#ThrowbackThursday – Today we time travel back to Main Road, Eltham, c.1910, opposite the relatively new Railway Station.

In this view we are standing near the northeast corner of what will become the intersection of Arthur Street and Main Road looking northwest across the road. The railway station can be seen on the left. In the centre is a small wooden shop front with H.H. Clark painted on the sides, believed to be from where Mr. Horace H. Clark conducted his estate agency and auction sales business. Further down the road to the right of picture is another shop belonging to Mr. W.J. Capewell, butcher.

The same view today.

And in this view we are standing near the future intersection of Pryor Street and Main Road looking to the southwest across Maria Street. W.J. Capewell’s shop front is forefront on the right; note the Hot Water sign painted on the fence. In the distance is a larger shop, Lloyd’s General Store (later Staff’s) with Summer Drinks and Hot Water also advertised on the building’s side. This shop was located opposite to where Arthur Street is now situated. Between these two buildings can be seen H.H. Clark’s agency though you need to look closely as it is very small in size.

The same view today.
As can be seen, the landscape has undergone dramatic transformation over the last 100 plus years. What changes will there be in the next 100?
These photographs form part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book, “Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham” by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as the ‘The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.’
It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire’s first one hundred years.
Ref: 1930 ‘DEATH OF MR. H. H. CLARK’, Advertiser (Hurstbridge, Vic. : 1922 – 1939), 21 March, p. 3. (AFTERNOON), viewed 26 Jun 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57762046
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