These Easter cards date from the year 1903.
Tag Archives: 1903
On this day: Cyclone destruction in Queensland
Rubble at Townsville Grammar School. X
Cyclone Leonta hit the north of the state of Queensland in Australia on the 9th of March, 1903.
The ruined Burns, Philp and Company’s Bulk Store in Townsville. X
One of the most damaging storms recorded in the tropical region at the time, the storm lasted for around twelve hours.
Townsville’s Anglican Cathedral lost its roof. X
Significant destruction was recorded in Townsville, with buildings such as schools and churches suffering major damage.
Destruction at Townsville Hospital. X
At least fourteen lives were lost in the storm, twelve in Townsville and two inland in the town of Charters Towers.
The damaged Australian Joint Stock Bank in Bowen. X
Severe damage was also recorded, with many houses lost, in towns such as Bowen and Ayr.
On this day: construction begins in Sydney
The foundation stone for Central Station in Sydney, Australia was laid on the 26th of September, 1903.
On this day: the opening of Sydney’s Central Station
The first locomotive. 4th August, 1906. X
The official opening for Central Railway Station in Sydney, Australia was held on the 4th of August, 1906.
The old booking hall in 1906, the year the station opened. X
The station opened to passengers the following day.
Laying the foundation stone in 1903. X
Replacing previous stations in the city, Central was built on land that belonged to a number of businesses and charities including a female refuge and a police station.
Devonshire Street Cemetery in 1902 X
The site had also been home to the Devonshire Street Cemetery. Families of people buried there were given two months to move their relatives’ bodies.
On this day: the first Tour de France
The winner of the 1903 title.
The first Tour de France bike race began in Montgeron on the 1st of July, 1903.
Created to promote the publication L’Auto (now L’Équipe) over its rival Le Vélo, it was run in six long stages, eventually finishing in Paris.
Maurice Garin in 1897
The winner was Italian-born French cyclist Maurice Garin. He was stripped of his second title in 1904 for cheating.
Amongst the allegations was a claim he had taken a train between start and finish points.
On this day: the Wreck of the Old 97
On the 27th of September, 1903 the Old 97, a Southern Railway train, derailed at Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia.
Eleven were killed – nine immediately – and seven injured.
The crash inspired a ballad that would become famous in the United States, and would later become the focus of a copyright case.
The crash occurred because the train’s operator was running at high speed in order to stay on schedule. The train derailed and fell into a ravine. Some of the survivors attributed their luck to jumping from the vehicle before its plunge down the slope.
This photograph is believed to have been taken a few days after the disaster, as the train has been set back upright.
The Saturday Evening Post 28th November 1903
On this day: the Heppner Flood of 1903
On the 14th of June, 1903, a flash flood in Heppner, Oregon killed 247 people. A large portion of the town was destroyed. To this day, the flood remains the worst natural disaster in Oregon history.
In Times Gone By... 
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