By ALESHA CAPONE
THE SECRETS of a small, dust-covered box hidden away in the Sunshine and District Historical Society archives have been uncovered and revealed.
The society’s curator Alan Dash said he was “blown away” after discovering the contents of the Kodak Australasia Limited box, which contained a set of glass photographic slides from around 1928.
“The glass plates were on a little shelf collecting dust,” Mr Dash said.
“We’ve reproduced the glass plates and preserved them to share with future generations.”
With the assistance of Australian photojournalist Neil Newitt, the images on the slides have emerged after almost 85 years in the dark.
Mr Newitt has digitised the photographs, which show scenes from Sunshine’s history captured by former resident and well-known amateur filmmaker John H. Jackson.
The pictures are now on show at the Hunt Club in Deer Park, alongside significant historical artefacts from the Sunshine and District Historical Society (SDHS) such a Pony Premo camera, dating from 1898-1914.
One of the photos from the glass plates depicts Howard Taylor on a JA Prestwich Carbine motorcycle.
Howard was the son of Headlie Taylor, who invented the header harvester, as famously manufactured by HV McKay in Sunshine.
Another of the images shows the construction of the Quarter Mile Bridge across the Maribyrnong River.
Research into the photos was conducted by SDHS volunteers Brian O’Reilly, Frank Ford, Wally Zielinski, Melchior Bajada and Eva Rivera.
Mr O’Reilly said the rivets which fitted out the Quarter Mile Bridge were the exact same ones as used in the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with both manufactured at HV McKay.
Ms Rivera described herself as the group’s “resident archaeologist”.
“A lot of pride and hard work, and also joy, has gone into the images,” she said.
The Sunshine and District Historical Society and Brimbank City Council present ‘Curators’ Choice’ until 16 November at the Hunt Club, 775 Ballarat Rd in Deer Park.
