Sometimes in Archives work, answering an enquiry enables us to make previously unknown connections between materials in our Archives collection.

Recently the heritage planner who works with the College’s architects asked me for information and photographs relating to the early history of our three ovals. One photograph that I could identify quickly — because I catalogued and digitised it last year — is a view from the Founders Building tower showing a rugby match in progress on what is now the Buchanan Oval. The image is undated but appears to be from some time before the First World War.

Searching through some uncatalogued photographic prints in the hope of finding more archival images for this enquiry, I came across a similar view of what is now the Old Boys Oval. This, and the prints’ identical size and format, suggested that they were related. Pencilled annotations on the back of both prints confirmed this. It seems almost certain that the two photographs were taken at the same time.

Placed side by side, these images provide an almost-panoramic view of the eastern side of the College grounds, and of the suburbs beyond, at this period.

Mr David Roberts
College Archivist