[Editor: This postcard (unused), which incorporates a photograph of a flooded house on Villiers Street, Grafton (New South Wales), is undated; however, it is believed that it may have been taken circa 1950.]
[Front of postcard]
[Description: A photograph of a house in flood waters, with a sign-post which says “Villiers St”.]
[Reverse of postcard]
Photographs may be re-ordered any time
Le Gance Studios
133 Prince Street, Grafton
Copyright reserved
[Handwritten text, in italics]
[?] & Villiers
Chez Aladice
Source:
Original document
Editor’s notes:
Dimensions (approximate): 132 mm. (width), 84 mm. (height).
This postcard is not dated; however, given the involvement of the Le Gance Studios and the severity of the flood, it may be that the photograph was taken during the major flooding that affected Grafton in 1950 (however, this possibility is somewhat speculative).
See: 1) “Clarence flood, 1950: Worst for 60 years”, The Daily Examiner, (Grafton, NSW), 1 July 1950, p. 1 [re the flooding in Grafton in 1950]
2) Adam Hourigan, “Bill remembers the floods of years past: Many floods have invaded the township of Grafton in Bill Dougherty’s lifetime: But it is the 1950 flood that stands out most in his memory”, The Daily Telegraph, 13 June 2017 [re the flooding in Grafton in 1950]
An attempt was made to identify the street corner where this photo was taken, but no concrete results came of the research carried out.
There are several old houses on corners of Villiers Street in Grafton, but the roof structures and front-left windows do not seem to match those of the house in this photo. The house might not even exist in modern times.
A notation on the reverse side of the postcard, written in grey pencil, says “[?] & Villiers”; the first word is not clear (it looks like it starts with a C or a G, but the only street which intersects with Villiers Street in Grafton, that begins with a C or a G is Crown Street, and the word in pencil does not look like “Crown”).
The name of Le Gance Studios is mentioned in the historical newspaper collection on the Trove website between 1949 and 1954.
For example, see: 1) “Lady Bissett at Quota”, The Daily Examiner, (Grafton, NSW), 13 July 1949, p. 3 [mentions Le Gance Studios]
2) “Le Gance Presents….”, The Daily Examiner, (Grafton, NSW), 13 July 1949, p. 3 [advertisement for Le Gance Studios]
3) “At this festive season”, The Daily Examiner, (Grafton, NSW), 24 December 1954, p. 8 [advertisement for Le Gance Studios]
A second notation on the reverse side of the postcard, written in purple pencil, says “Chez Aladice” (i.e. the home of Aladice). Aladice is a rare surname in Australia; in the historical newspaper collection on the Trove website, the Aladice surname appears only a few times (T. Aladice, Harold Aladice, D. Aladice, and V. Aladice); Trove also includes a 1949 mention of an Aladice street in Glenorchy, Tasmania (which appears to now be Allardyce Avenue in Goodwood, immediately east of Glenorchy).
However, a search for the surname “Allardyce” in connection with Grafton resulted in finding a Mr. Allardyce (who was involved with the Presbyterian Church in Grafton), a Sister A. Allardyce (head nurse at Grafton Hospital), and a Miss D. E. Allardyce (of Grafton). One newspaper spelt Sister Allardyce’s name as Allardice.
See: 1) “Personal”, The Grafton Argus, (Grafton, NSW), 12 January 1910, p. 2 [“Mr. Allardyce comes this week as assistant to the Rev. D. Brown in the Grafton Presbyterian charge”]
2) “St. Andrew’s, Grafton” (advertisement in the “Public notices” section), The Grafton Argus, (Grafton, NSW), 14 January 1910, p. 1 [“Mr. Allardyce”]
3) “Religious services”, The Grafton Argus, (Grafton, NSW), 28 January 1910, p. 4 [“Presbyterian Church of Australia … South Grafton 7.30. — Mr. Allardyce”]
4) “Give him a helping hand” (list of wartime donations), The Grafton Argus, (Grafton, NSW), 9 August 1915, p. 2 [“Grafton Hospital staff … Sister A. Allardyce”]
5) “Grafton hospital: Special meeting of committee”, The Grafton Argus, (Grafton, NSW), 5 July 1916, p. 4 [“the nursing staff of the Grafton Hospital … Sister Allardice”]
6) “Clarence River news”, The Northern Star and Richmond and Tweed Rivers Advocate (Lismore, NSW), 20 October 1916, p. 2 [“Sister Allardyce, head nurse at Grafton Hospital, has resigned”]
7) “Grafton Hospital”, The Grafton Argus, (Grafton, NSW), 23 October 1916, p. 4 [“Sister Allardyce tendered her resignation as head nurse”]
8) “Needle and fancy work”, The Daily Examiner (Grafton, NSW), 16 April 1948, p. 6 [“Miss D. E. Allardyce”]
Another search, for the surname “Allardice” in connection with Grafton, resulted in finding a Mr. Allardice connected to Grafton in 1861 and 1936.
See: 1) “Publicans’ licensing meeting Grafton”, The Clarence & Richmond Examiner and New England Advertiser (Grafton, NSW), 10 September 1861, p. 2 [“Messrs. Lardner, Allardice, and Robertson, J.P.’s”]
2) “May Fair: South Grafton Presbyterian Guild”, The Daily Examiner (Grafton, NSW), 23 April 1936, p. 4 [“Mesdames Allardice, Herkes, Newland”]
Therefore, it is possible that the house shown in the photo was at one stage the residence of a person or family with the surname Aladice (or Allardice or Allardyce). A search of some selected electoral records and postal directories did not produce any results; however, a comprehensive search of electoral records and postal directories could reveal the presence of an Aladice (or Allardice or Allardyce) family living at a particular address in Villiers Street in Grafton.
I believe this is the corner of Bacon St. Now the blue house. The roof matches on street view.