POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

'Wollongong Wharf' glass plate negative

'Wollongong Wharf' glass plate negative

Object No. 85/1284-113

This photograph from a glass plate negative depicts the town of Wollongong from Wollongong Harbour. Wollongong is located 67 km SW of Sydney on the Tasman Sea. The photo's foreground shows a "T"-shaped wharf with a fixed post steam crane typically used on wharves and other harbour works for loading and unloading ships. It features a vertical boiler to raise the steam. Behind this is another wharf with a manually operated swing derrick crane. On the shore behind this crane are two posts finished in alternating colours. These were called leading lights and were used to guide ships safely into the harbour. Wollongong can be seen in the background. Directly above the top of the steam crane is the former court-house. It was designed by the Government Architect, Alexander Dawson, and erected in 1858 by William Stoddart. The court-house was extended in 1866 and reused from 1885 as a customs house as seen at the time this photograph. This historic building remained a customs house until 1902. Decades later, it was restored, has been reused since and remains today (2020).To the right of the customs house are two portable timber lock-ups for prisoners. On the left of the customs house (former court-house) is the gaol with its high walls and guard tower. It was built in 1859 by McBeath and Bloomfield with additions in 1861, 1885 and 1908 and was demolished in 1920. Margaret Simpson, Curator October 2020 Reference: Phillip Simpson, 'Historical Guide to New South Wales', Australian Scholarly Publishing Pty Ltd, North Melbourne, Vic., 2020. This photographic negative was published by the Sydney firm Charles Kerry & Co. and is part of the Powerhouse Museum's Tyrrell collection which contains over 2,900 glass plate negatives by Kerry & Co. Although a few appear to be from the 1880s most were produced between 1892 and 1917. Over this period, and well into the early 1900s, prints from these negatives appeared in many Australian publications and albums of views. In 1903 the company began producing postcards from these negatives, further establishing the images as some of the most significant and best known early views of New South Wales. Some of the more significant themes covered by the collection include; views of New South Wales, Queensland, country towns, Sydney, Indigenous Australians, the South Pacific, rural life, native flora and fauna, and sentimental views. In addition a number of significant events from the 1900s are covered by the collection including; embarkation of troops for the Boer War, Hordens fire, the Inauguration of the Commonwealth in 1901, the arrival of the Great White Fleet and the Burns verses Johnson boxing match at Rushcutters Bay in 1908. Geoff Barker, Curatorial, January, 2009 References Newton, Gael, Shades of Light; Photography and Australia 1839 - 1988, Australian National Gallery, Canberra, 1988 David, Millar, Charles Kerry's Federation Australia, Sydney, David Ell Press, 1981 Tyrrell, James, Australian Aboriginal and South Sea Islands Implements, Weapons and Curios, James Tyrrell, Sydney, 1929

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Summary

Object Statement

Glass plate negative, full plate, 'Wollongong Wharf', depicting Wollongong from Wollongong Harbour, New South Wales, silver gelatin, made by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, c. 1887-1917

Physical Description

Silver gelatin dry plate glass negative in landscape format. The image depicts Wollongong wharf in Wollongong, New South Wales. Three jetties can be seen jutting into the water on the left side of the image. A large wooden 'T' shaped jetty is depicted in the foreground in the centre of the image. The wharf has rail tracks and a large steam crane, both presumably used to expediate the loading of produce from trains to ships. Two rowing boats can be seen near the wharf. A second wharf is depicted in the centre left of the image. It is constructed of earth, reinforced with brick and concrete retaining walls. A crane like mechanism and two small buildings can be seen on the wharf. Several axles with wheels attached can be seen near the buildings. Two rowing boats can be seen on racks attached to the side of the wharf. A third wharf is also depicted in the centre left of the image. It appears to be a wooden or metal structure and has an engine room which probably ran a mechanised loading system. Part of the city of Wollongong is depicted in the background of the image. The rail line, buildings and roads can be seen. The 'Brighton Hotel' can be seen in the centre right of the background. The caption, studio number and studio mark are inscribed on the reverse of the negative. 10/34 Tyrrell Inventory Number, 189 Kerry Studio Number

DIMENSIONS

Width

215 mm

PRODUCTION

Notes

Charles Kerry was born in 1858 and by 1885 was running a studio in partnership with C. D. Jones. This partnership lasted until 1892, when Charles became sole owner and changed the studio's name to Kerry and Co. By 1890 the company was employing a number of photographers who would become famous in their own right. George Bell who covered rural New South Wales was employed in 1890 and Harold Bradley was doing outdoor work and covering events around Sydney by 1899. Kerry continued to work in the field and in 1895 he took photographs of Royal National Park for New South Wales Government, photographed Queensland artesian bores and was employed by the New South Wales Government to travel the state and photograph Indigenous Australians. In 1897 Kerry led the first party to reach the summit of Mt Kosciuszko in winter conditions and photographed the Jenolan caves. By 1900 Kerry had turned his studio into one of the largest and most respected photographic establishments in the colony. His new four story premises at 310 George St were designed by the architect H. C. Kent and the third floor studios alone could accommodate 70 people wanting their portraits taken. In 1913 Kerry retired leaving the running of the studio to his nephew, unfortunately the business did not do well and Kerry and Co. closed its doors in 1917. Kerry himself died in 1928. Geoff Barker, Curatorial, January, 2009 References Newton, Gael, Shades of Light; Photography and Australia 1839 - 1988, Australian National Gallery, Canberra, 1988 David, Millar, Charles Kerry's Federation Australia, Sydney, David Ell Press, 1981 Tyrrell, James, Australian Aboriginal and South Sea Islands Implements, Weapons and Curios, James Tyrrell, Sydney, 1929

HISTORY

Notes

This photographic negative is one of 2900 Kerry & Co. photographs in the Powerhouse Museum's 'Tyrrell Collection' once owned by Sydney bookseller, James Tyrrell. Almost all of these negatives are 21.5 x 20.3 cm (10 x 8 inch) glass plates and many of those now held by the Powerhouse Museum collection would have been used to create postcards. In addition to the Kerry & Co. Studio images, the Tyrrell Collection at the Powerhouse Museum includes glass plate negatives published by Henry King and a number of other negatives by unattributed photographers James Tyrrell used the images by Kerry & Co. and Henry King to produce his own booklets and views of New South Wales but although full of iconic Australian images, the collection does not appear to have been fully utilised by Tyrrell. In 1980 the collection was purchased by Australian Consolidated Press who published a limited series of 2000 contact prints from the collection. Housed in boxes copies of these were given to the State Library of New South Wales and the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney. In 1985 Australian Consolidated Press donated the collection to the Powerhouse keeping a set of copy prints for themselves. The collection at this time consisted of 7,903 glass plate negatives and 7,916 contact positive prints. A further 2,500 Kerry & Co. negatives are held in the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney, although these do not appear to have been acquired from Charles Kerry and Co. by Tyrrell. Geoff Barker, Curatorial, January, 2009 References Newton, Gael, Shades of Light; Photography and Australia 1839 - 1988, Australian National Gallery, Canberra, 1988 David, Millar, Charles Kerry's Federation Australia, Sydney, David Ell Press, 1981 Tyrrell, James, Australian Aboriginal and South Sea Islands Implements, Weapons and Curios, James Tyrrell, Sydney, 1929

SOURCE

Acquisition Date

19 July 1985

Copyright for the above image is held by the Powerhouse and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please submit an Image Licensing Enquiry for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative licence.

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