Author: Robin Waters

Record of the Month – October 2012

The first week of October is Be Kind to Animals Week and to celebrate, Public Record Office Victoria brings you a photographic collection of beloved pets from yesteryear.

The first thing I noticed about these images is that while human fashions may have changed over the last 100 years, those of our pets have not, even if we are to imagine that these show dogs might have been more image-conscious than their more commonplace K9 counterparts.

These glass plate scans are taken from our Photographic Negatives: Railways collection (VPRS 12903) which, despite its name, holds a vast array of images covering a whole swathe of different subjects. The series is also digitised and available online, simply type 'Various breeds of show dogs' into the search bar.

Public Record Office Victoria contributes to our furry friends by donating shredded paper to The Lost Dogs Home, though not from our archives of course! 

black and white photo of a woman holding a dog

 

black and white photo of a boy holding two dogs

 

black and white photo of a man and a dog

 

VPRS 12903 (Photographic Negatives: Railways: Box Systems)
Consignment P1 Unit 373 Items 1 through 17
"Various breeds of show dogs, with owners and children. Late 1930s."

Creating Agency:
Victorian Railways (VA 2876) Circa 1920-1983

Agency currently responsible:
Department of Infrastructure (VA 3971) 1999 – cont

Material in the Public Record Office Victoria archival collection contains words and descriptions that reflect attitudes and government policies at different times which may be insensitive and upsetting

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