Historical information

Contextual or historic information
One of a series of photographs, taken by Edgar James Dower in the second decade of the twentieth century. Born and raised in Olinda, his family later moved to Surrey Hills. He worked as an adult as a clerk in the city office of the Metropolitan Gas Company, and in his role as a 'collector', he was able to photograph scenes including the construction of tramlines and associated buildings in Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell and Surrey Hills. Later he established a real estate agency with his brother - the E.J. Dower Real Estate Agency, Dandenong Office.

Significance

The image is an historically significant record of the development of transport infrastructure which was used to connect Victorians in the first two decades of the twentieth century. This development resulted from increases in population and the consequent extension of Melbourne's suburbs. The photographs, both individually and collectively, richly detail the labour of workers and the tools and machinery used to create and extend Melbourne's tram network in the years preceding and during World War 1.

Physical description

Two faded original horizontal photographs, mounted on vertical card showing the original railway level crossing in Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, before a railway overpass was constructed and the laying of the electric tramline. The two photos depict northern and southern views of the crossing.

Dimensions:
Photo 1 106 x 157 mm
Photo 2 107 x 147 mm
Mount 249 x 197 mm

Inscriptions & markings

Annotated recto: "Showing tramway gates at Glenferrie, taken 1912 by E.J. Dower, just prior to construction of electric tramline." Verso: "1912"