All typewriter images by Ginger Gorman
ABC Radio’s Emporium program yesterday
ran an interview with me regarding the Typewriter Exhibition at the Canberra
Museum and Gallery (the exhibition still has a month to run, so take it in while you can!).
The segment was put together by ABC
Radio presenter Claire (“Ginger”) Gorman (below).
The audio of Ginger’s interview can be
heard here.
(But be warned, it goes on for almost 14 minutes! You may also need to turn the volume up on the bottom right underneath
the image.)
There are also images on ABC Radio’s Facebook
page here.
See the webpage on
the story here.
Ginger’s story
runs:
“Reminisce with
me! What kind of typewriter did you use in your younger days? Did you love or
hate it?
“When I was just six-years-old, my Dad bought me a brand new, heavy German typewriter. I loved it so much and wrote endless stories and 'articles' on it. Dad is sure this is why I later became a journalist. Even though I never use it now, I still can’t give it away.
“On the show tomorrow (Sunday) we meet the man who has the largest privately owned collection of typewriters in Australia. Pictured is a 1930s Bantam from this collection.
“With great humour, Robert Messenger shares his treasures and memories with us.
"Share your typewriter memories with me too by posting below or calling into the show on Sunday after 10am on 1300 681 666.
Ginger Gorman
“When I was just six-years-old, my Dad bought me a brand new, heavy German typewriter. I loved it so much and wrote endless stories and 'articles' on it. Dad is sure this is why I later became a journalist. Even though I never use it now, I still can’t give it away.
“On the show tomorrow (Sunday) we meet the man who has the largest privately owned collection of typewriters in Australia. Pictured is a 1930s Bantam from this collection.
“With great humour, Robert Messenger shares his treasures and memories with us.
"Share your typewriter memories with me too by posting below or calling into the show on Sunday after 10am on 1300 681 666.
Ginger Gorman
Terrific Typewriters
By Jamie Cummins
The [ABC Radio program] Emporium was all about technology this
week, and we were looking at a large collection of typewriters and the way they were used.
Think back to your early days of working in an office or studying at a university or technical college.
Did you use a typewriter?
Right now there’s a wonderful exhibition on at the Canberra Museum and Gallery which showcases the typewriter collection of journalist Robert Messenger.
Think back to your early days of working in an office or studying at a university or technical college.
Did you use a typewriter?
Right now there’s a wonderful exhibition on at the Canberra Museum and Gallery which showcases the typewriter collection of journalist Robert Messenger.
While Robert first
used an Underwood Universal typewriter when he was just nine-years-old, it
wasn’t until he was 17 that he actually bought one for himself.
Robert has a great fondness for the Olivetti Lettera 32.
One of the strangest in the collection is an American Oliver.
This photo is of Robert with his favourite model - the Blickensderfer 5, made in the late 1800s.
This photo is of Robert with his favourite model - the Blickensderfer 5, made in the late 1800s.
Comments on ABC Radio’s Facebook page about the story are
interesting. Here are some of them:
Mark Scarborough: My mum taught me to
touch type on her old typewriter. To be honest I am glad she did. There is so
many people at work that can't touch type, people are always amazed when they
see me type and also carry a conversation with them.
Hayley Jane Symons: Currently sitting on
my bookcase is an old Olivetti Lettera 32 typewriter of my Grandfather's which
came in a big blue suitcase. I fell in love with it when I was little and could
have happily typed away for hours on end. When my Dad recently gave it to me it
still had a letter stuck in it to my other Grandfather, which I was obviously
midway through typing up. It's one of my favourite things :)
Michelle Preston: I have my
grandfather's old typewriter so it would have to have been made in the 1920s
it's in a heavy silver case!
Paul Rands: I first used a
typewriter when I was visiting friends in Watson, on a trip from Sydney. From
memory it was an Olympia. My friend Lee-Ann who is 3 years younger than I am
called it her computer (we were 5 and 8 years old!). I can't remember what we
typed, but spent most of the day there messing around on it. After that trip, I
pestered my folks to get a typewriter for our home. They eventually relented
and bought a Brother from Waltons. I think I was about 10 when we got it. I
ended up using it all the time for my cassette covers and various other fun
things. I don't ever remember using it for a school assignment though LOL
Prue Lloyd McCormack: I used my mum's
Olivetti until I was 17 when my father bought me the first of the birthday
presents to set me up for life. A Brother correctable typewriter was supposed
to get me that first job! I remember typewriting classes at school during the
70s when we would sit at typewriters covered with cardboard boxes so we
wouldn't look at the keys. When I joined the ABC in 1980 I had to sit a speed
test. Nowadays I just type, it depends on what I'm doing as to the accuracy and
speed I attain.
Jane Kim: I gave my old manual
typewriter to my kids' high school. They used them to teach the kids to type in
the days (only in the '90s) when schools could only afford to have a few
computers! It was a mid 70s model but unfortunately I can't remember its make.
It had a very modern (for its time) square-looking font. No doubt it ended up
in a rubbish tip somewhere :-(
Tony Kennedy: Hi Ginger, I cannot
remember the brand but at first I used a typewriter with a red and black
ribbon, later it was an electric golfball type. I wrote many letters,
especially to our political leaders at the time. Now it is e-mail, but I do
long for the day of the written letter to return because of the delay between
replies.
Gina Dow: My typewriter is a
huge Hermes Ambassador - the colour of Palmolive green soap. I recommend a
great "typecasting" blog with heaps of nostalgia and also
contemporary typist-artists' work: strikethru.net
Jane Kim: Thanks Gina for the
reminder - mine was a Hermes - a cute grey number.
What great exposure! I honestly wish I could be there to see your amazing exhibition, but I suppose the book will have to do.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Robert, and I wish you good luck in the coming month of your exhibition.
Wonderful Robert! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to hear you, Robert. From the other end of the World, greetings!
ReplyDeletefun! keep spreading the gospel brother!
ReplyDelete