Favourite old photos.

Over the years, photographers captured some evocative images of 19th century life and work. Here are some colourised versions of my particular favourites from the State Library of Queensland, the State Library of Victoria, and the National Library of Australia.

Queenslanders at work in colour.

In far North Queensland, two timber getters are working on a giant, and no doubt, ancient tree in the tropical heat.
Exhausted shearers taking a “smoko” – a break to have a smoke, cup of tea, or clean their shears. Their posture and expressions testify to how hard they’ve been working. This is from the National Library, and is dated to the 1860s.
The Railways Department photographed the stations and workers throughout Queensland in the 1880s. I don’t think that they found a better group of subjects than the staff of Corinda Station. There’s a sort of sea captain type, a splendid selection of walrus moustaches, and the young Zoolander at the front.

Group portraits in colour.

This image is labelled. “Charles S. Dicken and friends.” Mr Dicken is the rather solemn-looking man on the right-hand side of the front row. He was Clerk of Petty Sessions at Springsure, and the image is from the late 1860s or early 1870s. There are also some magnificent examples of 19th century facial topiary on display in this picture.
From the archives of the State Library of Victoria, is a photograph taken in Queensland of “Ted McK and his cronies.” No date or explanation, but they do look like cheerful characters.
The Archer Brothers from the 1860s. I presume that the gentleman with the greyest beard is Archer pere and the rest are the Archer freres. I recall labelling it “Don’t watch the birdie, don’t smile,” when I first used it.
The only identifying information on this photo is “Claybourne.” Whether that refers to the photographer or the subjects is unknown. It’s a classic “Dad embarrassing son” photo. Father appears not to have taken a great deal of care with his clothing, and his son is looking like he wishes he was anywhere but in front of a camera with his old man.

Leisure in colour.

A group of men playing cards at Gin Gin in the 1890s. A glass of something refreshing, and a quiet game of cards after a hard day (see the amount of dirt on the boots).
This image of a group of men in front of a banquet sign poses so many questions. Particularly the two men with pipes in their mouths – why is the blonde man in the centre gazing with such undisguised loathing at the smooth-looking character on the right? (Early 1860s).
A group of men at Ipswich in 1860. It was rare for 19th century people to laugh or smile when a photographer was present. The fellows in this group seem to be enjoying each other’s company.
Another gloriously unselfconscious moment. A group of diggers are playing table tennis with their tools in Queensland in the 1890s.
Gloriously attired in cycling khakis, Charlie Tilledge and Willy Mennie pose on their penny farthing bicycles in Rockhampton in 1892.
An amazingly bonkers group photo from the end of the 19th century. Just what these people had been up to, and how they managed to become so dishevelled, and with such peculiar facial expressions, is a mystery that is sadly, lost to time.

The bridal path in colour.

Thomas Bridson Cribb and his bride Marion Lucy, nee Foote, on their wedding day in 1874. The least typical 19th century wedding photo I’ve seen. They are clearly at ease in each other’s company as Marion leans on the back of his chair. The simple, loose curls and little bonnet are a refreshing change from the acres of white silk and tulle that other brides wore.
Mrs T. Rome on her wedding day. All I could find out about Mrs T. Rome was that she was considered one of the beauties of her day, and this image confirms that view.
Two unidentified Queensland brides in the 1890s. Colourisation softens them a little, but their gloomy expressions suggest that they’re contemplating the horrors of the night ahead.

The usual result of taking the bridal path.

How do you capture the charm and promise of your children? Do you send them to a photographic studio to pose stiffly and unsmilingly in a sea of wicker?

Or do you bring a camera into your garden and let them be children? Shy smiles, thumb-sucking, baby with bare feet and all? I know which family memory I’d choose.

So much better to let your children be themselves. Here’s a team of adventurers returning from their picnic in Brisbane in the 1890s.

All images are taken from the digital collections of the State Library of Queensland, the National Library of Australia, and the State Library of Victoria. All are out of copyright, and have been AI colourised with CoPilot.

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