Behind the scenes at Kodak and Ilford camera factories in the 1930s

The gelatin dry plate process, introduced in the 1870s, replaced collodion wet and dry plates and represented an important step in the democratisation of photography. Photographers no longer needed to coat photographic plates themselves or travel with a portable darkroom.

George Eastman of Kodak and Alfred Harman of Ilford began experimenting with gelatin dry plates early on. Eastman opened the UK Harrow branch of Kodak in 1891 and Harman established production sites in Ilford, Brentford and Mobberley. Mobberley is still operational today.

Hundreds of staff, mostly women, worked in semi-darkness developing and printing amateurs ’   negatives. By 1932, 400,000 rolls of film were developed and 4.2 million contact prints were being made each year at Kodak in Harrow.

Daily Herald photographer James Jarché took the very first photograph showing the manufacture of glass plates. Taken at Ilford in almost total darkness except for three infrared lamps, the photograph shows plates being coated in emulsion sensitive to all light except infrared.

Applying emulsion to photographic paper at Ilford factory. The emulsion was made up of silver salts dispersed in gelatin; the exact ‘recipe’ depended on what base was being used (paper, glass or plastic film) and the quality, sensitivity and aesthetics required for the product.

Drying film. After coating, the base needed to be cooled and dried very slowly to prevent imperfections. If dried too quickly, the emulsion later could slide right off the base! 

Guillotine for cutting paper at Ilford.

Packaging film at Ilford. After drying, metal cassettes were made for 35mm roll film, while 120 film was wrapped around plastic cores. The processed film, paper and glass was then ready to be packaged and sold to the customer.