Historical information

Photograph looks south along Swanston Street towards Flinders Street, with about 12 W class and single truck trams in Swanston Street along with numerous motor vehicles and pedestrians. It is a sunny day but the trees in front of the town hall have lost their leaves. Letters and postcards were the primary form of communication between people before the telephone; postcards were frequently used to send a short note to another person who lived in the same city. There were two mail deliveries on weekdays and one on Saturdays.

Significance

Yields information about the use of postcards for short messages

Physical description

Black and white photograph with note on front and postcard very long message on rear.

Inscriptions & markings

Note on front reads: "Swanston Street, from Town Hall portico, Melbourne"
The small writing in ink on rear begins: "C/o Mrs Angliss, Findon Ave, Caulfield SE1. Dear Miss Merritt... " The text mentions feeling tired from the Sydney to Melbourne train trip, that the writer is convalesing, putting on weight and hopeful of improving the ability to walk.