Historical information
Each postcard folder in this set has no address, message or postage stamp. Postcard folders such as these were popular as holiday souvenirs in the early to mid-20th century and were kept in good condition by collectors. The size is convenient for posting to friends and relatives and packing as holiday luggage. Postcards in the early-to-mid-19th century were an inexpensive way to remember and share holiday scenes, as few people could afford a camera and the price of developing the photographs. The images on these postcards were produced from black and white lithographs of photographs taken at Warrnambool and the surrounding district during the early to mid-20th century.
Publishing firms such as Melbourne-based Valentine and Rose purchased photographs from local photographers and reproduced them for sale. This set of postcard folders shows that more than one publishing company had access to the same or almost the same images. The photographs include street scapes, the Warrnambool Breakwater and Pier, Botanical Gardens, beach scenes, cliff formations, the Hopkins River, municipal buildings, the Post Office and the Soldiers’ Memorial.
Significance
The postcard folders in this set of three are significant as a record of local history from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. The locations of the images match photographs and postcards in our collection that were taken at different times and provide a historical record of the Warrnambool and southwest Victorian locations, growth and changes..
The images record changes in the coastline, land, bay, buildings and other structures, roads, transportation and even the fashions of the times.
Physical description
Set of three postcard folders containing black and white images of photographed scenes showcasing Warrnambool and district between 1880 and 1942. The images were produced from lithographs of the original photographs and are printed on both sides of long strips of white photographic paper that are Z-folded into covers of textured card. Some of the images are repeated in all three folders.
Folder 8665.1 - the cream-coloured folder was produced by The Valentine Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. Melbourne and contains 15 photographs, some of which are also in the blue and the green folders.
Folders 8665.2, the green folder, and 8665.3, the blue folder, were published by Rose Stereograph Co, Armadale, Vic. Each contains the same twelve images, but they are presented in a different order.
Subjects
- flagstaff hill maritime museum and village,
- great ocean road,
- shipwreck coast,
- warrnambool,
- flagstaff hill,
- flagstaff hill maritime museum,
- flagstaff hill maritime village,
- warramble,
- postcard,
- postcard folder,
- warrnambool scenes,
- picturesque views of warrnambool,
- picturesque views of warramble,
- lady bay,
- port of warrnambool,
- breakwater,
- warrnambool breakwater,
- viaduct,
- merri river footbridge,
- merri river suspension bridge,
- suspension footbridge,
- merri river mouth,
- hopkins river mouth,
- proudfoot's,
- fanny nelson,
- nelson's boatsheds,
- nelson's boathouse,
- boathouse,
- hopkins river boathouses,
- flett's boathouse,
- flett,
- george rose,
- image of a rose,
- rose series,
- rose stereograph co,
- rose stereographic company,
- lighograph,
- armadale victoria,
- lady bay beach,
- beach scene,
- lower light,
- concrete footbridge,
- 1922 footbridge,
- viaduct road,
- rose postcard,
- new concrete bridge,
- 1945,
- 1890,
- 1922,
- small footbridge,
- 1872 footbridge,
- 1872,
- merri river estuary,
- stingray bay,
- postcards,
- shipwrecked coast,
- maritime museum,
- souvenir,
- warrnambool local scenes,
- hopkins river,
- botanic gardens,
- soldiers’ memorial,
- pier,
- post office,
- municipal buildings,
- merri river,
- proudfoot’s,
- the cliffs at shelly beach,
- the road to sandy beach,
- tourism,
- photographs,
- visitors,
- travel,
- scenes,
- local history,
- mid-20th century,
- 1940s,
- 1950s,
- rose stereograph co armadale. vic,
- valentine publishing co. pty. ltd melbourne,
- valentine publishing co. pty. ltd sydney
References
- Frankston Times June 19, 2017, updated in The Bayside News, Bayside, Nov 14, 2023 Story of Rose Postcards, Rose Stereograph Company – George Rose
- Picture Victoria: The Corangamite Regional Library Service The new concrete bridge and breakwater, Warrnambool, Vic.by Rose Stereograph Co.
- Warrnambool City Council: A walking trail to discover the history and scenery of South Warrnambool Small Footbridge over the Merri River – built 1872, replaced 1922
