General News
19 August, 2024
Times Gone By
- from Rainbow Archives and Historical Society's Peter Ralph
The contents of this photograph will be very familiar to Rainbow residents, with the large King Street panorama of the original 1905-built Eureka, and the 1907-built National Bank having quietly lived just around the corner for the past 32 years.
Originally painted by Dale Webb in 1993, the 2021 restoration by Belinda Eckermann has brought the weatherbeaten peeling and flaking images back to a crisp, renewed life.
I often point out to visitors that the two buildings are today the exact reverse of their 1910 selves: the Eureka now double-storeyed, the NAB single-storeyed since 1962.
We need to remember that this photo was taken around 1909, one of a series published by the Ajax postcard company, and hence testifies to Rainbow’s regional importance as a developing township.
The files of past Archive stalwarts Dawn Petschel and Marj Wallis have both provided copies from the series for us.
And the fact that J. Edward Robertson compiled his 1910 Booklet on the town and district also underlines this point regarding the significance of Rainbow at the time.
There are a number of features in the photo itself to note.
First, the care and attention given to the facades of stone/brick-faced materials, the decorative embellishments and the sense of grandeur resulting.
Second, the nod to the styles of the time: bullnose verandah, portico and lacework on the hotel, and the finials and colonnade atop the bank.
Third, the awareness of our summer harshness in the wide verandah itself at the Eureka and the balcony overhang at the bank.
Not to mention protection from the rain when it fell.
Several of these features are also apparent at the later Post Office, erected in 1912 by A.J. Barton.
Optimism was high, with the enormous Eureka stables recently completed by “the well-known contractors, Messrs Ismay and Son” in the words of Robertson, a second storey soon to be built by A.J. Barton as well, extensions planned for the Commonwealth Hotel, and a speedy rebuild “on a large scale” following the devastating Federal Street Cust fire of February 1910.
What a period of energetic endeavour, creativity, group cooperation, big-thinking, and plain hard work it was.
And what a foundation for those of us following on in the 115 years since then.
Many thanks to all who supported our recent raffle, and congratulations to winner Lauris Bretag.
We do have some projects we are hoping to complete, and another couple at the starting line, so the funds raised are most welcome.
With a mixture of sadness and enormous gratitude for what has been a monumental contribution to the Archive since its current inception years ago, we report that at our AGM, president Diane Wall passed the baton to Jan Edelsten.
We know that Jan will do a great job, and thank her for taking on this leadership role.
Meanwhile, Diane will remain an active researcher.