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I was looking through some stuff that came from my Father and I found a little envelope of old photos…they were quite interesting, pictures of his parents house being built in the 50s….but a bit boring to load as art. Then I found this large square negative, very dark but I could make out 3 people.
I believe this would have been taken on Palm Island in the 1950s. It may even have been taken with this camera (I’ll have to ask my Dad about that) which has now been passed on to me.
More pictures of Palm Island here
Negative scanned on an open flatbed scanner and inverted and adjusted in PS.
Soxy moves between different media, recycling, assembling, capturing and bringing previously unseen things to the surface.
If she’s not creating something visual she will be singing and making music….and favouriting cat pictures….
Comments
whoa, what a find!! :-)
there is movie footage of this island and the islanders dancing as well but the movie projector bulb blew and we couldn’t get to see it!
– Soxy Fleming
Wow, what an amazing moment captured in time . . . I’d love to have known the stories the two men would have, especially considering the more recent happenings on Palm Island . . .
My father talks about Palm Island in the 1950s as being a peaceful place and a popular tourist destination. He was working in Townsville at the time and made many trips there. The islanders danced and made souvenirs which were sold to the tourists. I think my dad may even have bought some boomerangs (which he said had been made out of packing cases!)
– Soxy Fleming
Info from my father – during the 1950s Palm Island was run by a government department and had a manager. It was alcohol free during this time.
My father was involved in establishing a telephone link for the island during this time.
– Soxy Fleming
wow how fantastic! do you know the woman?
no I have no idea who she is…I will ask my father. This was a lone negative which is a bit odd. But I think my father would have taken it, he was a photography person
– Soxy Fleming
the lady is June, the wife of my father’s neighbour in Townsville at the time, how about that!
– Soxy Fleming
Wow! What a find, Soxy! Thanks for sharing it with us… it really is like looking through a (kinda dirty) window into the past!!! :) :) :)
hopefully we will get to see the film dad took there sometime. I’ll have to remind him to track down a new projector bulb!
– Soxy Fleming
Yes, I thought it may have been sort of a tourist attraction…like going to Hawaii and seeing a staged “luau.”
wonderful photo!