Katoomba railway platform, pictured here, opened in 1874. Katoomba was originally called 'The Crushers', and serviced the settlement around a quarry and rock-crushing plant established in 1860. Kerosene shale and coal were also mined in the Blue Mountains, near Katoomba, until 1933.

The settlement changed when the railway came. Trains brought holidaymakers, bushwalkers and visitors who could not get there any other way. The area blossomed into a tourist destination and health resort during World War I. It remains so to this day.

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 there are a number of significant events from the 1900s covered by the collection including; Embarkation of troops for the Boer War, Hordens fire and 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
Tyrell, James, Australian Aboriginal and South Sea Islands Implements, Weapons and Curios, James Tyrell, Sydney, 1929

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
Tyrell, James, Australian Aboriginal and South Sea Islands Implements, Weapons and Curios, James Tyrell, Sydney, 1929

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. Of these 493 glass plates were damaged but usable and 13 plates totally broken.

A further 2,500 Kerry & Co. negatives are held in the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney.

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
Tyrell, James, Australian Aboriginal and South Sea Islands Implements, Weapons and Curios, James Tyrell, Sydney, 1929

Photographic negative, Katoomba Railway Station, published by Charles Kerry and Co., glass / gelatin emulsion, various photographers, part of the Tyrell photographic collection, Sydney, New South Wales, 1892 - 1917

Silver gelatin dry plate glass negative in landscape format. The image depicts Katoomba Railway Station in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. The image is taken from the eastern end of the station, looking west. The station platform is depicted in the centre of the image. Two station buildings are depicted in the centre of the image. The larger of the buildings is constructed of wood and features a gabled roof which extends to awnings on either side covering the platform. The building has four chimneys and gaslights hanging from the awnings. Crowds of people can be seen under the awnings. The smaller building is also constructed of wood and has a gabled roof. The eastern end of the platform features garden beds and gaslights. Luggage trolleys and people, including a man in a uniform can be seen on the platform. Two barricades can be seen at the eastern end of the platform. A road is depicted on the left side of the image. People can be seen walking on the road. A house can be seen on the left side of the road and advertising billboards can be seen on the right side of the road near the train line. A steam passenger train is depicted at the station platform on the right side of the image. The train is travelling east towards Sydney. Horse drawn vehicles can be seen beside the rail tracks on the right side of the image. Commercial buildings can be seen in the background on the right side of the image. Identifiable businesses include 'John Chandler Cabinetmaker' and 'WA. Burdit, City Draper'. Large pine trees can also be seen in the background of the image. The caption, studio mark and studio number are inscribed on the reverse of the negative.

39/34 Tyrrell Inventory Number, 65 Kerry Studio Number

Made: Kerry and Co; ; 1879 - 1917

Made: Kerry, Charles H; ; 1879 - 1917

Artist: Katoomba, New South Wales


Used: Kerry and Co; Sydney, New South Wales

Used: Kerry, Charles H; Sydney, New South Wales

Used: Tyrrell, James Robert; Sydney, New South Wales

Used: Australian Consolidated Press; Sydney, New South Wales

The caption, studio number and studio mark on plate emulsion verso lower right, inscribed by hand in reverse print in ink 'KATOOMBA / RAILWAY / STATION / 65. KERRY / Photo / Syd.'
Inscription in plate emulsion verso bottom edge, scratched by hand, illegible due to emulsion damage.
Inscripition in plate emulsion verso lower right corner, scratched by hand '65'.

85/1284-36

1879 - 1917

215 mm