Research into this autographed record of Irish Ballads by tenor Patrick O'Hagan , with Hal Stead pounding away on the ivories , manufactured by Cyril Stevens Recording Studios in Thornbury, Melbourne, unexpectedly took this blog down many byways . In the process we were able to gather an interesting snapshot of the pioneering Melbourne Camera Club and an unusual court case involving a prominent Australian shipping authority and an artistic lady deceived by a young rascal .
The Melbourne Camera Club was inspired by Ludovico Hart , instructor of photography at the Working Men's College , harking back to 1891 .
Cyril Stevens,who appears to have been an early professional Victorian photographer , his name appearing on snaps of World War l soldiers , was a prominent member of the Melbourne Camera Club , receiving a gold medal and diploma for his involvement, taking out prizes from time to time in competitions. In the 1930s he worked for the Northcote Leader newspaper and about 1951 started the audio studios mentioned above , which produced Spotlight microgroove recordings , an early Melbourne independent label , possibly the first .
The Patrick O'Hagan record seen here was produced in l954 , other albums by him were turned out later, including one singing Scottish tunes. Spotlight also recorded Barry Crocker.
An A. E. Stevens received a gold watch for past services as honorary secretary to the camera club...not known what relation , if any , to inventive Cyril .
Cyril Stevens,who appears to have been an early professional Victorian photographer , his name appearing on snaps of World War l soldiers , was a prominent member of the Melbourne Camera Club , receiving a gold medal and diploma for his involvement, taking out prizes from time to time in competitions. In the 1930s he worked for the Northcote Leader newspaper and about 1951 started the audio studios mentioned above , which produced Spotlight microgroove recordings , an early Melbourne independent label , possibly the first .
The Patrick O'Hagan record seen here was produced in l954 , other albums by him were turned out later, including one singing Scottish tunes. Spotlight also recorded Barry Crocker.
An A. E. Stevens received a gold watch for past services as honorary secretary to the camera club...not known what relation , if any , to inventive Cyril .
In 1921 the club was treated to a lecture and slide show on the Northern Territory by H. B. Goeby, member of a survey team , who spent months in the area, struggling about with his photographic equipment ; interesting photographs included "natives still to be found there. "
Another popular lecture that year , Steamships, Ships and Wrecks, by marine painter , writer and author C. Dickson Gregory , covered the progress of shipping from the days of sail to modern times , with an outline that covered most of the ships that visited Australia waters , shipwrecks in local waters and overseas , building and launching of new luxury liners .
That same year, a musician , Charles Ernest Macalister Smith, 22, was charged with stealing four paintings valued at twenty pounds from Gregory . An aspiring artist , Smith , a friend of Gregory's , had " obliterated" the name of the artist on the water colours replacing them with C. Mac. Smith ; one he gave to artist friend Mrs Elsie Frederica Barlow , with studios in Collins Street, another to a Mrs Lippe and two to Barlow's brother-in-law , Marcus Barlow .
From the court report, it seems one painting was presented by Smith to Marcus Barlow when he (Smith ) was staying at his residence , posing as a returned shell shocked soldier.
Court was told Mrs Elsie Barlow had become engaged to Smith on December 9,1920, the relationship lasting little more than two months . When asked for her age , she replied 41," I think . " Further questioned , she stated Smith had told her he was 32 or 37 . Did she know he was a youth of 21, defence asked . Mrs Barlow replied that she did not know what to think .
A detective said Smith , who pleaded not guilty, told him he had taken the paintings in a weak moment , done in the spirit of a joke .The jury found him not guilty .
Gregory was a founding member of the Ship Lovers' Society of Victoria , which spread to other parts. A report in a Sydney newspaper in 1939 said Gregory of the Sheep Lovers' Society had just returned from a trip to North Queensland, Darwin and Singapore in search of hulks and ships that were in service in Australian waters . The spelling error prompted a statement by the Maritime Worker Australia that Gregory would encounter a plethora of "sweethearts" if he contacted branches of the federation who could show him prime examples of ships that should NOT be like the condition they were in .
The Sydney Public Library has a Gregory maritime collection consisting of some 31 volumes of pictures , a series from original paintings, cuttings and brochures .
Camera Club Activities
In 1925 the camera club contributed 42 pictures to an overseas amateur photographic exhibition . In a new club room , a l926 illustrated lecture on Queensland sugar industry won a prize for Mr McMillan . There were various field trips , one to see the Katoomba coming in to berth.
That same year, a musician , Charles Ernest Macalister Smith, 22, was charged with stealing four paintings valued at twenty pounds from Gregory . An aspiring artist , Smith , a friend of Gregory's , had " obliterated" the name of the artist on the water colours replacing them with C. Mac. Smith ; one he gave to artist friend Mrs Elsie Frederica Barlow , with studios in Collins Street, another to a Mrs Lippe and two to Barlow's brother-in-law , Marcus Barlow .
From the court report, it seems one painting was presented by Smith to Marcus Barlow when he (Smith ) was staying at his residence , posing as a returned shell shocked soldier.
Court was told Mrs Elsie Barlow had become engaged to Smith on December 9,1920, the relationship lasting little more than two months . When asked for her age , she replied 41," I think . " Further questioned , she stated Smith had told her he was 32 or 37 . Did she know he was a youth of 21, defence asked . Mrs Barlow replied that she did not know what to think .
A detective said Smith , who pleaded not guilty, told him he had taken the paintings in a weak moment , done in the spirit of a joke .The jury found him not guilty .
Gregory was a founding member of the Ship Lovers' Society of Victoria , which spread to other parts. A report in a Sydney newspaper in 1939 said Gregory of the Sheep Lovers' Society had just returned from a trip to North Queensland, Darwin and Singapore in search of hulks and ships that were in service in Australian waters . The spelling error prompted a statement by the Maritime Worker Australia that Gregory would encounter a plethora of "sweethearts" if he contacted branches of the federation who could show him prime examples of ships that should NOT be like the condition they were in .
The Sydney Public Library has a Gregory maritime collection consisting of some 31 volumes of pictures , a series from original paintings, cuttings and brochures .
Camera Club Activities
In 1925 the camera club contributed 42 pictures to an overseas amateur photographic exhibition . In a new club room , a l926 illustrated lecture on Queensland sugar industry won a prize for Mr McMillan . There were various field trips , one to see the Katoomba coming in to berth.
Other subjects for lectures in the l920s and l930s were Sculptures of the World , A World Wide Tour , Sydney Historic Buildings , Japan by R. Service , the use of the camera in training airforce pilots at Point Cook Flying School , Across Central Australia by Captain J. E. Jenkins , China , wide ranging talks by Reverend H. M. Knuckey on New Zealand , Egypt, Italy and Norway.
Tribal customs of natives and the potential of the Northern Territory , were the subject of a talk on Central Australia by Mr R. H. Croll in 1931.Croll, a writer, poet , author , avid bushwalker, made six trips to Central Australia .
Artists who contributed to the club were Stephanie Taylor , painter and lecturer , a guide to the National Gallery of Victoria , who spoke on composition of photographs and bohemian John Shirlow , etcher and teacher, who established the etching school at Royal Melbourne Technical College , art master at Scotch College , renowned for his etchings of Melbourne streets.
With greater use of photographs in newspapers in 1932 , the head of the illustration department of the Argus and Australasian newspapers , Mr T. W. Brown , gave a lecture on the photo offset and reproduction process and issued an invitation for members to visit him at work .
Artists who contributed to the club were Stephanie Taylor , painter and lecturer , a guide to the National Gallery of Victoria , who spoke on composition of photographs and bohemian John Shirlow , etcher and teacher, who established the etching school at Royal Melbourne Technical College , art master at Scotch College , renowned for his etchings of Melbourne streets.
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Advert found inside Queensland op shop fitting room .
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The club had contact with other such clubs and individual photographers in various parts of Australia, including Queensland. In 1947 , Cairns photographer Lionel Law sent 25 prints for a one man exhibition in the club rooms .
Guided by a friendly leprechaun , this record was found in Townsville , North Queensland .
