Black and white negative strip with four images of flooded Brisbane River including some streets and buildings

Photographer John Cameron

Photographer Poul C Poulsen

Date1890s-1930s

Object number00048207

NameNegative

MediumCellulose acetate negative, black and white

DimensionsOverall: 183 x 61 mm
Image: 41 x 55 mm

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Arlene Hope

Terms

DescriptionThis image is from a black and white 120 format film negative strip featuring four images. The first image shows South Brisbane from North Quay. Text in the bottom left hand corner reads 'SB From North Quay' and in the bottom right is written 'PC Poulsen No 15'. The partially submerged tower of West End Brewery can be seen at right. The second image is of a large group of houses, many submerged to the roof level, beside the flooded Brisbane River. There are water marks in the bottom right hand corner of the image. The third image is of a flooded road (Creek Street) leading down to a wharf along the flooded Brisbane River. At the end of the road only the roof line of the AUSN Company is visible, with a vessel behind it. The building at the right of the image belongs to JAS Campbell and Sons and In the foreground are three small boys and a man on a punt. In the bottom right hand corner 'PC Poulsen' is written. The bottom image is of a flooded Market Street with the Australasian United Steam Navigation Company building visible on Eagle Street. To the left of it is the roof of a building that also belongs to 'AUSN'. 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 Poulsen 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.