Geoffrey Laurenson

‘Give a woman a Kodak’ The Doris McKellar Photograph Collection Geoff Laurenson The early 20th century was a time Hall and Harriet ‘Hattie’ Louisa Hall of great social change in Australia, (née Moore). Doris had a privileged building in part on technological upbringing; the family lived at innovations of the late 19th century. ‘Glenmoore’, a spacious, two-storey The University of Melbourne was villa in the south-eastern Melbourne changing as well, since the admission suburb of Elsternwick, situated on of its first women students following a large block, complete with tennis the passing of the University Act court. Glenmoore had been built as a 1881.1 Women also began to enter country house for the Moore family the paid workforce in larger numbers by Hugh Moore, Harriet’s father, in the late 19th century, including around 1868;2 Harriet and Percival the medical profession. This trend Hall probably moved there in 1895, spurred on the opening of the legal following their marriage.3 Doris profession to women through the attended Cromarty School for Girls, passing of the Women’s Disabilities a small, non-denominational private Removal Act in Victoria in 1903, school in Elsternwick, which operated which allowed women to practise as from 1897 to 1923.4 While at barristers and solicitors. Cromarty, Doris took a keen interest The growing popularity of in tennis, representing the school at photography was another significant the Kia-Ora Club matches against development that influenced in gendered terms, with women other girls’ schools.5 She also showed society around this time. Although responsible for documenting matters great academic ability, and was dux of photography had been invented in of domestic or personal significance, the school in 1912.6 In 1915 she sat the mid-19th century, it was not until while men were expected to record her final exams and was accepted into the late 19th century that Kodak more public and political events. The the Bachelor of Arts course at the introduced inexpensive personal photographs of Doris McKellar (née University of Melbourne.7 cameras. The development of cheap Hall) offer personal views of everyday Although women were first and easy-to-use cameras led to the life in early 20th-century Melbourne. admitted to the University of proliferation of amateur photography McKellar embodied many of the Melbourne in the 1880s, it was not and photographers, many of whom social changes mentioned above, without hesitation. While there was were women. Amateur photographs being one of a new generation of enough physical space on campus, from this time gave a different women to pursue higher education ‘intellectually the University’s perspective from that of formal and a profession. welcome was less assured’.8 Women portraiture, offering insight into social Doris Winifred Hall was born students had traditionally gathered relations. Contemporary advertising in 1897, the eldest daughter of at the Princess Ida Club, formed in framed amateur photography Melbourne solicitor Percival St John 1888 to provide ‘a protected enclave, 28 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 16, June 2015 Opposite: Attributed to Doris Hall, D.W.H. [Doris Winifred Hall], c. 1915, nitrate negative. NN295, reference no. 1975.0048, Doris McKellar Collection, University of Melbourne Archives. Below: Attributed to Doris Hall, Glenmoore— Pollie & self, c. 1915, nitrate negative. NN252, reference no. 1975.0048, Doris McKellar Collection, University of Melbourne Archives. Right: Attributed to Doris Hall, Doris Hall [McKellar] (left) and Pollie Turnbull, c. 1915, nitrate negative. NN448, reference no. 1975.0048, Doris McKellar Collection, University of Melbourne Archives. Club was in its final days.10 Doris around heavy glass-plate negatives found a close friend in Mary ‘Pollie’ and needed detailed knowledge Turnbull, who started studying in the of developing chemicals and same year.11 Doris took a wide range techniques. Kodak aimed to simplify of subjects, including Latin, English photography, and pioneered ‘send literature, French language, and away’ development services.15 Such British history.12 innovations allowed people to easily It was around this time that Doris document their own lives through became interested in photography. ‘snapshots’. Amateur photography had existed in By the early 20th century, many Australia since the late 19th century, women became interested in amateur but it was not until the early 20th photography.16 As early as December century that it became a popular 1914, Kodak advertisements in pursuit. The Working Men’s College Punch magazine featured images Photographic Club, now known as of glamorous young women with the Melbourne Camera Club, was their new cameras. The No. 3A established in 1891 to allow students Folding Pocket camera was marketed of the Working Men’s College (now primarily to women, and it was RMIT University) and others to probably around this time that Doris develop their skills in photography.13 acquired one. The No. 3A was an Despite the name, many women expensive item, costing around £5 studied at the college and were in 1914;17 although not portable by active members of the club from modern standards, it was considered its inception. Another significant to be pocket-sized and was designed event in the history of amateur to fit in a leather pouch, which could photography was the emergence of be ordered from Kodak (pictured on the Kodak company. Eastman Kodak p. 31). It used cellulose nitrate film was founded in 1887 and soon led the instead of glass plates, making it more way for amateur photography. Kodak portable and easier to use. Another a source of enduring friendships and quickly produced two inventions advantage of the camera was that no collective identity’ to early women that revolutionised the medium. The darkroom was required to develop students.9 Even by the time Doris first of these was roll film in 1888 film. Ease of use was a key feature of enrolled, the student body was still and then lightweight, inexpensive Kodak cameras, with advertisements male-dominated, many aspects of cameras such as the ‘Box Brownie’ emphasising that ‘you can learn student life were segregated along in 1900.14 Before the invention of to use a Kodak camera in half an gender lines, and the Princess Ida roll film, photographers had to carry hour’.18 The portability of the camera Geoff Laurenson, ‘ “Give a woman a Kodak” ’ 29 allowed Doris and her friends to to action, and as a memorialiser. the way, becoming the first woman in take a large number of photographs, Kodak advertisements from the time Victoria to graduate with a law degree, both at home and abroad on summer portrayed amateur photography in in 1903.27 But it was not until the holidays. The ability of the camera gendered terms: women documented passing of the Women’s Disabilities to take snaps of holidays and home events of personal significance on the Removal Act in 1903, which clarified life was a key selling point used in home front, whereas men recorded that women could be admitted as advertisements at the time, which the experience of war. This is lawyers, that Greig became the first claimed that ‘a holiday without a reflected in one of the slogans used by woman in Australia to be admitted to Kodak is a holiday wasted’19 and Kodak in advertisements for the Vest the profession (in 1905).28 ‘Give a woman a Kodak and she will Pocket Autographic camera: ‘Send Although women could now, be able to make delightful pictures of Autographic Kodak pictures to your technically, practise law in Victoria, in all her home life, her family and her soldier friend to cheer him up. And reality their opportunities were limited friends’.20 give him a Vest Pocket Autographic and, as Flos Greig explained, they Doris used her No. 3A camera to Kodak to take snapshots of his own were ‘hardly likely to make fortunes. document her time at university, her personal share in this Great War’.21 The pioneer never does’.29 Although friends, family and summer holidays. Doris completed her studies in women had already established Unlike many of the studio portraits of 1918, graduating with a Bachelor themselves in the legal profession the time, her pictures are playful and of Arts.22 This degree qualified her overseas, female lawyers were ‘still record everyday activities, rather than for membership of the Lyceum a novelty in the Commonwealth’.30 formal events. This playful tone also Club,23 an exclusive club for women Discrimination persisted well after can be seen in her portraits of World graduates and those who had Doris completed her degree in 1920. War I diggers, taken in her backyard distinguished themselves in the areas Enid Emmerson (née Druce) recalled at Glenmoore and at the university. of philanthropy, community service, her experience as a law student in the When Doris began university, the education, medicine, science or the 1920s, explaining that, throughout her war was already well under way. The arts, established in March 1912.24 whole course, she was the only woman photographs show young diggers Doris also began studying law. In in her year.31 Success for women in smiling and laughing, but of course this she was following in her father’s the legal profession relied heavily on behind this lighthearted surface the footsteps; Percival Hall had studied family connections. Enid described events portrayed have a serious side. law at the University of Melbourne how she received support from her Doris captured images of soldiers at before being admitted to practise as husband, Keith McLaren Emmerson, ease, including her brother Hugh. a solicitor in 1889.25 Doris’s brother also a law student and later a solicitor, Kodak also advertised the No. 3A Hugh Hall also graduated with and her father, William Ernest Druce, camera for taking photographs to a law degree from Melbourne, in a solicitor.32 Enid completed her law send to soldiers overseas, as a way of 1918.26 Very few women studied law degree in 1926 and was able to do her recalling domestic scenes.

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