Icons of Yesteryear

John’s Inspiration: “Set in the mid-1950s in Bourke St, Melbourne, it’s a damp. drizzly evening with people beginning to head home from their offices  shops and shopping expeditions. The street lights are on, which would indicate it was probably in the more wintry months and the numerous advertising signs already lit. The warmth of the shop lights and tram interiors offset the otherwise cool tone of the painting.

Many of the signs will be familiar to older generations. and some perhaps even obscure signs may be recognised today.

The moisture laden air has created a soft blurring effect in the distance and people are hurrying to get undercover and head home. It’s interesting to note that the original cable cars which ran along Bourke St did not cease functioning until late 1949 at which point buses, particularly double decker buses, took over for a few years until the new tramway system could be re-established. This meant tearing up the old tracks and cable car grooves and relaying tracks for the next generation of trams. These commenced service around 1955, around about the time that this painting is set. Architecturally and historically the painting is fairly correct, being based upon a very old black and white photograph which shows a double Decker bus where I’ve replaced it with the tram. A policeman may be seen behind the closest tram with his hand up to stop the traffic so that people might get on and off the trams and the traffic would be halted during that process. It all seems a bit odd these days, but I can still remember it, even in Sydney, being much the same way. The large neon sign. Warburton, Franki on the left side of the painting brings back memories for me personally as I was employed by that company in the early 1970s. Not by the Melbourne branch, but by the head office, the holding company of Warburton O’Donnell, as their national advertising manager and marketing services manager which took me to all of the branches around Australia and overseas.

Most of these signs, and indeed businesses, are now gone. Coles and Garrard, the sign behind the Warburton Franki display was a very large and successful optometrist company. I think they may still trade somewhere in Melbourne but they have certainly gone from those premises. The Warburton Franki branch closed in 1978. Hoover, of course, are now only available through retail outlets. The Victoria Hotel is gone. Myers, of course, are still, I believe in Bourke St in the mall now. The London stores building no longer houses that company. But they may still be operational elsewhere”.