An interesting example this, neatly showing a fusing of technologies – a late nineteenth century postcard, dated 25 November 1899, addressed to W H Scott, Engineer, Casterton VIC.

As you would expect form the period the postcard is hand addressed in what looks to be iron gall ink.

Flip it over and you see something else

The message is in typescript and looks to have been typed using an indelible ink ribbon.

Hicks Atkinson and Sons was an upmarket department store in Melbourne.

William Henry Scott was the shire engineer for Glenelg shire. Originally from Scotland, he lived for a time in Omaru in New Zealand before moving to Victoria in 1890. Voter registration records show him as living in Casterton at the time this postcard was sent.

One of his sons, also William Henry Scott, served with the Light Horse in what was then Palestine and eventually rose to the rank of Brigadier.

Casterton is a small town in the far west of the wheat growing area of Victoria, almost on the border of South Australia, and is notable for the number of women that signed the suffrage petition in 1891, as well as claiming to be where the kelpie breed of Australian working dog originated.