THE answer may have been blowin’ in the wind for Bob Dylan, but for one Footscray researcher the wind has been blowin’ only questions.
Stefan Schutt, of Victoria University’s work-based Education Research Centre, was walking down Whitehall Street in February when he saw an invoice blow past.
With his curiosity getting the better of him, he picked up the 60-year-old record, finding more scattered around the street.
“The trail led to the demolition site of an old factory at the end of our street where I found a pile a metre high and two metres wide of grimy old company records, posters and photographs, mainly from the ’40s and ’50s,” said Dr Schutt.
So began his latest project, a focus on the Lewis & Skinner signwriting company, using records covering the 1920s to the ’60s.
The material includes descriptions, sketches and photos for signwriting jobs from Cadbury signs at milkbars and hand-painted service station murals, to painting work for the Queen’s 1954 visit and 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
The State Library of Victoria is helping out by opening up its historic collections to Dr Schutt via a $12,500 Berry Family Fellowship.
“Together, [the records] cover a fascinating period in Melbourne’s history and the aim of this project is to uncover more of the story around them in the library collections,” Dr Schutt said.
The State Library research will be added to an online archive of Lewis & Skinner material.
People will also be invited to upload photographs and histories of signwriting sites.
“This project is shining a light on aspects of our city that are very quickly disappearing, posing questions about how we retain a sense of who we are when everything around us is changing so fast,” Dr Schutt said.
Contact Dr Schutt with information about Lewis & Skinner on 99191618 or Stefan.schutt@vu.edu.au
