Historical information

The Eltham Hotel was opened in 1854 situated on the south east corner of Main Road (Maria Street) and Pitt Street.

Post card dated Eltham 2.1.1908 sent to
Mr C. Watson
"Malvale"
Mardan

Inscribed "Wishing you a Brigt and Happy New Year from Florrie"

Most likley sent by Florence May Shillinglaw to sister Carrie Watson and new brother-in-law Christopher Watson - The Watsons married in 1907

View looking south on Main Road towards Pitt Street and Watson's Eltham Hotel on left.
At this time, the hotel was run by Christopher Watson Jnr. Carrie Shillinglaw had recently married his son, Christopher. Ultimately the hotel would pass to his youngest son, Herbert James (Jim) Watson who demolished the original building in 1925 and erected a new modern building on the same site that remains in present time though modified several times over the years.

See also EDHS_00133

POSTCARD 1905-1940s
Like the carte-de-visite, postcards enjoyed a collecting craze by large numbers of people, and were often kept in albums through which the interested visitor could browse. Postcards were posted or exchanged in huge numbers.
Postal authorities in Australia only allowed the private printing of postcards from 1898. At this time the back of the card was reserved for the address and postage stamp, and the front was used for the message and a picture. In 1902 British authorities allowed a "divided back", so that the left side could be used for the message, the right side for the address and stamp, and the whole of the front was devoted to the picture. France followed suit in 1904, Germany and Australia in 1905, and the United States in 1907.
- Frost, Lenore; Dating Family Photos 1850-1920; Valiant Press Pty. Ltd., Berwick, Victoria 1991

Physical description

POST-CARD Photo
Digital file only, scanned from album in private collection