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I'm working on a novella at the moment, set in 1920 in my city, Adelaide. It's a murder mystery, based loosely on a real unsolved murder case here in Adelaide (The Taman Shud case). In the course of my researches, I have found some amazing, amazing newspaper reports and photographs about parts of Adelaide that today haven't seem to have changed a lot at all.
For example, I found this gorgeous photo of the south-east corner of Hindley/Morphett Streets in the city, from 1926. This is where the Chinese community in Adelaide were centered. Today, it hasn't changed much at all. Nowadays, looking up Hindley St (the left of the Google Map street view photo), that building has a Hog's Breath Cafe and the Crazy Horse Strip Revue in it, among other things. But back in the twenties and thirties, it had residences, a furniture factory and other stores, and was the office of the Kuo Min Tang in Adelaide.
Now, my story will be set in Adelaide, mostly on Hindley Street, with the murder victim being discovered at Brighton Beach. I chose Brighton for a few reasons, one, it's one of my favourite beaches, two, it's gorgeous for swimming, three, the op shops (thrift shops) there are always good value, four, I lived not too further down the south coast and Brighton was where the best shops and public library was. Plus? Fish and chips. Mmm. I went to do some research on what Brighton was like in 1920, and was amazed to learn that this currently popular, beautiful, quiet beach was once upon a time, coastal murder central! And smuggling! And drownings! And suicides! And a cow finding a body! And a horse and trap (wagon) drowning! And shark attacks! I'd had NO IDEA that the beach I'd chosen, out of fond memories and aesthetics, had such a bloody and violent history.
I was talking about this with a good friend, and we were boggling over some of the newscuttings of the reports of things there. We grew up in an Adelaide where Brighton was considered a good beach for families, you didn't go down Hindley Street at night if you knew what was good for you (and yeah, she and I broke that one quite a fair few times! XD), and that you were more likely to be murdered in the parklands that surround the city center than anywhere else. (Adelaide is known for its bizarre murders, after all.)
Brighton hasn't changed a lot, either. Here's how it is now. And here's approximately the same view, the photo was taken in 1919.
Some of the photos I've found have been wonderful for other reasons, like this shot of women working a stall in Glenelg, from 1922. Research tells me that there quite a few interracial marriages between white Australians and Chinese immigrants. To me, this just illustrates the beauty of our wonderful multicultural history, present and future of the city of Adelaide and all of Australia.
ETA: Here's another view of the women at the stall, a bit clearer of their outfits. And I love this one from 1943 of Chinese ladies of Adelaide society, who retained their family names and clothes, but took (very) Australian first names. (The description identifies them: left to right, Darwina Chin, Bessie Chong, Gertie Shang, Heather Tang, Noreen Wong and Lucy Que Noy.)
For example, I found this gorgeous photo of the south-east corner of Hindley/Morphett Streets in the city, from 1926. This is where the Chinese community in Adelaide were centered. Today, it hasn't changed much at all. Nowadays, looking up Hindley St (the left of the Google Map street view photo), that building has a Hog's Breath Cafe and the Crazy Horse Strip Revue in it, among other things. But back in the twenties and thirties, it had residences, a furniture factory and other stores, and was the office of the Kuo Min Tang in Adelaide.
Now, my story will be set in Adelaide, mostly on Hindley Street, with the murder victim being discovered at Brighton Beach. I chose Brighton for a few reasons, one, it's one of my favourite beaches, two, it's gorgeous for swimming, three, the op shops (thrift shops) there are always good value, four, I lived not too further down the south coast and Brighton was where the best shops and public library was. Plus? Fish and chips. Mmm. I went to do some research on what Brighton was like in 1920, and was amazed to learn that this currently popular, beautiful, quiet beach was once upon a time, coastal murder central! And smuggling! And drownings! And suicides! And a cow finding a body! And a horse and trap (wagon) drowning! And shark attacks! I'd had NO IDEA that the beach I'd chosen, out of fond memories and aesthetics, had such a bloody and violent history.
I was talking about this with a good friend, and we were boggling over some of the newscuttings of the reports of things there. We grew up in an Adelaide where Brighton was considered a good beach for families, you didn't go down Hindley Street at night if you knew what was good for you (and yeah, she and I broke that one quite a fair few times! XD), and that you were more likely to be murdered in the parklands that surround the city center than anywhere else. (Adelaide is known for its bizarre murders, after all.)
Brighton hasn't changed a lot, either. Here's how it is now. And here's approximately the same view, the photo was taken in 1919.
Some of the photos I've found have been wonderful for other reasons, like this shot of women working a stall in Glenelg, from 1922. Research tells me that there quite a few interracial marriages between white Australians and Chinese immigrants. To me, this just illustrates the beauty of our wonderful multicultural history, present and future of the city of Adelaide and all of Australia.
ETA: Here's another view of the women at the stall, a bit clearer of their outfits. And I love this one from 1943 of Chinese ladies of Adelaide society, who retained their family names and clothes, but took (very) Australian first names. (The description identifies them: left to right, Darwina Chin, Bessie Chong, Gertie Shang, Heather Tang, Noreen Wong and Lucy Que Noy.)
