Written on reverse:
Miss A. Black
9 Blair Street
Ballarat East, Vic
My dear brother Archie,
I hope you are well and getting plenty to eat and drink and that you will not get hurt over there.
This photo represents me as "Queen of the Anzacs" at our school carnival.
I wish you would write me a line when you get time.
(found on ebay)
This wonderful information has been supplied by the Ballarat RSL:
I wrote the following article for our December, 2020 Members' Newsletter and hope you all enjoy it -
QUEEN OF THE ANZACs
Just before ANZAC Day 2020, we received a message via our Facebook page with a link attached to this postcard photo asking if we were aware of it? We were not!! … well, at least I wasn’t.
Upon further investigation, I found that the link held minimal information and it appeared that a few people had attempted to do some research without much success. Of course, this is where I took my cue and proceeded on another interesting journey back in time.
Archibald James BLACK was born 24 July, 1862 at Smythesdale to David BLACK (1838-1921) and Elizabeth VENTERS (1836-1912). David and Elizabeth had both been born in Fife, Scotland and married 16 May, 1856 in Renfrew, Scotland. Shortly afterwards, they made their way to Liverpool, England where they embarked for Australia, arriving in Melbourne on 30 December, 1856. From Melbourne they headed towards the goldfields and soon were residing in Smythesdale, where they raised their eleven children - 7 sons and 4 daughters, born between 1857-1884.
At the time of her death in November, 1912, Elizabeth had been a resident of Scarsdale district for more than 56 years and was widely respected by all who came in contact with her. David Black passed away in 1921 and they are both buried in the Smythesdale Cemetery, which is located 2.5km south of Smythesdale and just before the Scarsdale township (approx. 17km from Ballarat).
Archibald “Archie” BLACK, born 5 December, 1887 at Scarsdale, was the eldest child of Archibald James BLACK and Rosina Annie CHIBNALL, who had married on 18 July, 1887 at Ballarat. Archie’s siblings were William Richard George b. 1889, Scarsdale, with the following all born Sebastopol - Lavena Mitchell b. 1891; Albert Cecil, b.1893; Myrtle Sylvia b. 1895 and Amelia Georgina b. 1903.
Archie BLACK was a miner and had relocated to Broken Hill, NSW to work. He enlisted for WW1 at Adelaide, South Australia on 21 January, 1916 and was assigned to the Mining Corps as a Sapper. Prior to proceeding overseas to France, Archie had been promoted to Corporal and transferred to the 43rd Battalion. His unit embarked from Adelaide, on board HMAT A19 Afric on 9 June, 1916. Archie’s natural leadership and dedication to duty led him through a series of promotions and eventually a Commission to Lieutenant on 24 November, 1917.
Archie began his return to Australia on 23 July 1919 and his appointment was terminated on 21 November, 1919.
In 1920, Archie married Lily PASCOE at Broken Hill, NSW and by early 1922 they had both relocated to Claremont, Tasmania.
Prior to embarking for France, Archie had been joined in the 43rd Battalion by Lily’s brother, Albert Charles PASCOE and so, they sailed together. In August, 1916, Lily had received a cable message from Albert and Archie, announcing their arrival “in England, both well”. Unfortunately, on 26 April, 1917, Albert died of wounds at Armentieres, France and was buried in the Trois-Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, France.
On 24 June, 1943, Archie enlisted at Hobart, Tasmania to serve once again with the Army, in WW2. At the time of his discharge, Archie held the rank of Gunner with Headquarters Hobart Anti-Aircraft Battery Volunteer Defence Corps.
I could find no other information on Archie and Lily apart from the fact that they both resided in Claremont until Archie’s death on 29 May, 1963. Lily was residing at Berriedale, Tasmania when she died on 22 January, 1980. They were both cremated and have memorials at Cornelian Bay Cemetery And Crematorium, Hobart, Tasmania.
Archie’s sister, Amelia Georgina BLACK (the author of the postcard) was born at Sebastopol on 25 June, 1903. Amelia was a truly talented musician, dancer and performer from quite a young age. She was most successful with the London College of Music examinations, gaining the highest number of marks in the intermediate section in June, 1915. It was on 21 September, 1916 that Amelia entered the Golden Point State School Queen Carnival as “Queen of the ANZACs” (Pic 1a). Although not successful in the voting to be crowned “Queen of the Carnival”, she was one of nine entrants that raised over 44 pounds to add to the War Effort funds for returned soldiers.
In 1917 Amelia gained her A.L.C.M. (Associate of the London College of Music) and L.L.C.M. (Licentiate of the London College of Music) diplomas and at the early age of 14, claimed to be the youngest candidate in the Commonwealth to have obtained those letters. She had also competed in and won many sections at the local Royal South Street Society competitions over many years.
The Golden Point State School “breaking-up” celebrations in December, 1918 would have been a wonderful event to have been a part of - “four Christmas Trees were loaded with gifts and the school prefect, Miss Amelia Black donned the garb of Father Christmas and distributed the articles to the pupils, who waited with beaming faces for their time to come.”
In 1923, Amelia married Ernest Arthur FRANCIS in Ballarat and they lived here for a number of years. By 1924, as a Music Teacher, Amelia now had students that were following in her footsteps, receiving diplomas in connection with the London College of Music.
In 1937, Amelia and Ernest were residing in Melbourne and by 1949 they had relocated to Geelong, where Amelia died on 19 October, 1968 and was buried at the Geelong Western Cemetery on 22 October, 1968. Ernest died on 23 February, 1975 and was buried with Amelia on 26 February, 1975.
- Kristine Morgan
Administration Manager, Ballarat RSL Sub Branch Inc
