The Mildenhall photographs document the early development of Australia’s capital city, Canberra, from the 1920s to the 1930s. Controlled by the National Archives as series A3560, the collection comprises more than 7,700 images on glass negatives.
Jack Mildenhall – photographer
The photographs were taken by William James (Jack) Mildenhall (1891–1962), a Commonwealth public servant. Initially employed as paymaster in the Department of Works & Railways he became the Information Officer for the Federal Capital Commission in 1926.
Mildenhall had identified a need for an official photographer for the growing national capital in 1921. He offered his services to the Department of Works & Railways – an offer which was quickly accepted. Often working in his own time, and on an ad hoc basis alongside his full-time clerical position, Mildenhall continued in this role until 1935, when complaints concerning his monopolisation of departmental photography resulted in an inquiry that forced the arrangement to be discontinued.
Contents of the collection
The photographic collection includes images of the construction of buildings that have since become Canberra landmarks; official visits for special events, such as the opening of Parliament House; ceremonies and civic occasions; as well as the public life of the growing community.
You can search the collection for titles of the photographs, and in most cases view a digital image of the photograph. Some examples of captions relating to a number of aspects of early life in Canberra are listed in the table below.
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Burrinjuck Dam under construction using flying fox | 1921 | A3560, 429 |
| Road works in progress in front of Parliament House | 1926 | A3560, 2804 |
| Part of Sydney Building, Civic Centre, under construction | 1927 | A3560, 3635 |
| Commonwealth Avenue looking north, Albert Hall and Commonwealth Bridge from West Block Offices showing young trees | 1928 | A3560, 4237 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Kings Hall, Parliament House, under construction | 1925 | A3560, 934 |
| East Block Parkes under construction | 1926 | A3560, 33 |
| National Library, Kings Avenue, Barton | 1927 | A3560, 7757 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Visit, May 1927 – Presentation Regimental Colours by the Duke of York on the parade ground at Duntroon | 1927 | A3560, 3015 |
| Prime Minister Rt Hon SM Bruce welcoming the Duke and Duchess of York, on the steps of Parliament House | 1927 | A3560, 3085 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Canberra from the air | 1926 | A3560, 71 |
| A tent camp and gardens | 1926 | A3560, 870 |
| Kurrajong Hotel, National Circuit, Parkes, under construction | 1926 | A3560, 1682 |
| Home of Sir Robert Garran, 22 Mugga Way, Red Hill | 1929 | A3560, 5314 |
| Interior of House of George Romano – Drawing Room | 1932 | A3560, 6739 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Piper and dancers doing the Highland Fling at Highland gathering, Acton Racecourse | 1925 | A3560, 6564 |
| Children’s sports day at old Acton racecourse | 1927 | A3560, 787 |
| Policeman, bus drivers and civilians on steps of Capitol Theatre, Manuka, for Empire Day celebrations | 1928 | A3560, 4113 |
| Interior of Manuka Swimming Pool | 1933 | A3560, 7161 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Telopea Park school opening ceremony 11 September 1923 by Sir Austin Chapman, Minister for Trade and Customs | 1923 | A3560, 256 |
| Opening of Salvation Army Hall by Sir John Butters | 1929 | A3560, 5691 |
| St Andrews Presbyterian Church with St Andrews House and the Beadles Cottage | 1935 | A3560, 7243 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Motor ambulance van and driver | 1926 | A3560, 17 |
| Ambulance van showing interior with model patient | 1926 | A3560, 177 |
| Fire engine with crew | 1926 | A3560, 936 |
| Operating theatre at Canberra Community Hospital | 1926 | A3560, 1630 |
A duplicate set of 50 images from the Mildenhall collection (mainly images of Canberra in 1927 when the provisional Parliament House was opened) is held by the Archives as series A3348. Additional glass negatives taken by Mildenhall, documenting the early stages of Canberra under construction, are held as series A13848.
Improving captions for the Mildenhall collection
The captions (or titles) of many images in the Mildenhall collection have become lost over time. As
a result the descriptive information we have about some of the images is inadequate or incomplete,
and in some cases may be incorrect. If you have information to improve a caption, please contact:
National Reference Service
PO Box 4924
KINGSTON ACT 2604
Mildenhall's Canberra
Mildenhall’s Canberra is a joint project between the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and the National Archives, to use the Mildenhall collection to communicate the significance of Canberra’s early development as the national capital. Visit the website to upload your own rephotograph, pinpoint locations and add comments.