Agfa Berlin 'Movex 30' 16 mm movie camera: John Thyne Reid

Place	Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Melbourne
Accession Number	REL23940.001
Collection type	Technology
Object type	Optical equipment
Physical description	Glass, Leather, Metal
Place made	Germany
Date made	1930s
Conflict	Second World War, 1939-1945

Description

Agfa 'Movex' 16 mm movie camera with 2 cm lens. A slim line movie camera with a black snake skin leather body and handle. On the right hand side is the handle for winding the spring motor, along with the shutter release button. Impressed into the left side of the body is, 'AGFA' in a diamond and, 'MOVEX'. The number, '47352' is stamped into the base, which also features a screw mounting for a tripod.

History / Summary

Agfa 16 mm movie camera used by John Thyne Reid, born 15 October 1903 at Randwick, Sydney NSW. His father owned James Hardie Pty Ltd. He developed an aptitude for business at an early age and in 1923, started working for Hardie's in Sydney. In 1932, he was sent to the Melbourne branch of the company and, by 1936, rose to the position of manager.

When the Second World War started, his elder brother Andrew Thyne Reid enlisted (in December 1939) with the Ordnance Corps where he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel before being transferred to the Reserve List in 1943. Reid's father, Andrew Reid died in 1939 and for the duration of the war, John Reid ran the company.

Reid, who was a keen photographer, took this footage (AWM film F04676) of the 17th Brigade, 6 Division marching through the streets of Melbourne - there is a possibility that his brother was among those marching - a broadsheet advertisement for the march (RC07273) seems to confirm this. When his brother returned they shared the running of Hardie's until Andrew's death in 1966; after that, he ran the company and its holding companies exclusively until his retirement in 1974.

In 1974 he was knighted. Sir John Reid died in 1984.