Jack Armitstead- First Aerial photograph of Warwick Queensland

First aerial photo of Warwick, Queensland 10th May 1920

 This photo was hanging in the Warwick State High School for many years. As with many places they decided to have a clean out and this was put out for rubbish. Fortunately one of the older members of staff realised what it was and gave it to the Warwick and District Historical Society Inc. They have a museum at 83 Dragon St Warwick. They have a public Facebook page at  https://www.facebook.com/WarwickandDistrictHistoricalSocietyInc/  where you can get more information about their opening hours. This photo is now on display in the Museum in Dragon St, Warwwick, Queensland


Why am I writing about this? My grandfather Jack Armitstead who owned a chemist shop in the town  took this photo. As well as being the chemist he was also an optician and had a photo developing business.
He wrote about his experience in the local paper. It was his first experience of flying so I am amazed he could take the photo and have it focussed while the plane was moving and probably bumping around.  See Aerial photography
From this piece in the Warwick Daily News on May 17 1920 he says that the above was the only photo to come out, successfully. Others he tried to take were blurred from the vibrations of the plane.
In loose leaf pages from his photograph albums there are the following photos of Warwick and these must have been taken another time but still in the early 1920's as the one looking south does not have the Roman Catholic Cathedral which was built in the mid 1920's.

Looking south along Palmerin St Warwick

Warwick 

The Post Office is the building on the left with the arches.

Possibly looking north in Palmerin St