Looking Back - 1939 to 2011 - the Autobiography of Robert V. J. Padula, OAM

1953 - Stamp Collectiong

Home
1941 - Bikes and Cars
1943 - Hiking - Hills and Coasts
1944 - Growing up in the War Years - Part 1
1944 - Growing up in the War Years - Part 2
1944 - Growing up in the War Years - Part 3
1945 - Auburn schooldays - Part One
1945 - Auburn Schooldays - Part Two
1945 - Auburn Schooldays - Part Three
1945 - Upwey and the Puffing Billy
1945 - Gramaphones and Record Players
1946 - Flinders St Station
1946 - Astronomy
1946 - Beach and Swimming Adventures
1946 - Going to the Pictures
1947 - Adventures at the Altona Bungalow
1947 -The Listener-In Magazine
1947 - Balwyn WIldlife Sanctuary
1948 - Fishermen's Bend Aerodrome
1948 - Radio Australia QSL cards
1948 - Excursions
1949 - Australian Rules Football
1949 - Radio Monitoring at Auburn
1950 -Trains and Ships
1950 - Radios for Communications
1950 - Radio Listening Clubs in Australia
1950 - World Radio TV Handbook
1950 - Shortwave Radio Propagation Research
1950 - Medium Wave Radio Propagation Research
1950 - Radio and Hobbies Magazines
1950 - Discovering shortwave radio at Auburn
1951 - Photography
1951 - Competitions on local radio stations
1952 - Camp Buxton - YMCA Shoreham
1952 Tennis and Ten Pin Bowling
1953 - Stamp Collectiong
1953 Camberwell High School
1954 - Royal Visit to Melbourne
1954 - Shortwave Radio reception at Auburn
1956 - Melbourne's Olympic Games
1956 - Trainee Telecommunications' Technician
1957 - Trainee Technician - field work
1957 - National Service Registration
1958 - Laverton Air Show
1958 - MOOMBA Parade
1958 - Trainee Technician - field work
1959 - The move to Mont Albert
1960 - Working at Deepdene Telephone Exchange
1963 - Trade Unions, Staff Associations, Industrial Relations
1964 - Senior Technician work in the Melbourne CBD
1964 - Project support for Radio Australia
1964 - Project support for Radio Australia
1964 - Amateur Radio
1964 - Media Writing
1964 -Travels
1964 - Engineering Support for International Broadcasters
1965 - Professional Employment with PMG/Telstra
1967 - Professional Qualifications - Institution of Engineers Australia
1967 - Australian Radio DX Club Photo Gallery (to 1979)
1972 - Wireless Institute of Australia
1972 - Natural disasters in Melbourne
1980 - Australian Radio DX Club Gallery (to 1995)
1981 - Award of the Medal of the Order of Australia
1995 - Padula Books
EPILOGUE
LINKS TO AUTHOR'S PERSONAL WEBSITES
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEPENDENT BIOGRAPHIES
SPECIAL CHAPTER - Oldtime Australian Radio Drama from the 1930s
SPECIAL CHAPTER - Radio Monitoring Clubs in Australia - 1920 to 1949
SPECIAL CHAPTER - Melbourne Picture Theatres - History - 1906 to 1970
In 1953, I was in Form 3 at Camberwell High School, which I found to be frightfully boring and uninspiring.
 
There was far too much attention given to organized "sport" in all of its forms and guises, in which many of us were not at all interested. 
 
In that year I hung out with a couple of mates at school, who shared my interests in radio construction and stamp-collecting.
 
I used to buy the monthly Radio and Hobbies magazines which we passed around during recesses.
 
I was well into philately, and bought innumerable first-day-of-issue commemorative covers from the Auburn Post Office, all of which I still have! 
 
Ibn 1953 to 1955 I bought several of the Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogues, which I still have in my library!
 
I used to buy stamps "on approval" - this was a scheme where many stamp dealers would send selections of stamps, from which we would choose and purchase those which we like, and send the money back with the unused selections
 
In the 1950s, there were very few stamp shops in Melbourne - the one I remember the most was Ackland's, which was in small premises on the first floor of the corner of Elizabeth and Collins Sts.
 
I have a very large collectiion of stamps from all over the world, including many Australian issues from the colonies before Federation.
 
I lost interest in stamp collecting after about 1955.
 

1954fdctelegraph.jpg
1954 First Day Cover - Overland Telegraph Service

1953fdcqueen.jpg
1953 - FDC QE2 Coronation

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Page from the Australian Colonies Section of my albums

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