Charles Henry Kerry (1857-1928)

The Historic Photograph collection has approximately 3000 glass plate negatives of Charles Kerry material. Subjects covered include rural towns in New South Wales, inland shipping, the Great White Fleet and its visit to Sydney in 1908, Jenolan Caves, rural industry, skiing, Mt Kosciusko, Sydney and Suburbs.

Background

Charles Kerry was Born in Bombala New South Wales on the 3rd of April 1857. In 1874 he joined Alexander Lamartinere's photographic studio and around 1883 became a partner. Lamartinere absconded with Kerry's small capital but Kerry stayed on, and in partnership with C. D. Jones, built the small studio into the colony's largest photographic organization.

In 1885 he was asked to prepare an exhibit of Aboriginal portraits and corroboree pictures for the 1886 Colonial and Indian Exhibition. (These images are now to be found in the Tyrell collection).

In 1891 he was commissioned to photograph the Jenolan and Yarrangobilly caves. (The Macleay Museum has plate glass negatives of some of these)

By 1900 Kerry & Co handled the major illustrations for the local press. In 1908 he photographed the visit of the American Fleet and the Burns-Johnson boxing match both of which are in the Macleay Museum collection of plate glass negatives.

He pioneered snow sports at Kiandra and in the winter of 1896 led a party to the summit of Mount Kosciusko, (some of these images are in the Macleay Museum collection) which led to the opening up of the area for skiing and the naming of a run after him.

He died at his home in Neutral Bay on the 26th of May 1928.

Rural New South Wales

Drying nets Forster	Greetings from the country
West Maitland Town Hall	Settler Family
Derby Walcha New South Wales
Camel Drawn Buggy, Inland Australia, 1936 or 1939, 920030181
Camp Site & Supply Truck, Inland Australia, 1936 or 1939, 920030129
Mule Drawn Buggy, Inland Australia, 1936 or 1939, 920030145

The Great White Fleet 1908

The arrival in 1908 of the American Fleet in Sydney Harbour under Admiral Sperry occasioned huge festivities around Sydney. Parades through Sydney city, reception committees and military parades at Moore Park were all recorded by Charles Kerry's photographic company.

Mount Kosciousko, 1896 - 1920

Skiing Mt Kosciusko c1900	Mt Kosciusko c1896
Skiing Mt Kosciusko c1900	Camp Mt Kosciusko c1896
Summit of Kosciusko  c1896	Kosciusko 1896
Wool clothing for the snow

Sydney, New South Wales