PHOTOGRAPH (ALBUM): CONGDON FAMILY

Thelma was born to Bert and Pearl Congdon.
Bert Congdon was born in Ballarat, Victoria on 24 October 1891. He spent most of his life in Subiaco and Jolimont, working as a civil servant for the Postmaster General's Department (from 1906 - 1958). He lived for a time at 75 Gloster Street, Subiaco. Congdon enlisted with the AIF on 6 February 1916 (28th Battalion). He embarked from Fremantle on the HMATA Aeneas on 17 April 1916. He was transferred to the Australian Mechanical Transport Service in June 1917. After serving in France and Egypt, he repeatedly needed hospitalisation with trench foot,and was honourably discharged and returned to Australia in September 1918. He married Eileen Pearl Trenberth in 1921. He was Foundation Secretary of the Subiaco Radio Club, later the Subiaco Radio Society, serving in that capacity from 1923 - 1948, and was elected Honorary Life member. His interest in radio dated from before 1923 when he was issued with an Experimental Receiving Licence, under the call sign 6BY. He was a licensed amatuer from 1927, and was active until a few days before his death, with the call sign 'VK6BC'. Bert was again active during World War II. As an operator of an amatuer radio station, he gave his expert (and gratis) tuition in this field to those about to enter the services. Bert was an active member of the Subiaco Radio Society and became an associate member of the Insitution of Radio Engineers Australia in recognition of his services to amatuer radio. Bert was also an active member of the RSL, and served as the president of the Subiaco sub-branch in 1935. Bert died on 2 May 1960. Bert and Eileen's only child Thelma donated items through a bequest to the Subiaco Museum.

This photograph album includes photographs of the Congdon family members, excursions to the beach at Crawley Bay and the Royal Show as well as activities around the family house in Subiaco.