tom

From The Powerhouse Museum's "Photo Of The Day" blog: "If you look at the larger version of this image on Flickr you can see several signs have been placed on the building that reads ‘Many happy returns of the day’. You can clearly see a large group of people gathering out the front of the building and some of the ferries are full of passengers. What was so special about this day?"

Looks like it might be something about Mort & Co.? www.mortco.com.au/history.html "The name Mort & Co has been associated with Australia’s agricultural industries for decades. This link was first established in 1843 when Thomas Sutcliff Mort established Mort & Co as an auctioneering and brokering business specifically focusing on selling wool. This business developed and became a leading pastoral house before merging with R Goldsbrough & Co in 1888 to form Goldsbrough Mort & Co. Goldsbrough Mort & Co continued to grow, and in 1962 merged with Elder Smith & Co to form Elder Smith Goldsbrough Mort & Co Ltd. Consolidation continued, and in 1981 Elder Smith Goldsbrough Mort & Co Ltd merged with Henry Jones IXL to form Elders IXL which today trades as Elders. Charlie Mort, the proprietor of Mort & Co is a great-great-great nephew of Thomas and is proud of the mark that his ancestors have had on the Australian agricultural industry."

Info about the founder, Thomas Mort: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Sutcliffe_Mort ... which says he apparently died in 1878, so it wasn't his birthday, if indeed this pic is from 1900 :)

I was wondering if it might have something to do with the ferries... and they just hung the note on the Mort & Co. building because it was right there ;) Not sure if a merger would be classified as a birthday, as such...

@ Powerhouse Museum Collection - the Justice and Police Museum is one corner south. Tweddle's Belmore Hotel "First & Last" as seen from the other direction: www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2362703683/

Coincidentally, Tom Roberts (see previous two photos) worked at Stewart & Co. Bourke Street ca 1880. I wonder if he arranged the backdrop, set and sitters for this photo? Ref - adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110419b.htm

Thanks, beachcomberaustralia, that is a nice coincidence, wholly unplanned. we swear!

fascinating!

love these old photos. i should post some of my families oldies someday,

What a great shot. Interesting info. about Tom Roberts.

Her wikipedia entry: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Cilento His wikipedia entry: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Finch

niceeee

Actress and Queensland arts identity Diane Cilento has died after a long illness at the age of 79. Born in Mooloolaba to an esteemed medical family, she decided to become an actress at a young age and graduated from London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She went on to win international acclaim as an actress during the 1950s and 1960s. Performer to the end A friend of the late actress says she was a performer to the end. Playwright and neighbor Michael Gow says he was with Cilento at a dinner party last weekend. "She was a performer to the end, and she put on a great display for all the guests at that dinner," he said. "She kept us all hugely entertained until the day before yesterday when she just couldn't manage anymore and we took her to hospital." Source; www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-07/diane-cilento-dies/3340782

Frederick George Peter Ingle Finch (28 September 1916 – 14 January 1977) was an English-born Australian actor.[1][2][3] He is best remembered for his role as crazed television anchorman Howard Beale in the 1976 film Network, which earned him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Actor, his fifth Best Actor award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and a Best Actor award from the Golden Globes. Finch was the first person to win a posthumous Academy Award in an acting category. As of 2021, the only other person to have done so was fellow Australian Heath Ledger. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Finch