P000034 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human McCarthy, G.J. updated 2026-03-03 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000034b.htm person Baker Thomas AACR2 23 June 1854 4 December 1928 Place of Birth Montacute, Somerset, England Place of Death Mornington, Victoria, Australia Photographer Thomas Baker manufactured photographic materials using 'dry' plate methods of manufacture. In 1908 he and his partner, J.J. Rouse, amalgamated with the London Kodak company to form Kodak (Australasia) Pty. Ltd., which manufactured photographic materials and sold Eastman's Kodak cameras.

Born Montacute, Somerset, England, 23 June 1854. Died Mornington, 4 December 1928. Arrived Adelaide 1865; joined his father as blacksmith, wheelwright and coachbuilder; pharmaceutical chemist, Maryborough, Queensland 1876-81; studied medicine at the University of Melbourne 1882-83; went into business manufacturing photographic materials and developing photographs 1884; partnership with J.J. Rouse as importers and producers of photographic material 1887; branches opened in other colonies 1890-92; amalgamated with London Kodak company to form Kodak (Australasia) 1908, with Baker and Rouse as joint managing directors; manufactured the first X-ray film in Australia 1924. Donated large sums of money to the Alfred Hospital and is commemorated by the Baker Institute there. President, Melbourne Rotary club at the time of his death.

1865 1865 Life event - Arrived in Australia (Adelaide) 1876 1881 Career position - Pharmaceutical Chemist in Maryborough, Queensland 1882 1883 Education - Started a medical degree at the University of Melbourne, but did not complete it 1884 1887 Career position - Ran a photographic business manufacturing materials and developing photographs 1887 Career position - Partnership with J.J. Rouse as importers and producers of photographic material 1908 1908 Career position - Kodak Australia founded as an amalgamation with London Kodak 1924 1924 Career position - First X-ray film in Australia manufactured Rouse, John Joseph (1861? - 1938)

Business partner

 Kodak (Australasia) Proprietary Limited (2000 - )

In 1908 Thomas Baker and his partner, J.J. Rouse, merged with Eastman Kodak, Rochester (USA) to form Australian Kodak Limited which eventually became Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd

 Austral Plate Company (1884 - c. 1907) Thomas Baker and Company Laboratory (1887 - 1894) Baker and Rouse Australia Laboratory (1894 - 1908)

Wikidata

 Baker, Thomas (1854-1928)

Trove

 'Baker, Thomas', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Baker, Thomas Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource Section: John Joseph Rouse, Retailer, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist (not dated) Anonymous John Joseph Rouse, Retailer, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist (not dated) Melbourne Museum Victoria Museum Victoria collections - articles Book: The mechanical eye in Australia: photography 1841-1900 Davies, Alan and Stanbury, Peter The mechanical eye in Australia: photography 1841-1900 Melbourne Oxford University Press 1985 Conference Paper: A history of Australia's Kodak manufacturing plant Leggio, Angeletta A history of Australia's Kodak manufacturing plant Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material 2006 AICCM Symposium 2006, Conservation of Paper, Books and Photographic Materials. Post-prints and Posters. 19-21 April 2006, Wellington, New Zealand 147-158 Book: The Thomas Baker, Alice Baker and Eleanor Shaw Medical Research Institute: the First Fifty Years Lowe, Thomas E. The Thomas Baker, Alice Baker and Eleanor Shaw Medical Research Institute: the First Fifty Years Melbourne Trustees of the Baker Medical Research Institute 1977 Book: The Story of the Camera in Australia Cato, J. The Story of the Camera in Australia Melbourne 1955 Book Section: Baker, Thomas (1854-1928), photographic scientist and philanthropist DeServille, P. H. Baker, Thomas (1854-1928), photographic scientist and philanthropist Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1979 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 7: 1891 - 1939 A-Ch Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle 156-157 Journal Article: The Baker Medical Research Institute Korner, Paul I. The Baker Medical Research Institute 1985 Medical Journal of Australia 143 294-299 Resource: Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Online Melbourne Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre 2000 Kodak Heritage Collection Museums Victoria Kodak Heritage Collection Kodak Heritage Collection "The Kodak Heritage Collection is a unique and extensive collection that documents the history of the photographic industry in Australia through several related companies - Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd,and its predecessors, including the Austral Plate Company, Baker and Rouse Australia Laboratory, and Baker and Rouse Pty Ltd." The Collection: "In November 2004, as photography shifted from the silver halide process to digital imaging technology, Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd ceased manufacturing photographic products in Melbourne. Museum Victoria subsequently acquired thousands [over 7,000] of documents, photographs and objects which trace Kodak Australia's history, and that of its predecessors. Kodak Australasia remains based in Melbourne, where it is now focused on new imaging interests." (Museums Victoria) 7076 items