This silent clip shot by Leonard Corrick captures everyday life in Perth in 1907. It’s a time machine to an earlier era: marvel at the fashions on display, the storefronts, the variety of transport on the streets, and smile at the people staring in open wonder at the camera. Seeing the faces of bustling passersby humanises the past and connects us to history. While it all looks unrehearsed, there are carefully staged moments, including a street fight and appearances by Leonard’s sisters Amy, Ethel and Ruby. Leonard shot the film after placing an advertisement in the local newspaper, enticing Perth residents to see themselves on screen by purchasing a ticket to the Marvellous Corricks’ vaudeville show.

Leonard was fascinated by technology from a young age. He became the Corrick family projectionist and ‘mechanician’ at 14, managing their growing collection of films and equipment. Originally performing music with his seven sisters, the Corricks incorporated motion pictures into their shows. Leonard started making his own short films like this one to entertain audiences, blending documentary observation with staged theatricality.