Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Description: These buildings were situated opposite the Australian Joint Stock Bank, on the east face of Queen Street, between Creek and Edward Streets. This area was known as 'Refuge Row' because local shopkeepers in the 1860s had been forced to put up shanties there after fires had destroyed their uninsured properties. The building at left, which adjoined the General Post Office, was erected in 1867, and only demolished in 1928 to make way for a new Commonwealth Bank building. The other, more prominent building in the photograph was erected ca 1872 and first occupied by the butcher F. Ramsey. Some of his goods can been seen hanging under the awning. With no refrigeration or protection, meat would have spoiled quickly in the Brisbane climate.
View this image at the State Library of Queensland: http://hdl.handle.net/10462/deriv/9248