115 Hotham Street, Henri Lamande with motor cycle and kangaroo

Scan of original photograph printed on post card. Picture shows rear patio of Amorique with Henri Lamandé adjusting the front wheel of a shiny new Abingdon motorcycle. A kangaroo, with its back to the camera, is also studying this very fine machine.

Henri's father, Ambroise Lamande, worked for many years as the Prunier wine and spirit company's representative in the Australian colonies. He had emigrated to Australia and married a woman named Kate Harrington in the 1870's.

Ambroise is believed to have married Madame Hannay after Kate's death, and he lived at Hotham Street along with her daughter Alix. Ambroise returned to France in about 1919, and died there in 1923.

Ambroise had four sons with Kate, one of whom was Henri. On his 1915 enlistment papers for WW1 he lists 115 Hotham Street as his address, and his occupation as importer. Henri was active in the early motorcycle industry, and was partners in a retail outlet in Melbourne. He was an employer representative on the Victorian Cycle Trades Board.

The Lamande name comes from the Cotes-d'Amor in Brittany, France, so it is assumed that the name "Amorique" is a salute to the family's heritage from that area.