Album of photographs and clippings of the New South Wales mining settlement of White Cliffs and the surrounding areas, and watercolour of Egyptian scene, ca 1887-1971 / probably compiled by the Richardson family

PXA 2116

fonds

ca 1887-1971

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs, Clippings, Watercolours

1269463

1 box (1 album, 87 photographs, 1 tin type, clippings, 1 drawing) - black & white - tin; printed; watercolour ;

The photographs have possibly been compiled by a member of the Richardson family. Alfred Richardson, a pioneer of the White Cliffs area, was one of the four kangaroo shooters who discovered opals at Moona Station in 1884. By 1890 the small settlement became known as White Cliffs. He and his family lived at White Cliffs for many years where he mined for opals and also became the proprietor of the Opal King Hotel.

John Frederick Raby enlisted on the 29 August 1914 into the 3rd Light Horse Regiment. His next of kin was his wife, Mrs Annie Veronica Raby of White Cliffs, N.S.W.

References:
Library file

NSW Births, deaths and marriages
https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au

Genealogy of South Australia
http://www.genealogysa.org.au

Australian War Memorial
http://www.awm.gov.au

A family album of photographs and clippings of the early pioneer days of White Cliffs and Wilcannia. Images show families, children, residences, town streets and shops, hospitals, churches, homesteads, opal mines, camel stock trains, rivers and bridges. Other areas include the Darling River and Mildura.

Several of the postcards and have been sent between members of the Richardson family, such as, a Miss Isabel Richardson or Miss H.I. Richardson and are postmarked White Cliffs and one of these of ‘Byers’s White Cliffs Hotel’ is from ‘Father’. One image is of the grave of William Richardson, died 18 June 1910, aged 84 years. He was the father of Alfred. Some of the album pages have captions in ink under the photographs. The photograph on the first page has a caption that reads ‘Our Sitting Room, White Cliffs, NSW’.

Clippings are from the Australian Women's Weekly (1950), The Advertiser (1958), Sunday Mail (1964 and 1971).

1 watercolour of an Egyptian scene depicting the Pyramids, possibly The Nile, and village. Signed lower right "Raby, I AIE A.I.F."

Copyright status:: In copyright - photographs created after 1955 Out of copyright - photographs created before 1955
Copyright status:: Watercolour - life of creator plus 70 years
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Several of the photographic postcards are inscribed on verso.

Start date based on the arrival of Edith Richardson, the sister of Alfred Richardson, at Momba Station in 1887. (from newspaper clipping in album).