Community & Business
5 May, 2023
Can you name a mandolinist?
A year on from the public showing of the early 1900s 'Pardey photos' History Pittsworth now has hundreds of prints available for viewing and for sale - along with hopes that more captions might be filled in.
Herbert John Pardey was a prolific photographer in Pittsworth from 1907 to 1917.
Last year’s exhibition featured some of the hundreds of photos that have now been copied from Pardey’s glass plate negatives held by Lindenberg & Co where he used a darkroom back in the day.
His subjects were diverse and offer a detailed and quite beautiful slice of social history from the country town in that era.
Family groups are depicted, along with children, business folk, men in military uniform and musical groups.
One shows the Mandolin Club of Pittsworth - surely one of those instruments has survived as a treasured family heirloom?
Perhaps someone can spot a family resemblance in one of those faces? Or maybe there’s an old print of the images tucked into a family album, names included?
History Pittsworth members are keen to hear from anyone who may be able to help with naming any of the subjects in any of the images, most of which do not have captions.
The photos can be viewed in albums at the Pioneer Village and prints of the Pardey photos are available for sale, from $15.
The Pioneer Village is open on Thursdays and Fridays, 10am-1pm and on Sundays, 10am-2pm, or by appointment.
More photos in the print edition of The Pittsworth Sentinel of May 4, 2023.
