Summary

Managing Directors and executives at Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbotsford, 1920s.

Back row, left to right: unknown, Walter Burke, H. Beauchamp, F. South, F. Muirhead.
Front row, left to right: Fred E Manning, Slocombe, John Joseph Rouse (Managing Director), Thomas Baker (Managing Director), F Shaw, J Sutherland, C Du Rieu.

Mr Baker was the founder of the Austral Laboratory, and then Baker & Rouse, which merged into Kodak Australasia in 1908. Baker remained a director of Kodak Australasia and was an indispensable technical director of manufacturing until his death. JJ Rouse (co-founder of Baker & Rouse) was also a director of Kodak Australasia during his lifetime.

Part of a collection of research material and artefacts assembled by former Kodak Australasia employee Nigel Beale while he was writing Kodak's company history in the 1980s.

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, educational, defence, scientific and graphic art professionals who used photography, x-ray and other imaging techniques.

Description of Content

Two rows of men posed in formal portrait. Back row of five men are standing. The front row of seven men are seated. The men all wear suits and ties. Several wear bow-ties, and several have moustaches while one has a beard.

Physical Description

Sepia landscape format photograph, mounted on grey card, with four holes punched in the side binding area of the card, separated from the photographs with an indented line. There are two photographs mounted on this card, perpendicular to the binding. Both photographs have captions written underneath them. This photograph is located at top of the page when looking at the photographs and caption in their correct viewing position.

Significance

This item enhances our understanding of photographic manufacturing and retailing in Australia, and specifically traces the history of Kodak and its executive workforce. It highlights the male dominated corporate governance body of Kodak Australasia, which did not substantially change over the course of its manufacturing history, and also features key personnel, including Thomas Baker, the founder of the Austral Laboratory, and then Baker & Rouse, which merged into Kodak Australasia in 1908.

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