This diary details not only what was kept in the first aid cabinet but also records the injuries received and treatment given. It is a fascinating look into the dangers of working in the printing industry from the 1930s to 1950s.
Long forgotten and perhaps a name not recognisable by many, Associated Newspapers Ltd, was a major media rival of the Fairfax company until it was consumed by Fairfax Holdings in 1953.
With approximately 2000 boxes processed, over 450 series identified, 7500 file level records listed and about 40 kilograms of rusty paper clips removed and replaced, we are on schedule to have the project completed by early 2018.
The thousands of files that make up the Fairfax Media Business Archive tell us a lot about the people who managed the company. But what were the experiences of the printers, compositors, proof readers? Occasionally we come across records in the collection that provide a glimpse of the social side or even the sub-culture of a group within the organisation, records that gives us a sense of what it was like to work in John Fairfax Ltd.
In 1984 during a clean up of the production area of John Fairfax & Sons, workers came across records of the Herald Chapel. These records, which include pre-federation union records, will provide a greater understanding of the evolution of unions in the printing industry and the role they played in workers welfare.
The Fairfax Media Business Archive is not only made up of records relating to the business of the company. Fairfax archivists also collected material to add to the archives, items which they considered would contribute to the memory and understanding of the company.
Of the hundreds of record series that make up the Fairfax Media Business archive perhaps the most important series are the records of the General Managers of John Fairfax Ltd.
The arrangement and description of the Fairfax Media archive is a major undertaking that will take over one year to complete. Meet the core members of the team.
The State Library of New South Wales has recently acquired what must certainly be the most significant and comprehensive media company archive in Australia.