srnsw:series=14086

This is the Melanesian Mission Chapel of St Barnabas, the people are Melanesians (mainly from New Hebrides [Vanuatu] and Solomon islands) being trained for mission work back in their home islands. The Mission existed on Norfolk Island 1860-1920.

Thanks for that info, brucehassan. We found a link to a colour photo of the same building on the Norfolk Island website at: www.pitcairners.org/vt_st_barnabas_chapel.html which also says: "The chapel is built of stone from the ruins of the New Gaol. In 1920 the Mission was moved to the Solomon Islands."

The military commandant's name seems to have been variously spelled Paterson or Patterson, but never Patteson.

That's a great photo. Seems like there has been a bit of retouching to the swag, billy and trouser legs to make them more defined, but I'd be interested in an expert opinion. Good to compare with "On the wallaby track" from the Tyrrell Collection here: www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2363534490/ ADDED: Oh, I see now through at the persistent URL, that these were glass slides for display at an exhibition, so it is understandable that some features were retouched to give more definition on the big screen. Maybe some of the trees in the background have been blurred in processing too.

Very impressive portrait.

Compare him to this photgraph of Ninely and Nine: www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmediamuseum/3084038737/

BobMeade - the whole photo has been touched up extensively, but the eyes most strikingly of all. In the original only the whites of his eyes are visible and it gives the image a powerful aspect. The State Library have the original, but only digitised in low definition. A sharper version can be seen reproduced on p. 78 of Gaslight Sydney by Louise Johnson (Sydney: George Allen & Unwin, 1984). The State Library further define the location as Walbundry Station.

Thank you pellethepoet.

This is "White City" which was also the site of the 1908 Olympics and more recently a new mall by Westfield.

half the Shepherds Bush entrance (seen lower left corner) survived until 2006 when demolished for the shopping centre - a great loss. The engine sheds still survive in the middle of the site