THE annual hunt for historic photos and stories of the Vincent area is on again, and the local history centre is hoping people have photographic gold hiding in dusty old boxes and forgotten drawers.

The local history awards have helped populate the history centre’s collection over the years and the whole inventory is now online letting people search a topic, suburb and decade to see if there are any pics in the database: we found this 1909 image of two-year-old Leonard (Len) Brennan with Bruce the guard dog by searching animals of the 1900s.

•Two year old Len Brennan with Bruce the Golden West guard dog back in 1909.

Turns out Bruce was the guard dog at the Golden West Aerated Drinks Factory on Carr Street, and he’d watch over the safe when money was in it (and there’s an oral history with Mr Brennan kept in the library with the whole tale).

There are three categories for the local history awards (and $1800 in prizes): A written history about life in Vincent, an open award on any topic relevant to the suburbs (the history of your own house is a good starting point), and the photographic memories section for photos more than 30 years old taken within Vincent. It’s open now until June 27 and there’s more info on 9273 6534 or local.history@vincent.wa.gov.au, and if you want to check out that nifty photo database and look up cats of Mount Hawthorn in the 1950s, just head to the Vincent library at http://www.vincent.wa.gov.au/local_history_centre

by DAVID BELL