1956: Fans get a real close look at Neil Mann and Ian Ridley in the Melbourne v Collingwood grand final. Picture: Bruce Howard Source: HeraldSun
IT IS difficult to imagine today, but only a few decades ago a suburban-style motor accessories store stood at one of the Melbourne CBD’s prime locations.
Called The Old Tin Shed, the building was situated on the corner of Elizabeth and Lt Bourke streets, right next to the iconic GPO.
1950: The Old Tin Shed in Elizabeth St stood next to the GPO. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
Built in 1906, the shed was intended to be on the site temporarily, but it became a city landmark despite persistent calls for its removal.
PHOTO ESSAY: EVERYDAY LIFE IN MELBOURNE IN THE 1930s
PHOTO ESSAY: 1940s, A CITY IN WAR TIME
“Long-term tenant Allan W. Taylor & Co., motor accessories and tools, vacated the premises by the early 1960s prior to its removal in 1964,” writes Andrew May on the eMelbourne website.
A photo of the old shed is among many picture gems from Melbourne in the 1950s that the Herald Sun has sourced from its archives.
There is a marvellous shot of the Town Hall with a recognisable tram, but also with cars and a bus from a bygone era.
Another picture shows well-dressed patrons crammed into the Myer cafeteria — a former city institution, while Coles’ Bourke St store is teeming with shoppers ahead of Father’s Day.
The images also reveal a mid-century snapshot of life in the suburbs, such as youngsters doing the Roo Roo Kangaroo dance craze at Ormond Hall.
On the sports front, there is an inspiring picture of sprinter Betty Cuthbert winning the 200m final at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
And then there’s a youthful and beaming South Melbourne footy champion Bobby Skilton, snapped at work in 1959.
April 1950: The handwritten caption on the back of this image describes it as the “township of Broadmeadows”. It is actually a street in Westmeadows that was the site of the original Broadmeadows village. You will notice some older-model cars to the right while a more modern vehicle is pictured in the centre of the road. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1950s: Shoppers at Coles. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1950: Children helping their father in his grocery shop. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1951: People relax on the lawns outside the State Library of Victoria. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1951: Children from Scotch Church Elwood Play Centre meet a joey with some help from Joyce Seekamp at Melbourne Zoo. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1951: The Melbourne Town Hall at the intersection of in Swanston St and Collins St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1951: Tattersalls Lane, off Bourke St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1952: Myer's cafeteria packed in the crowds. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1952: Matt Beha and the bells in the GPO clock tower in Elizabeth St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1953: Children feed swans at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
1953: Dan Curtain, licensee of the Turf Club Hotel in North Melbourne, presents local paperboy Peter Hargraves with a watch for his 15th birthday. A collection was taken up for him by his grateful customers. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1953: Swinging high above a street, rigger Jack Farley directs his invisible crane driver to lower him to a pile of girders on a building site in Spencer St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
29 July 1953: In Sunshine where the roads were unmade and there was no running water, Mrs Anita Steigler and her son Ernst along with the family dog set out for home with a bucket of water. Mrs Steigler uses three of these for the family bath. Also pictured is Mrs Urmgard Stanik, who has to carry water home. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
2 October 1953: Main street in Belgrave. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
31 December 1953: Bill Young, Brian Collins, David Young and Judith Young enjoy a stroll along Mentone's breeze-swept foreshore. Picture: Herald Sun Image library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1953: Kids enjoy the water in the children's pool at Eastern Beach, Geelong. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
31 December 1953: Main street in Mentone pictured after all the shops closed for the day. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1954: Drive-in branch of the ES & A Bank at Camberwell. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
16 July 1954: Buildings at 88-92 Puckle St, Moonee Ponds that were bought by Woolworths for $84,000. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1954: This dance craze called the Roo Roo Kangaroo was introduced in Victoria at Ormond Hall. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
28 July 1954: Locals chat outside a new shopping centre at Nunawading. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1954: Dandenong Town Hall. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1954: Corner of Barkly St and Nicholson St, Footscray. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1954: Bay St, Frankston. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1954: Newsboys Leon Wiegard, Wally Leckie, Kenneth Brian White, Paul Wenn and Brian Galley leave for their rounds. Picture: Herald Sun Image library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1955: Intersection of Mount Alexander Rd and Fletcher St in Essendon. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1956: Workers unload ships at Melbourne docklands. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
1956: Ahead of the Olympic Games opening in Melbourne, a giant torch was placed outside Flinders St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
November 1956: The Olympics came to town. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
Crowds flock to downtown Collins St to see the Olympic torch being carried through the city. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: News Corp Australia
Hungarian water polo player Ervin Zador leaves the water covered in blood at the Melbourne Olympics, after the vicious match against Russia that came just days after Soviet tanks crushed a rebellion in his country. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
The Olympics on the front page of The Herald. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
Crowds watch the opening ceremony. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
1956: Betty Cuthbert wins the 200m from Christa Stubnick at the Melbourne Olympic Games. Source: HeraldSun
Prime Minister Robert Menzies gives athlete Betty Cuthbert and teammate Heather Innes a lift from the village to the main stadium. This photograph has been colourised by Herald Sun online. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: Supplied
1956: For the Taylor family on holiday by the sea at Torquay, Christmas dinner was roast chicken a la caravan. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/Frank Grant/ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1956: Station St, Sandringham. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1956: The Centreway Arcade. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: Supplied
1956: Shoppers in the Block Arcade. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: Supplied
1956: A woman carries water towards Woodman house in Griffen Crescent, North Melbourne, which was without water. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1956: Cafe Quintet in Carlton. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: HeraldSun
1 January 1957: Graham Horn, Lillian Stiles, Peter Hunt and Julie Barlow were all dressed up for New Year's Eve at Luna Park. The original caption noted that the group had “a gay time”. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library/ ARGUS Source: News Corp Australia
1957: Immigrant men play billiards in the Democritus Club. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
1957: Shoppers in Bourke St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
1958: Heatwave? Children at the North Melbourne Day Nursery grab a cool drink. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
1958: North Melbourne footballer Laurie Dwyer was nicknamed “Twinkle Toes” and is pictured with his dance partner Veronica Boyhan, with whom he became a national ballroom dancing champion. Source: HeraldSun
AUGUST 1959: South Melbourne footballer Bob Skilton at work. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun
LIFE IN 1950s MELBOURNE AT A GLANCE
Price of a loaf of bread: 8 cents
Average yearly wage for male factory workers: $592.33
Average yearly wage for female factory workers: $294.40
Average yearly wage for a male clerk or manager: $866.14
Average yearly wage for a female clerk or manager: $325.06
Unemployment rate: 1-1.7 per cent
Biggest names in sport: Dawn Fraser, Betty Cuthbert, Peter Thomson.
Latest tech device (the tablet of its day): Television
Population of Melbourne: 1.3 million in 1950
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