The following two photos look to be the same backyard but are silent as to where and when. By looking at other "clues", I am trying to work out where they were taken.
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| My Grandfather, Gordon Walker on the left From other photos, I recognised Reg Alford in the centre but the man on the right remains unknown. |
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| My Grandmother, Rita Walker nee Jones |
My grandparents were married at Ararat, Victoria on the 23rd September 1925. You can see a wedding photo of them here. They moved to Gippsland soon after. Two separate newspaper articles indicate that my grandfather arrived in Yallourn in 1925, where he commenced work at the SEC (State Electricity Commission) Yallourn.
It is likely that Granddad had secured this employment prior to getting married and then my grandmother followed after they were married.
I know from the photo below that Reg (pictured in the top photo) worked with my grandfather at the SEC in the 1920s. Reg was born in the Gippsland area so it is unlikely that the top photo is in the Stawell area. My grandfather worked at the SEC until 1948, when he commenced a business with Wally Bennie, also pictured below.
It is likely that Granddad had secured this employment prior to getting married and then my grandmother followed after they were married.
I know from the photo below that Reg (pictured in the top photo) worked with my grandfather at the SEC in the 1920s. Reg was born in the Gippsland area so it is unlikely that the top photo is in the Stawell area. My grandfather worked at the SEC until 1948, when he commenced a business with Wally Bennie, also pictured below.
I think my grandfather looks slightly older in the photo below but it is hard to tell? What do you think?
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| 1920s SECV Yallourn Workshop Carpenters and Joiners Gordon Walker is front row, second from left Reg Alford is beside him, second from right. |
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| Gordon Walker with Phyllis Walker early 1927 |
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| Gordon's brother, Frank Walker & his wife Edna and son Robert. 1928 |
I know that my grandparents lived in Yallourn (now an open cut) in 1931.
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| 1931 Electoral Roll: Source www.ancestry.com |
So back to the photo above of Nanna. Is she pregnant? This would certainly help me date the photo. I zoomed in but cannot tell for sure. However she is seated and holding her hand on her stomach so could be? There are no children to be seen in either of the two photos.
I cannot be certain, but I hypothesise that the first two photos were taken in 1925/1926 at Yallourn.
To finish, I include a photo, from many years later (also undated but pre Sept 1973), of my grandparents in a backyard that I do remember.
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| Gordon & Rita Walker lived at 89 Lloyd Street, Moe from 1936. |
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| Sepia Saturday is great to prompt research of photos and family that you may not have otherwise. Click for more Sepia Saturday Posts. |
Nanna looks like she might actually be pointing to her stomach in that photo of her seated in front of the fence and if that's the case, then I would guess she was 'with child' for sure. And yes, I believe that's the same fence in the photo of your great aunt & uncle because there's a tell-tale fence behind it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought she looked to have a "with child" posture but it would have been good if the date had been written on the back!
DeleteThank you for visiting.
I agree, the first two photos look like the same fence and tank.
ReplyDeleteAnd, another similarity in our lives - my grandfather worked at Yallourn SEC as a fitter / boilermaker. My Dad was born there but knows very little of his father's work because his father died when my Dad was 6.
So our grandparents probably knew each other too?
DeleteI wonder if our fathers ever crossed paths?
I concur with the fence identification. As a onetime carpenter I can read the hammer marks. I'm intrigued though by the rain cistern. I've added four onto the downspouts of my house in North Carolina but it's nothing compared to the capacity of that tank. My rough calculation says 880 US gals / 3330 liters. Was this water used for drinking and cooking too?
ReplyDeleteLol. Water Tanks were very common in every house in that era. The water was used for all household purposes.
DeleteMy Mum and dad live in a tiny country town and still rely on water tanks for their water. I couldn't visit them earlier in the year as they didn't have enough water for visitors. I had to wait until after a decent rain to visit!
I think your deduction that the first two photos were taken at Yallourn is probably right.
ReplyDeleteI think I am close enough :)
DeleteYes they do appear to be the same. Great photos, and nice to see old written notes too!
ReplyDeleteMy Aunty Phyllis would have written that. She was great at labeling everything.
DeleteBless her xxx
My daughter lives near Bunyip, not a million miles from Yallourn, and they have several large tanks for their water supply, which at present are rather low - hoping for rain next weekend, like everyone else down that way no doubt! Those fence posts definitely look the same in both the first two photos.
ReplyDeleteYes I know Bunyip. I lived at Pakenham and worked at Warragul and Bunyip is in between!
DeleteI'm not sure about that last fence being the same as the first two, but could have been taken at a different point along the line. All over the world, people lining up in backyards taking photos!
ReplyDeleteThat was my thought too Kristin.
DeleteI am very thankful that we have large backyards in Australia!
Wonderful memories of your grandparents Sharon.
ReplyDeleteThis blog promoted a facebook chat between 3 cousins. It was great to hear my cousins memories too, which have been copied and recorded in my family history :)
DeleteIt's hard to find photographs of Australian backyards from that era without corrugated iron or barbed wire.
ReplyDeleteVery Very True Brett. And don't forget the windmills in the farming "backyards"!
DeleteI really liked that fence! And your grandfather really aged well -- he looked like a happy engaging guy.
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective, granddad didn't seem to age. He always looked the same....old!
DeleteUnfortunately, I was only 6 when Nanna died so not too many memories but the ones I have a vivid and precious.
These are fun to see and I especially love the one of your grandfather holding your auntie. so sweet.
ReplyDeleteNow, what is that corrugated thingie? Do you think it was a cistern ?
Yes. We call them water tanks and every back yard had them. My parents are still reliant on rainfall/tanks for their water supply. Many suburban yards also have them now too for water preservation.
DeleteSomeday somebody will supply you with a different photo or piece of information which gives you the link between your various grandfather photos.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble is in the waiting !
If only photos were labeled!
DeleteI really enjoyed watching you think out loud. It's helpful to see how others analyze their photos.
ReplyDeleteThank you Wendy. Happy for any additional hints :)
DeleteThe second photo is intriguing. Are those socks on a line? Why is she sitting on an indoor chair outdoors? I didn't recognize the water tank until I read the comments.
ReplyDeleteYes they look like (big) socks don't they!
DeleteI thought it was an inside chair too, which is another reason that makes me think that the photo was set up to showcase being "with child"?
Great photos. I think your grandfather does look older in that group photo. Happy detecting!
ReplyDeleteThank you Alex. There is always another mystery to be solved! :)
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