Summary

Photograph featuring Kodak Australasia staff, Walter Whitworth, a maintenance mechanic, and Moya (surname unknown) from the processing department, outside the Kodak garage around 1946-1947. Inside the garage a Morris Minor car can be seen.

The garage was a central part of Kodak's operations in the early twentieth century. Film processing and printing relied on deliveries of film from pharmacies and Kodak shops to the processing department at Abbotsford, and later at Burnley, and the return delivery of photographic prints to customers. A fleet of Morris Minors was used during the 1940s and 1950s by Kodak to deliver the films and finished prints. Also, in the first half of the twentieth century, the executives had chauffers to drive them to and from work, and to business appointments and the drivers even accompanied some executive staff on trips interstate and overseas on occasion. Later, as processing became decentralised, delivery vehicles became less important to Kodak's operations, and executive staff drove themselves. Thus, over time the role of the garage diminished.

Walter Whitworth started work at Kodak in 1946 and left during the 1950s. He worked as a maintenance mechanic in the Kodak garage, but also drove the company coal truck as well as driving executive staff, including the Managing Director Mr Edgar Rouse, when their usual driver was away. He also drove the football and cricket teams to their games on weekends, and along with other staff drivers, drove a range of staff to work during the 9 week transport strike in 1950, to keep the factory operational.

Part of a small group of photographs and Australian Rules football premiership related objects that Walter Whitworth has donated to the Museum. An oral history was also conducted with Walter about his working and social life at Kodak.

Description of Content

Man and woman standing arm in arm on the right hand side of the entry to a brick garage. The man is wearing a shirt with collar, pants and belt, while the woman is wearing a shirt, jacket and checked skirt. A Morris Minor car with number plates MG090 is parked inside and a sign on the brick entry says '... cars'. There are large windows on the back wall of the garage.

Physical Description

Black and white landscape format photograph with a white border.

Significance

This item enhances our understanding of photographic manufacturing and retailing in Australia, and specifically traces the history of Kodak and its workforce in Australia, bringing the factory workers to life through a visual medium. This particular image highlights the garage, an important but not well known aspect of the factory that supported executive and delivery vehicles.

Film processing and printing relied on daily deliveries of film from pharmacies and Kodak shops to the processing department at Abbotsford, and later at Burnley, and the return delivery of photographic prints to customers. Later, as processing became decentralised, delivery vehicles became less important to Kodak's operations. In the first half of the twentieth century, the executives had chauffers to drive them to appointments and they even accompanied them on trips interstate and overseas on occasion. Later, executive staff drove themselves.

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