community news Archives helping to preserve Brisbane’s social history at monthly presentations INDUCEMENTS to buy gout and lumbago oils, watch performing fleas and help the war effort, are just some of the
early advertisements and trademarks preserved in the National Archives of Australia’s collection in Brisbane.
“Old advertisements are often amusing but they also provide a wonderful record of our social history,” says Mairi
Popplewell from the Brisbane office. Mairi, who gave public talks on the subject last month, is preparing
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presentations and images on the historical records of Australia Post at the archives’ rooms at Cannon Hill in May. “These presentations of Brisbane’s interesting past are proving very popular – especially among our older citizens who can relate to some of this historic nostalgia,” Mairi said. The collection of early advertisements attracted a lot of attention. “For example, we saw how Australians were urged to grow their own vegetables during the war and to provide temporary accommodation for migrants in their homes,” Mairi said. The collection includes government health and safety advertising campaigns but also private advertisements which were lodged in applications for copyright and trademark registrations. “Many applications for patents also relate to advertising,” Mairi said. “One device could stamp an advertising message on eggs before they were packaged.” Messages on trams aimed at passengers ranged from ‘Take Care. No sore throats with Craven A, the corktipped cigarette’ to
‘Children must not stand on the seats – even with Paddle brand shoes’ and ‘Don’t Crush! Remember, thousands of Herbert Adams’ eggs go home daily on the trams’. Brisbane commuters in the 1950s and 60s will remember those ads on the back of tram tickets such as ‘McDonnell and East – Where You Pay the Least’. Founded in 1901 by Irish immigrants Francis McDonnell and Hubert East, ‘Mac & East’ was a large department store in George Street, Brisbane, which had started business as a drapers. Mairi Popplewell said there were also
times when the government stepped in to warn against being taken in by advertisements, notably those offering young women employment as governesses in Java! The talks at the National Archives at 16 Corporate Drive, Cannon Hill, are presented at 10 am on the third Wednesday and third Friday of every month. Bookings can be made on (07) 3249 4200.
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Call us for advice on FREECALL 1800 000 555 Page 8 - Brisbane Seniors - May 2014
www.seniorsnewspaper.com.au