1872
Glass photonegative
Born in Sydney, 12-year-old Ellen was the eldest daughter of Hill End general storekeeper Patrick Brady, whose shop was in Clarke Street. Ellen’s white broderie anglaise pantalettes were regarded as a sign of cleanliness. Her purse has moved during the exposure, making it seem transparent.
THE GIRLS IN MY DAY. In my day, girls were girls, and did not think a soiled silk dress more appropriate for school wear than a clean, nicely-fitting calico... At that age, in these days, I should have been promenading a flounced silk, with a embroidering pocket-handkerchief dangling at the ends of my kid gloves, and a French bonnet on the back of head, declaring that I was "so bored!". As it was I coasted down-hill on the boys sleds, making fearful havoc with my pantalettes ; climbed fences like a cat, rolled over and over in the snow, and took my simple supper of bread and milk, and went to bed without a thought of what I should wear the next day. [Supplement to the Fitzroy City Press, 29 November 1889 p3].
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