Summary

Colour photographic portrait of James and Richard Kilpatrick with Santa, taken on a festive stage-set at a Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd staff Christmas party, in Building 9 at the Kodak factory in Coburg, circa December 1967. James was about four years old and Richard about three years old at the time the photograph was taken.

The children's mother,Trish Kilpatrick, later Trish Lobb, was a Kodak employee who worked with the company from 1964 until 1992. She worked in Building 15 in 'Camera, Reels and Sundries' from 1964 to 1986, first on the factory floor and later as a secretary. She subsequently worked as a secretary in various other manufacturing departments: Building 4, 'Roll Film Finishing' from 1986 to 1989, and then in Building 3, 'Sensitizing' from 1989 to 1992. She also worked as Executive Secretary on occasions to the General Manager, Manufacturing, Mr John Mitcham.

Kodak manufactured and distributed a wide range of photographic products to Australasia, such as film, paper, chemicals, cameras and miscellaneous equipment. Its client base included amateur and professional photographers, as well as specialist medical and graphic art professionals who used photography, x-ray and other imaging techniques. This photograph is part of the Kodak collection of products, promotional materials, photographs and working life artefacts collected from Kodak Australasia in 2005, when the Melbourne manufacturing plant at Coburg closed down.

Description of Content

Two young boys sitting on toadstools, next to Santa who is sitting on a rough-hewn log chair. The photographic backdrop features a forest and a gingerbread house. The two boys are wearing hats, shirts, shorts, long socks and shoes or sandals. Santa wears long black plastic boots and a red and white suit and matching hat, with a long white beard, and black glasses.

Physical Description

Digital Image File. The original print was a colour silver gelatin photograph, rectangular with white border. The photographic paper was Kodak.

Significance

This photograph highlights the history of Kodak in Australia and its workforce, in particular the enduring relationships that the staff had with Kodak and with each other and the celebrations that they undertook as an organisation.

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