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
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 Tyrrell, 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.

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

Glass negative, full plate, 'Mutual Life Assurance Office', Kerry and Co, Sydney, Australia, c. 1891-1917.

Silver gelatin dry plate glass negative in portrait format. The image depicts the Mutual Life Association of Australasia office building on the corner of George and Wynyard Streets in Sydney. The six-storey building dominates the image and has an elaborate facade featuring different window styles on each level and sculpted human figures on four levels. The building is inscribed 'Mutual Life Association of Australasia'. The intersection of Wynyard and George Streets is depicted in the foreground of the image, a horsedrawn carriage and pedestrians can be seen at the intersection. Two men can be seen working on the road surface of Wynyard Street on the left side of the image. Wynyard Lane can be seen in the background on the left side of the image, advertisements have been placed on the side of a building at the entrance to the lane. Buildings on George Street can be seen in the background on the right side of the image. The caption, studio number and studio mark are inscribed on the reverse of the negative.

The Mutual Life Association building was located on the corner of Wynyard and George Streets, Sydney and later housed the Bank of New Zealand. The building was designed by John Sulman in 1891 and its features characterised the Victorian Mannerist style Sulman employed in many of his buildings. The building was constructed of Pyrmont sandstone and granite from Peterhead in Scotland. The elaborate facade of the six-storey building featured large segmented arches, pediments, columns, circular windows, sculpted human faces and female figures, and a decorative frontispiece over the Wynyard Street entrance containing a large sculpture of human and animal figures. The roof was flat with a balustraded parapet.

11/189 Tyrrell Inventory Number, 1231 Kerry Studio Number

Made: Kerry and Co; Wynyard Street, Sydney; 1866 - 1917

Made: Kerry, Charles H; Wynyard Street, Sydney; 1866 - 1917


Used: Kerry and Co; Sydney

Used: Kerry, Charles H; Sydney

Used: Tyrrell, James Robert; Sydney

Used: Tyrrells Bookshop; Sydney

Used: Australian Consolidated Press; Sydney

Studio number and caption on plate emulsion verso lower right, inscribed by hand in reverse print in ink '1231. MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE OFFICE'. Studio mark on plate emulsion verso lower left, inscribed by hand in reverse print in ink 'KERRY. PHOTO. SYDNEY.'
Inscription in plate emulsion verso lower left corner, scratched by hand '1231'.

85/1284-548

1866 - 1917

165 mm