kew East working on a significant piece of urban infrastructure.

Physical description

Small, original black and white positive (photograph) showing workers and vehicles filling in the tracks of the former Outer Circle railway at East Kew. In the background is the metal bridge with brick piers, adjacent to the Harp Junction. The bridge crossed the cutting, linking the two parts of High Street. Behind the tip truck, painted on the side with the name 'Fowler Quarries' [located Keilor Road, North Essendon], one can see shops [including T.G. Garroway, Cash Grocer] in High Street. What appears to be the City of Kew Steamroller is immediately in front of the bridge. A group of passers-by watch from the bridge and from the road.

Inscriptions & markings

Annotation in pencil on verso: "Filling in Outer Circle line at High St East Kew prior to straightening High St. (c. Feb 1930?)