Historical information

Photograph shows a large crowd of well dressed men and women looking away from the camera toward two crowded electric tramcars as a man on one of the trams delivers a speech. The occasion is likely the opening ceremony of the Victorian Railways Electric Street Railway between St Kilda Railway Station and Brighton Beach Railway Station on 5 May 1906. The man speaking is likely Premier Thomas Bent (later Sir Thomas). One tram is a combination car; the other an open cross bench trailer car carrying a brass band. These and most of the new fleet would be destroyed in the depot fire in 1907. The background beyond the trams is indistinct.

Significance

Yields information about beginnings of Victorian Railways Electric Street Railway

Physical description

Black and white photograph with note on rear.

Inscriptions & markings

Note on rear in stamp ink reads: "State ....city Commission Victoria, Publicity Photo, Permission to publish must be obtained and acknowledgment made, Negative No 9/275, Publicity Branch, 15 William Street, Melbourne"