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

1945 - Auburn Schooldays - Part Three

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

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1918 - the Chemist shop

CHEMIST ROUND
In 1952 I had a chemist round almost directly opposite our shop, in Auburn, managed by Mr. Max Landmann, on the corner of Burwood and Auburn Rds.

 

Sadly, Max passed away in May 1952, aged 68.

 

After Max passed away, the chemist shop was then taken over and managed by Mr. Wellington Lee, with the part time assistance of Mr. Harry A. Phillips and another younger chemist, whose name I can't recall. Harry was a retired chemist and lived in Fairmount Rd, Hawthorn. He was on the Committee of the Hawthorn Football Club and regularly gave me passes to see the games at Glenferrie Oval! After I left, Harry sent me Xmas cards each year, which I still have.

 

Wellington is now an elderly Chinese citizen and still very active within the Chinese Community in Melbourne, and the recipient of an Award in the Order of Australia.

 

The ancient typewriter at the chemist shop was used for typing up labels for medicines, I used that machnine in my "spare time",  and eventually it was given to me as a present from Wellington. I used that machine until around 1956. I still have some documents I typed up on that clunky machine, relating to radio monitoring and shortwave radio station lists!

 

When I delivered precsrptions to customers, I had to collect the money from them. I recall receiving payment from an elderly lady in the the form of a ten pound note which had been printed around 1910! The chemist kept this note as a souvenir - today it would be worth many thousands of dollars.

 

My wages were 15 shillings a week - I was then at Auburn Central State school  in 2nd form, where I gained the Dux of School Award in December.

 

I would go on to do Forms 3 to 5 at Camberwell High School from 1953-1955.

 

Later in 1952  I left this chemist and started with Buscombe's chemist, next to the Auburn station - the pay there was better, at 21 shillings weekly! I was still working there in 1953, when I was in Form 3 at Camberwell High School.

 

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1947 - in my Cub uniform, giving the two-finger salute!

CUBS AND SCOUTS
In 1947 I joined the Cubs - our meeting hall was at the Victoria Rd Reserve, opposite the Auburn Station. 
 
Cubs were between the ages of eight to ten. We were divided into groups of six, each headed by a Senior SIxer. I was promoted to the rank of Senior SIxer in late 1947!  When I turned 11,  I moved into the Scouts, and became a Troop Leader in the 6th Hawthorn Troop. Scouts were, and are, aged between 11 and 14.5 years.
 
In the Cubs and Scouts I earned many badges across a range of activities and attended several camps, such as that at the Gillwell Park, Gembrook (still there!)
 
The Jungle Book
Cub Scouts have been inspired by Rudyard Kipling's book "The Jungle Book".

Cubs belong to a Pack and the adult leaders will usually have names based on Jungle Book Characters. The Leader of the pack is called Akela.

Another very distinctive feature of Cub Scouts related to the Jungle Book is the "Grand Howl", a ceremony included at the opening and closing of Cub Scout meetings.

The next level up was the Rover Scouts for boys between 14.5 and 17.5 years . but I was never a Rover.

HAWTHORN BOYS' CLUB
In 1946-1947 I was a member of the Hawthorn Boys Club, which met weekly in the Auburn Recreation Hall, not far from our place, in Auburn Rd. Much of the activity in those years was gym work.
The Club had started in 1945 and is still in active operation at the present time, now known as the Hawthorn Citizens' Youth Club.

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Links to clips from fascinating old Australian films!

These, and many others, may be viewed at the website of
Australian Screen and Sound Archives

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1931 - Melbourne. from the movie clip

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1922 - Sorrento, from the movie clip

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