Summary

Digital scan of a card commemorating the end of World War II and the coming of peace, issued on 6 September 1945 by Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd to its employees. This particular card was given to Freda Cuthbert, nee McGregor, of the Plate Department at Kodak's Abbotsford factory.

The card thanks the workers for their co-operation during the difficult war years, and hopes that they will continue to help out during the post-war transition. The company also announces in the card that all staff who were present on the payroll at 15 August 1945 would receive a Victory Bonus of one week's pay.

This particular card features twenty-one autographs, presumably of other Kodak workers, dated 14 September 1945.

Freda McGregor (later Cuthbert) worked in the Plate Department from 1935 - 1941 but left when she was married. She returned to work during World War II from 1942 - 1945, having been contacted by her former boss after her new husband went to war. Her sister Thelma (later Thelma Sneazwell) also worked at Kodak, in Developing and Printing from 1939 - early 1950s.

Freda and Thelma have provided the earliest memories of Kodak Australasia working life that has yet been identified. These memories of their work at Kodak's Abbotsford factory are captured in an oral history interview that is also in the collection.

Description of Content

Seven women sitting in front of a garden, smiling and laughing. Five are sitting on rocks at the back and two are seated on the grass at front. They are all wearing dresses or shirts and skirts.

Physical Description

Digital scans of a small cream coloured card. The front and back of the card are captured in one scan and the two inside pages are captured in another scan. The original card is folded in half. The front of the card features a blue and red printed stripe across the top right corner. Printed underneath is text, with a handwritten inscription below that. The left inside page contains handwritten signatures in ink. The right inside page is printed with a message from EJ Rouse.

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Kodak Heritage Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Images & Image Making, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Collected from Mrs Freda Cuthbert, 12 Oct 2012

  • Organisation Depicted

    Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd, Abbotsford, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1930s

  • Issued To

    Mrs Freda Cuthbert - Kodak (Australasia) Pty. Ltd., Abbotsford, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 Sep 1945

  • Format

    Digital file, Black & White

  • Inscriptions

    Front. printed, top middle, blue ink: 'PEACE - - - - 1945 / KODAK (AUSTRALASIA) PTY. LTD.' Front, handwritten, bottom middle, black ink: 'Freda Cuthbert / Plate department' Inside left page, handwritten, black ink: '(first column) R.B. Duff / Brenda Little / Helen C Quinn / Bette Granroll / Alma Twigg / Sylvia Harman / Joan Ryan. / Thelma Morris. / Winnie Adams / Lorraine Miles. / Lorna Bennett / A.L. Brunely / Cyril McPherson / Jack. Boyer. / Mavis . G, Pascoe. (Qld) (second column) 14 - 9 - 45 / DK McPhee / Myrtle Gilbert / Kath E. / C.J. Ryder / J E. Gardner [in red ink] / Mary Durkin' Inside right page, printed, blue ink: 'TO OUR EMPLOYEES: / The end of the War and the coming of / Peace has brought joy to the Nation and / to the individual and the Management / joins with all its employees in hoping for / a lasting Peace. / The Management desires to express its / appreciation of the services given by the / staff during the anxious War years and / fully recognises that the difficulties which / confronted us were only overcome by the / generous co-operation of all employees. During the present difficult transition / period the Management is confident that / the same co-operation will be forthcoming. / To mark the end of hostilities and as a / tangible expression of appreciation the / Management has decided to grant to all / our present employees who were on the / pay-roll on the 15th August, 1945, a / Victory Bonus of one week's pay. / E.J. ROUSE, / Chairman of Directors. / 6th September, 1945.'

  • Classification

    Manufacturing & industry, Photographic products, Workers

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Technology

  • Type of item

    Image

  • Overall Dimensions - Folded

    97 mm (Width), 124 mm (Height)
    Dimensions are of the original card, which was not acquired.

  • Dimensions

    133 mm (Width), 80 mm (Height)
    Image only, without border.

  • Keywords

    Photography, Factories, Manufacturing Plants, Staff, Workers, Friendships, World War II, 1939-1945, Peace Celebrations, Autographs, Commemorations, Making History - Kodak Collection