Can you help us?

There are sadly many photographs in our collection that are unidentified. Some of these include images from our recently purchased Fairfax Collection. A couple of years ago Campbelltown Library purchased about 250 of these vintage photographs for our collection.

In 2013 Fairfax Media sent the two million photograph archive of the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper to a company in Arkansas to be digitised. The scanning company was disbanded prior to completing the scanning, and the work was eventually managed by a court receiver. Part of the deal Fairfax made was to trade the vintage prints for the scanning services. From the turmoil in the scanning company, the archive eventually became bank owned by a regional Arkansas bank with no interest in holding these photographs. After much discussion and negotiation, Duncan Miller Gallery in Santa Monica, California bought the entire collection, with the goal and purpose of repatriating many photos back to Australia.

The library is hoping to have the unidentified people or buildings in some of these photographs in this collection identified. The following images are ones we need your help with:

Who are the children in this June 1968 photo at Campbelltown Swimming Pool?

Who are the children on the tricycles in April 1969?

Where is this Campbelltown Street?

Who are the two children with Sister Brennan at Campbelltown Hospital in 1987?

Where in Campbelltown is this building?

Written by Andrew Allen

A Near Impossible Challenge

 

 

I like a challenge. Particularly when it comes to old photographs. This one however, might prove beyond my capabilities. It's really frustrating when you come across a photo in your collection that you know nothing about. The photographs above fit this category. Both of the above are the same photograph, but with one showing more detail using a close up shot. There is no date, no location and no names for the people posing for the photographer. All we know is that it was taken in Campbelltown. It was snapped so long ago. So long that the people are long gone from this world, their life stories likely to have been lost forever. The house has almost certainly been demolished and its location lost to history. As I explained though, I do welcome a challenge!

In the next week or so and before my next blog post, I will examine what we little we do know about this photo and, using the available clues, put together a profile of the photograph. I do know the photography company, so this might help date the photograph, along with the clues in the photo. The other tool I have at my disposal is assistance from our blog subscribers and readers. There are also various social media sites I will use that can help get the word out there and get people to contribute their thoughts and ideas.

I welcome your help. Let's see what we can do!

Written by Andrew Allen

Girl in the Tyre

Do you recognise the girl in this photograph? It was taken somewhere in the Campbelltown area on a date unknown. If you can help us then please contact the Local Studies section of Campbelltown Library or click on the comments link below.

Written by Andrew Allen

Can you help us identify this photograph?

The library needs assistance in identifying the people and location in the above photograph. The photograph was a recent donation to the local studies section and is not dated. The sign near the front door reads "South British Insurance Company". Do you know where the Campbelltown News Printing Works were located? Please let us know if you do!

Update

This building was located in Patrick Street. In the 1920s this was next to Brunero's Sawmill (now the Coogan Lane car park).

Written by Andrew Allen