Project blog

Descendants of the Allport family donated photographs to Local Studies at Barry O’Keefe Library. They include pictures of family outings just after the war. Of particular interest are images of Jack Allport soaring through the air from the high diving platform at Clifton Gardens, and relaxing with his brother Brett, family and friends by the foreshore. Also included are portraits of their father Roland.

Brett, Jack , Amy Allport and friends at Clifton Gardens c 1920. Source: ‘Trace’ online archive Barry O’Keefe Library.

Just because the war has ended doesn’t mean we have stopped collecting. The niece of Charles Lawrence ‘Laurie’ Pollard has very kindly donated his archives to the Mosman Local Studies Collection. Laurie drove ambulances and ammunition trucks in France during the First World War. This small collection is a wonderful assortment and includes his pay book, photographs he took and the maps he used on the battlefields. ‘Laurie’ was in the 3rd Australian Ammunition Sub-Park and perhaps this is a photograph of the unit?

For much of the First World War the small French village of Vignacourt was a sanctuary and a base for troops from nearby fighting. Thousands were billeted in houses or slept in the local barns, stables and lofts.

The surrounding fields were populated with training grounds and camps and so the soldiers’ evenings were often free to visit the cafes and the wine bars, a far cry from the battlefields that in reality were only 20 or 30 kms away.

When you start looking, you begin to find traces of the First World War everywhere in Mosman. For me, that was the most surprising and fascinating part of Doing our bit.

As the 100th anniversary to the ending of the war to end all wars draws near, it seems timely to re-cap with a selection of images and finds from the last few years.

AEROPLANE V. AIRSHIP. The Strand Magazine, 1916. See: Raglan St. to RFC: Bill Taylor’s school days & calling to the skies.