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

Photographer John Cameron

Photographer Poul C Poulsen

Datec 1893

Object number00048204

NameNegative

MediumCellulose acetate negative, black and white

DimensionsOverall: 180 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 top image depicts a group of people standing at a corrugated iron fence, looking across a flooded river from North Quay to South Brisbane. On the other side of the river can be seen a three masted vessel and many waterfront buildings that are partly submerged. One building can be identified as 'The People's Cash Store'. In the bottom right hand corner is written 'PC Poulsen No 6'. The second image is taken from up high and shows several flooded streets in Brisbane, by the Brisbane River. In the bottom left hand corner is written 'Stanley Street' and the bottom right hand corner is written 'PC Poulsen'. The third image is of a flooded Brisbane River with two men in a wooden row boat. The submerged brick and metal fence on the left suggests that this is the fence that runs alongside Coronation Drive. Many partly submerged houses can be seen in the background and a shop belonging to H. McCormack, Carriages. The bottom image is of Edward Street, Brisbane, in flood. The building on the left of the image belongs to Billington Limited, family drapers, warehousemen and importers, opal cutter, engraver. At the top of the builindg on the right is Finney Isles. In the bottom left corner is written 'Edward Street' and in the bottom right corner is written 'PC Poulsen'. 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 P C 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 the in Queensland between 1894 and 1898. 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.