Curator Fiona Kinsey is seeking former employees of Kodak Australasia Pty Ld who worked at the company's factories. She would like to collect oral histories of Kodak workers to support research and documentation of the museum's Kodak Heritage Collection, which includes photos, documents, products, marketing materials and more.
Black and white, silver gelatin photograph of staff in costume at a Kodak Comforts Fund event at the Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd factory in Abbotsford, Victoria, during WWII, circa 1942. (MM 96629)
Source: Museum Victoria
From 1908 to the 1960s, Kodak was based in Abbotsford on a large factory site now occupied by CUB. In 1961, a huge purpose-built complex at Coburg was officially opened, which then served as Kodak's Australasian headquarters. Local production ceased in 2004 but the Head Office for Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd still operates in Melbourne, back in the company's old neighbourhood in Abbotsford.
Colour photograph of the Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd factory in Abbotsford, Victoria, circa 1962. (MM 98557)
Source: Museum Victoria
Colour postcard of an aerial view of the Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd factory in Coburg, circa 1965. (MM 98413)
Source: Museum Victoria
These massive Kodak factories housed much more than just assembly lines for making film paper and emulsions. There were also medical facilities, administrative offices and staff canteens. Fiona is keen to talk to people who worked in any era or section of the company, but she's particularly interested in the history of the Abbotsford factory pre-1950s. She'd also love to hear from relatives or descendants of Kodak staffers who might have relevant information, documents or images.
Anyone with Kodak-related history or material can contact Fiona Kinsey via the Melbourne Museum Discovery Centre by telephone (03 8341 7111) or via their online contact form.
Links:
Kodak Heritage Collection on Collections Online
MV Blog: Putting Kodak's pieces together