The titles of these two films – Views around Albury and Shots at Random around Albury clearly explain how Doc Woods thought about the material in them. There’s an interesting observation (somewhat academic) about when photographers stopped making formal Views, (and you could buy a postcard set promising ‘Picturesque Views around Albury’), and the photographic mechanism became more ubiquitous so people they were taking Shots, often casual. These were then collected into Albums, or consolidated into film reels.While there are lots of Albury related sequences in the Doctor’s other family films like the one in the Introduction, where the Valetta backyard looks out to the ‘new’ T&G building on the skyline (built in 1935) and what seems to be almost next door St Matthews Church. There are some short rolls that he never assembled (a good local football match, and one of coloured floats rolling out for a procession in 1947. The two below have more interest from a historical perspective. I suggest they are an invaluable part of local Australian history and must be preserved.
What makes me think this was a “catch all” reel despite its official title, is at the end there’s a title: Odds and Ends which shows off-cuts from I assume the Rotary conference, and a beautiful barely two second shot showing a cart and horse passing in the background in front of the Mates store, and a popup surprise in a purple field of Paterson’s Curse.
Shots at Random around Albury runs 11 mins and is more like a photo album, or a scrapbook. Woods has assembled things he liked about Albury that were taken across the years. He intercuts different years in the opening sequence with an in-camera superimposed title, an older colour faded car driving down the hill from the Anzac memorial, then a view through the windscreen of a later car with a panorama around the town. It contains the title sequence followed by a wide shot of the Hume Dam from a hill, a sequence titled Autumn Leaves using faded (Agfachrome) and Kodachrome colour stocks, shots of Botanical Gardens Gardens, tree lined streets. The 65th Rotary District Conference, Rotary Sign and people at foot of memorial , a seemingly unrelated inter cut of painting a wire gate, then back to the delgates. a title Garden Paths has more faded colour of the Botanical Gardens (a short walk from ‘Valetta’). Titled ‘Beautiful Bogong’ there is sequence of old and new, material, some faded, a family visit and lots of snow. The Eurobin Falls (old, faded) Mount ‘Buffalo Scenes’ ski-ing, and again in faded colour the Buffalo Gorge.
A title ‘Spring has come’ – Grandfather Cleaver mowing the lawn, faded colour of trees in blossom, good colour of a car and wattle . Then one of the surprises that delighted me , blooming flowers, and a jerky time lapse of a poppy opening. More trees in blossom, gardening, colour in backyard with the T&G Tower prominent. A field of Patterson Curse is disturbed by the two sons popping up. A title ‘Trees arch the road’ shows two Albury avenues, the Botanical gardens again and ends with the Murray River.
The Albury Younger Set celebrated its eleventh birthday with a tea party. Visitors from Wodonga and Gerogery were present. After the feast moving pictures were shown by Dr. L. S. Woods. Much excitement was caused when the girls who took part in the Netherlands Day festivities saw themselves acting on the screen. Other films showed scenes of Albury and district, with an interesting commentary by Dr. Woods. The evening concluded with community singing and the serving of supper.
Our annual effort took the form of a crazy whist evening. In these days of international strife and uncertainty at home, the raising of funds presents a difficult problem. So many demands are being made, not only on the public purse, but also on that of the members. For October we decided to dispose of a note, entertainments in the form of dances being out of the question with all the young men away in camp.
Examiner (Launceston, Tas.) Wednesday 22 November 1939
SPEED BOATS ON HUME
WEIR REGATTA PROPOSALS
Plans were discussed at the annual meeting of Hume Boat Club at Albury for the organisation of a regatta on Hume Reservoir on Boxing Day. It is expected that craft capable of a speed of more than 70 miles per hour will take part.
The president (Mr. W. P. Crosthwaite) was re-elected to office. He read a letter from the Victorian Outboard Club which intimated that it would bring 10 of its best boats to the regatta if the organisers would provide 30 gallons of petrol for the use of each boat, and give a percentage of the profits for the fixture to the club. The meeting decided to extend an invitation to the Victorian Club and offer it 50 per cent. of the profits.
In a report on the first year of the club’s activities, Mr. Crosthwaite outlined the many changes that had been made to the boat haven, which, he said, had been completely transformed. Dead timber had been taken from the sailing course, while the land area had been considerably improved.
A slip-way for running boats into the water was to be erected. Mr. Crosthwaite said much of the work had been carried out by Wodonga Shire Council free of charge. Membership was fixed at 2/6 for seniors and 1/ for juniors, while a registration fee of 2/6 will be charged for each boat.
Albury Banner and Wodonga Express Friday 2 September 1938 p 19
ALBURY GOLF TOURNAMENT.
INLAND TROPHY TO N. BASSINGTHWAIGHTE, E. WILSON ALBURY DISTRICT CHAMPION
Albury Golf Club’s inland championship tournament on Saturday. Players were drenched by rain. N. Bassingthwaighte (Cootamundra) won the inland championship of 54 holes. He defeated the young Albury player, K. Quirk, by one stroke.
An outstanding performance was that of E. Wilson, of Albury Club, who won the Albury district championship, 36 holes, returning two cards of 1 (?)
Albury Banner and Wodonga Express Friday 27 August 1937
Albury Old Grammarians
The programme for the association’s other activities will be drawn later. The treasurer’s report disclosed a credit of £120. It was decided that the annual cricket match, past v present scholars, be held early in November.
Albury Banner and Wodonga Express Friday 9 April 1937
Dr. L. S. Woods, of Albury, has sailed for England, and after seeing the Coronation will, do a post graduate course before returning to Australia. During Dr. Woods’ absence. Dr. Goldberg, of Melbourne, will act as locum tenons.
Albury Banner and Wodonga Express Friday 12 February 1937
Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever
Diphtheria and scarlet fever ‘are causing concern in Albury. At the last ‘meeting ‘ of the District Hospital Board, Matron McAlister reported that five cases of diphtheria — one patient was a nurse— had been treated, and the medical officer (Dr. L. S. Woods) stated that at present 20 cases of scarlet fever were receiving attention.
Following receipt of this information, the board discussed a request from the chief health officer of the municipal council (Mr. T. Morrow) that support be given him in organising a second immunisation campaign to stem diphtheria through the agency of anatoxin. Dr. Woods stated that the first immunisation campaign, in which just on 300’ children had been treated, had been satisfactory. So far. as he was aware no child had suffered any effects from the treatment. The board intimated that it would co-operate with the municipal council in waging war on the disease.
Albury Banner and Wodonga Express Friday 23 October 1936
When the Governor-General and Lady Gowrie visit Albury in November Lord Gowrie was to be invited to lay the foundation-stone of the nurses quarters to be erected in association with the Albury District Hospital.
Mesdames Charles Marshall and J S Edwards of Albury have been elected life governors of Albury District Hospital. Dr L S Woods has been appointed medical superintendent for the current year.
The Argus (Melbourne, Wednesday 19 August 1936
Old Grammarians’ Ball Albury
The fifth annual Old Grammarians’ ball, held in St. Pat-rick’s Hall to-night, was the most successful social event organised In connection with Albury Grammar School. There was an attendance of more than 400 old grammarians, who came from many Riverina and north-eastern centres, including Albury, Wagga, Corowa, Holbrook, Henty, Culcairn, Yerong Creek, Rutherglen, Tallangatta and Corryong. The hall was artistically decorated in maroon, blue, and gold -the grammar school colours, peach blossom, and replicas of school badges.
Before the ball the annual Old Grammarians’dinner was held the chair being occupied by Dr L S Woods president of the Old Grammarians’ Association
The Argus Saturday 12 September 1936
The ‘chairman of Albury District Hospital board (Mr G. A. Williams) at a meeting’ referred to the death of Dr. Eric Woods in Melbourne last week. – The meeting decided to ‘communicate with Dr. and Mrs. Cleaver Woods and Dr. L. S. Woods (medical superintendent of the hospital), expressing their sympathy.
Albury Banner and Wodonga Express Friday 21 August 1936
It was reported that arrangements had been satisfactorily concluded for reliable snow information to be telephoned to Albury each Friday during the winter and that consideration was being given by the Victorian Tourist Bureau to facilitate club members journeying to the snow fields on the Buffalo plateau when suitable conditions were not available at the chalet. It was also reported that the club was moving in the matter of keeping open the Monaro Highway through the winter and that Mr. A. Mair, M.L.A., had agreed to represent the body in a ‘deputation’shortly to wait upon the Main Roads Board.
The Chairman reported that additional clearing had been made at Mt. St. Bernard, and a jump prepared, and that the Alpine Highway between Harrietville and St. Bernard had been much improved ; also that the Government proposed the erection of a chalet between Mt St. Bernard and Hotham, probably near the site of the present Diamentina Hut.
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