Black and white negative strip with four images of flooded Brisbane streets

Photographer John Cameron

Photographer Poul C Poulsen

Date1893

Object number00048197

NameNegative

MediumCellulose acetate negative, black and white

DimensionsOverall: 177 x 61 mm
Image: 41 x 55 mm

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Arlene Hope

Terms

DescriptionBlack and white 120 format film negative strip with four images. The first image is of a flooded Queen Street in Brisbane. On either side are shops including; Gordon and Gotch, Jack & McKenzie, Mooney's Hairdressing Saloon, Shannons Refreshments[?], Tros Budd and the Bank of Queensland. There are several people wading in the water and others rowing boats. In the bottom left hand corner is written 'Queens Street' and in the bottom right hand corner is written 'P.C.Poulsen'. The second image is of a flooded street. There are many boys and some men standing in the foreground posing for the photograph. In the background are several horse drawn carriages. The awning on one shop reads 'Victorian Insurance'. The plate which the photograph was taken of had the top left corner missing and therefore the image has a large section in the top left which is black. In the bottom right hand corner is written 'P.C. Poulsen'. The third image is of Bundaberg near the Metropolitan Hotel (seen at the base of the image, centre), looking away from the Burnett River. Woongarra Street can be seen beyond and houses underwater in the vicinity of Saltwater Creek are visible in the background. The bottom image is of Creek Street, Brisbane, in flood. There are two rowing boats with men standing in them in the middle of the road. On the left side the building has 'Colonial Mutual Office National' written on it and on the right hand side is a building with 'The London Cham[ber?]' visible. In the background a building submerged to its roof has 'United Steam Navigation' painted on the roof. 'Creek Street' is written in the bottom left corner and 'P.C.Poulsen' in the bottom right hand corner. The photograph was taken by John Cameron from an original glass plate taken by P C Poulsen from a collection of photographic negatives of original glass plate images from the 1890s-1930s. Many are signed PC Poulsen. Most are from images taken of the 1893 Brisbane floods.HistoryFrom a collection of photographic negatives of original glass plate images from the 1890s-1930s. Many are signed 'P C Poulsen'. Some later aerial shots may also be from the Poulsen studio. Many of the images show Brisbane City under water from the swollen Brisbane River. They include; the sunken TOONDA RAJAH near Pettigrew, sailing boats on Brisbane River, stone quarrying, Edward street Brisbane with floodwaters, 'S B Cemetery and Fairfield', Pettigrew's Mill, 'S B from North Quay' (South Bank?), Queen Street, 'From North Quay', 'Creek St'. Several ships are reportedly 'Kanak' ships including the RODERICK DHU. Poul C Poulson was a well known photographic studio in firstly, Adelaide, then Newcastle and then in Queensland between 1894 and 1898. The studio was located in the following positions: 1883 - 23 King William Street, Adelaide, American Studio, late Allen & Gore. 1884-1885 Hunter Street, Newcastle, New South Wales 1885-1900 7 Queen Street, Brisbane 1894-1898 Mary Street, Gympie, Queensland 1889 Gladstone Road, Woolloongabba, Queensland 1893 George Street, Brisbane 1898 Kent Street, Maryborough, Queensland 1898 Adelaide Street, Maryborough, Queensland Poul Poulsen founded Poulson Studios. He was born in Denmark in 1857 and arrived in Sydney in 1876. In 1882, he moved to Queensland and was later joined by his sisters and brothers from Denmark. He opened his own studio at no 7 Queen Street in 1885 and later opened branches, run by his brothers in other Queensland towns. Poulsen vigorously advertised constant improvements and modernisation in his studio and in the service he provided. His sons and grandson followed in his footsteps. SignificanceThe images present an excellent documentation of the swollen Brisbane River, streetscapes of Brisbane in flood, and damage to the waterfront and shipping.