PSR 2: Primary Source Report on The Triad: A Journal devoted to Literary, Pictorial, Musical and Dramatic Art, February 1920, Issue Vo.5, No. 5
By Alana Jordan
Circulation
The Triad: A journal devoted to literary, pictorial, musical and dramatic art was first published in New Zealand during 1893, it was later produced in Australia in 1914 (The University of Queensland, 2010). The Triad was produced as a monthly periodical and sold for sixpence from the years 1915-1920, it later increased to one shilling until 1926 (The University of Queensland, 2010). The periodical ranged from 50-64 pages filled with art, literature and advertisements promoting travel within Australia and New Zealand, positioning itself as a highbrow publication (The University of Queensland, 2010). The magazine took a new direction in 1927 and adopted the name The New Triad. This update ceased after less than a year of publication (The University of Queensland, 2010).
The Triad February 10 1920, Vo. 5, No. 5 issue had a cover price of sixpence.
Fig 1: The Triad, February 1920 cover
Editor
The Triad was founded in New Zealand by C. N. Baeyertz, who edited, managed and wrote majority of the magazine during its first twelve years. Frank Morton joined the magazine in 1905 and became the most predominant contributor until his death in 1923. L. L. Woolacott was appointed associate editor in 1925, where by October he had taken over editorship (The University of Queensland, 2010). Woolacott remained editor even after Beayertz sold the publication to Art in Australia Ltd, during which The Triad began its decline. Ernest Watt bought The Triad in 1927 from Art in Australia Ltd (The University of Queensland, 2010). Watt redesigned The New Triad to focus on motoring, horse racing, society and lawn tennis and adopted a new layout that reflected the professional aspects of popular highbrow magazines such as The Home and Art in Australia Ltd. Despite Watt’s efforts, The New Triad did not last a year, with the last copy being published in July 1928 (The University of Queensland, 2010).
Implied Reader
The implied reader is a male from an upper-class position in society, however the February 1920 issue of The Triad includes women orientated advertisements promoting clothes and accessories. Page 24 from this issue contains an advertisement of women’s corsets.
Fig 2: The Triad, February 1920 p.24
In 1925, L. L. Woolacott took over the role of editor and broadened the implied viewership to include stories and advertisements devoted to women and children. It is implied that the if the reader can purchase The Triad magazines, then they must have the means to purchase the items that are advertised or go on the holidays that are promoted.
Contents
This issue was chosen based on the various travel advertisements throughout its pages. There is reviews and advertisements promoting travel both within Australia and internationally. Most of the magazine is directed at upper-class males who possess the means to travel or buy unnecessary items. There are few advertisements devoted to women, which may just be gift ideas for men to buy for their wives.
Fig 3. The Triad, February 1920, p.21
The magazine also contains critiques, reviews, stories and advertisements the range from pears soap and papered was to holidays in New Zealand. This issue has a dominant male focus and does not acknowledge any cultural issues within that society; however, some advertisements use late ministers and government officials to promote products. The advertisements are usually small text boxes at the bottom of the page, however the travel and women’s clothes adverts that were granted a full page spread.
Format
This February 1920 issue contains 48 pages without colour. There are no photographs, instead hand-drawn illustrations. Each of the 48 pages is adorned with an image or oversized title, which provides the magazine with its highbrow appeal.
List of Figures
Fig 2: The Triad. (February 1920) p.24, retrieved from https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1130766549/view?sectionId=nla.obj-1247647612&partId=nla.obj-1130892927#page/n3/mode/1up
Fig 1: The Triad. (February 1920) p.21, retrieved from https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1130766549/view?sectionId=nla.obj-1247647612&partId=nla.obj-1130892927#page/n3/mode/1up
References
The University of Queensland. (2010) “The Triad”. Austlit. https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C412428 . Accessed 2 October 2020
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