ALS, American working for Australian Kodak Co in Melbourne.
Melbourne: June 13, 1912. A letter written to relatives in America by J. Defendorf, a man sent to Australia to assist with the setting up of film, paper and emulsion production at the Abbottsford plant of the newly formed Australia Kodak Ltd, the merger between Baker & Rouse and Kodak Co.
Defendorf arrived in Sydney as an Unassisted Immigrant on the NZ registered ship "Marama" sailing from Vancouver on 31 Oct 1910. (Ancestry.com) He is mentioned in "A History of Australia's Kodak Manufacturing Plant" by Angeletta Leggio, in a paper presented at the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works Congress 2006, p. 147-258. (1)
He describes in great detail his new life in Australia. Defendorf compares the 2 countries, writing, "This country is not much like America as they are way behind the times and the people think they are leading the rest of the world". He says Melbourne is "a nice city to live in and is very nicely laid out, but is the dustiest city I ever saw. They do nothing to keep the dust down". He recommends the mild winters and hot summers (109 degrees here), the friendly people, his "good easy position", and the 23 day journey by sea ("felt fine and enjoyed it all the way"). He says "I have never felt better in my life" but plans to stay 3 years maximum. His address is c/o Australian Kodak Co, Abbotsford Melbourne Australia. He addresses his letter to "Uncle Pete and Aunt Kate", and mentions "Web", but it is unclear where or when he was born. There are a fair number of Defendorf's in the Rochester NY area, home of Kodak.
4 pp, 8 x 10", onion skin paper. Period folds flattened.
(1) Leggio, Angeletta. A History of Australia's Kodak Manufacturing Plant" in the paper presented at AICCM Congress 2006, p. 147-158. (American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works). Very good condition. Item #26143
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