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More mysteries solved

By Myles Sinnamon, Engagement Officer, State Library of Queensland | 11 October 2021

Collage of various photographs from the collection of State Library of Queensland

Once again the keen eyes and canny detective skills of our social media followers have assisted us in identifying previously undescribed photographs from State Library's collection. This information will prove invaluable as it allows us to update our records, making these images more discoverable to other researchers. Without any further ado here are four mystery images now solved.

Is it Windsor? Nope

We initially convinced ourselves that several unidentified photographs of a house and backyard from the Siegfried Monz negatives collection were taken in the Brisbane north-side suburb of Windsor, but we thought we'd run it by our Facebook followers for their thoughts.

House of Siegfried Monz in Greenslopes from 10091 Siegfried Monz negatives, State Library of Queensland collection

House of Siegfried Monz in Greenslopes from 10091 Siegfried Monz negatives, State Library of Queensland collection

One undaunted follower used electoral rolls to determine that Monz lived at 'Elsigana', 35 Nicholson Street, Greenslopes. Unfortunately the house no longer exists to validate this theory, but nevertheless our fearless investigator was able to conclusively prove that this was the correct address by using a 1995 aerial photograph from QImagery and an image from an old real estate web page. According to the researcher, the house disappeared from aerial images between 2000 and 2001.

Backyard of Elsigana, 35 Nicholson Street, Greenslopes. Home of Siegfried Monz

Backyard of Elsigana, 35 Nicholson Street, Greenslopes. Home of Siegfried Monz. From 10091 Siegfried Monz negatives, State Library of Queensland collection.

Obscured business signs

Often when identifying photographs of street scenes, business signs provide significant clues. Annoyingly with our next image, all three business signs depicted were partially or completely obscured by trees.

Wide, unpaved street in Cunnamulla, Queensland

Wide, unpaved street in Cunnamulla, Queensland. 27868, Brisbane and Regional Queensland Gelatin Glass Plate Negatives. Image number: 27868-0001-0002

The least obscured sign was "...azzi......ess Maker". Within a few hours Facebook followers had cracked the case. One sharp eyed person saw an ornate cupola in the background of the image, just peeking from behind another building. This cupola was correctly recognised as belonging to the Cunnamulla Post Office in Stockyard Street, which still stands today.

Wide, unpaved street in Cunnamulla, Queensland. 27868, Brisbane and Regional Queensland Gelatin Glass Plate Negatives. Image number: 27868-0001-0002

Left - Top of the Cunnamulla Post Office. Right - Business sign of Victor Pazzazi, harness maker

Researchers also turned their attention to the partially readable business sign, determining that '...azzi' was in fact Victor Pazzazi who ran a harness maker business in Jane Street. After delving into Trove Newspapers it was established that Pazzazi ran the business in Jane Street between 1901 and 1907.

Other mystery images solved

Another mystery photograph from the Queensland Cement & Lime Company Limited Photograph Albums was quickly identified.

Looking from Centenary Place across Gotha St, Fortitude Valley. The building in the background is K.M. Smith Funeral Directors. The retaining wall on the right was part of the planned, but never-built Holy Name Cathedral. Wickham Street is to the far left.

Looking from Centenary Place across Gotha St, Fortitude Valley. The building in the centre is K.M. Smith Funeral Directors. 10189 Queensland Cement & Lime Company Limited Photograph Albums. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image number: 10189-0002-0096 

The business sign on the building, although out of focus, was determined to be K.M. Smith Funeral Directors. The wall, pictured on the right, was identified as part of the retaining wall of the foundations of the never-built Holy Name Cathedral in Fortitude Valley. The photograph was taken from Centenary Place looking across Gotha Street.

View from Eildon Hill Reserve, Windsor, Brisbane. Looking towards Mt Coot-tha

View from Eildon Hill Reserve, Windsor, Brisbane. Looking towards Mt Coot-tha. 5473 Beryl Clowes Collection. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image number: 5473-0011-0001
 

This unidentified ca.1950s lantern slide of a scenic view from the Beryl Clowes Collection was identified as being taken from Eildon Hill Reserve in the Brisbane suburb of Windsor, looking towards Mt Coot-tha.

Myles Sinnamon, Engagement Officer, State Library of Queensland

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