Street scene from the Broadhurst NSW series c1914 showing Lithgow’s main thoroughfare.
A first thought is that hopefully the woman struggling across the road in a hobble skirt is not run down by the fast-approaching cart. Such skirts were a short-lived fashion trend that peaked between 1908 and 1914.
The view is looking west and the large building at left mid-image is the Grand Central Hotel. It looks imposing and majestic with its three levels and balconies. Sadly these were taken out, a trend common in many country cities during the 1960s and 70s.
The shop at right is presumably a newsagents or book store. It has made a feature of advertising it sells both The Bulletin and The Lone Hand. These were magazines of that era. Both were produced in Australia.
The Bulletin was first put out in 1880. Its final edition was in January 2008. Its focus was on politics with some literary content. It was highly influential until after World War 1 when its importance waned. It was revived as a modern news magazine from the 1960s on.
The Lone Hand was a sister publication and began in 1907 but ended relatively shortly after in 1928. It was a Sydney-based literary and poetry paper. Its first editor was J.F. Archibald, although he may not have had a massive operational input during his time there. Archibald is, of course, more famous as the founder of the art prize that bears his name.
The Lone Hand boasted an illustrious list of contributors including C.J. Dennis, Henry Lawson, Norman Lindsay, Steel Rudd, Mabel Forrest, Zara Cross and Ruby Winckler.
The street seems a little wider than what is there now but this may be an accident of the camera.
