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Framed Photograph - Len Schenk

Details

ProvenanceThis photograph was taken as a record of Len Schenk’s swimming achievements. Swimming for the Ethelton Swimming Club in the 1930s, he won many awards and set several records. Len was a member of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve, and won Navy as well as State championship competitions. He continued swimming into the 1950s, competing in the ETSA swim title races in 1951.

Private and public baths became increasingly popular in the 1880s in South Australia, coinciding with the growth of swimming as a sport rather than simply a means of cooling off. The Port Adelaide Swimming Club was formed in 1909, swimming in the Port River but holding meets in the Adelaide City Baths. Semaphore Amateur swimming club was formed the same year. By the mid-1920s several other swimming cubs had opened on the Port River, the most successful being the Ethelton and Rosewater swimming clubs Ethelton Swimming Club was formed in October 1924 and met on the west bank of the Port River's Upper Reach. It was later based at the Port Adelaide swimming pool on Swan Terrace, Semaphore South. Inter club rivalry was fierce in the Port.SignificanceThe photograph reflects the popularity of swimming as a competitive sport in Port Adelaide during the first half of the 20th century. The Ethelton Amateur Swimming Club was one of the most successful clubs in the region, despite the fact that its members, like other clubs in Port Adelaide, had to brave the brackish waters of the Port River rather than a purpose built swimming bath.DescriptionFramed photograph of Len Schenk posing in his swimming trunks with trophies and various awards displayed at his feet.

'Ethelton Amateur Swimming [sic] Club' is written in black ink above the photograph on the mount board. Len Schenk is written below the photo on mount board followed by a listing of championships achievements.

The signature for the photographic studio George S Hutton, Exeter, South Australia, appears below the photograph on the right hand side of the mount board.Creator (person)George HuttonCreator (organisation) Acknowledgement Queering the MuseumThis object was selected to be featured as part of the Queering the Museum project, which offered members of the LGBTQI community the opportunity to re-interpret objects from the State History Collection through a different lens. Learn more on the Queering the Museum website. External LinkQueering the MuseumWhat do you think?The meaning of an object is never fixed, but rather, is open to interpretation. When we encounter objects we bring to those encounters a history which is both culturally shared and particular to us. Museums tend to ignore this and instead to offer single interpretations of objects. This object is one of a number chosen from the State History Collection to appear in a project entitled Queering the Museum. The project invites users to upload their own interpretation of or response to a chosen object. Users can also provide links to things that inform their interpretations or responses (for example, video clips, photographs, sound tracks, artworks). Through this process we open up space for multiple interpretations. KeywordsAwardsSportswimmingLGBTIQDate of Creation1938Date of UsageMaterialMetal - unspecified
|Glass - unspecified
|Paper - cardboard/card stock
|Paper - photographic
|Wood - unspecified
DimensionType: with frame
Height: 465
Width: 337
Unit (Lengths): mm
Accession NumberHT 1994.4699

Connections

CollectionLet’s Get PhysicalLGBTIQWhen We Were YoungWhen We Were Young

Image Credits

Image FilenameHT1994-4699_CI5551.jpgCopyrightHistory Trust of South AustraliaLicenseCC-0PhotographerRachel Harris, Bit Scribbly Design

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