Thornberg (Royden) Papers, 1895-1955

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Summary

Title:
The Royden Thornberg Papers
Dates:
1895-1955
Creators:
Thornberg, Royden
Abstract:
Papers of Royden "Roy" Thornberg, telegrapher, radio operator, inventor, and proprietor of the Thornberg Electrical Works on Natoma Street in San Francisco, California. Includes business records, radio operator materials, reference notebooks with research on electricity, electrical and mechanical equipment, and electrical and radio equipment brochures.
Extent:
4 linear feet
Language:
The majority of the collection material is in English with the exception of one periodical in French.
Preferred citation:

The Royden Thornberg Papers, 2003-43. History San Jose Research Library, San Jose, California.

Background

Scope and content:

Papers of Royden "Roy" Thornberg, telegrapher, radio operator, inventor, and proprietor of the Thornberg Electrical Works on Natoma Street in San Francisco, California. Includes business records, radio operator materials, reference notebooks with research on electricity, electrical and mechanical equipment, and electrical and radio equipment brochures. One notebook, dated 1895, is signed "A. F. Thornberg," and may have belonged to Roy's father, who is listed as the proprietor of Thornberg Electric Co. circa 1931.

Of note are the technical drawings and descriptions for Royden Thornberg's inventions, including his "Sanitary Electric Deodorizer and Disinfectant," patented in 1917, "Fumer-Fuel," a chemically treated camp fuel to be used as an insect repellent, and the "Geo-chronoscope."

Also of interest are Thornberg's radio operator materials, including his diary from his service on the U.S.S. Arizona, with handwritten reference notes (1915); Thornberg's original exam for the International Correspondence School's "Introduction to Radio" course (1930); a typed list of Pacific Coast Radio Stations, "correct for month Nov. 1917;" a brochure for the Pacific Radio School located at 735 Larkin Street, San Francisco; and four badges.

Two folders of personal ephemera reflect an interest in spiritualism, philosophy, music, and possible membership in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.

Biographical / historical:

Royden Thornberg was born October 6, 1891, in San Francisco, California, and worked as a telegrapher, radio operator and inventor, as well as proprietor of the Thornberg Electrical Works on Natoma Street in San Francisco. Thornberg inherited the electrical business from his father, A. F. Thornberg. Much of their work between 1907 through 1915 involved installation and maintenance of marine wireless equipment. As part of this marine work, Thornberg himself tested the equipment on board the ships until new operators could be "broken in." This led to jobs as an operator with many wireless telegraph companies between 1908 and 1924, including Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America, Massie, De Forest Wireless Telegraph and Telephone Company, and Federal Telegraph Company using the Poulsen Arc system. Thornberg earned his Commercial Radio License, Second Class, in March 1915, and the service record on his license documents his time on the U.S.S. Arizona between March and December 1915 under Lt. Commander H. R. Patterson.

Thornberg was also an inventor; his "Electrical Disinfector and Deodorizer" was patented in the U.S. on 19 June 1917, and he developed several other devices including chemically-treated fuel to repel insects. During World War II, Thornberg and his colleague, John Jardine, built motor generators for power supplies to U.S. Navy radar equipment. The shop also handled maintenance of relief sumps and automatic pumping plants in San Francisco buildings. Thornberg Electrical Works closed its doors between 1953 and 1956 after Jardine and Thornberg's wife passed away in succession, and Thornberg became too ill to maintain his business. (Source: Letters from Royden Thornberg to Gilson Willets, 1956, Perham History Files, History San Jose Research Library and Archives).

Acquisition information:
The Thornberg Papers were originally donated to the Foothill Electronics Museum in 1970, and were received by History San Jose in 2003 as part of the Perham Collection of Early Electronics.
Processing information:

Partially processed in 2003, and completed in 2013 by History San Jose Research Library staff.

Physical location:
History San Jose Collection Center
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

About this collection guide

Date Prepared:
©2013
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid created by Catherine Mills, History San Jose Research Library. Derived from PastPerfect. Date of source: 2013.

Access and use

Restrictions:

The papers are available for researchers by appointment through the Curator of Library and Archives.

Terms of access:

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.

Preferred citation:

The Royden Thornberg Papers, 2003-43. History San Jose Research Library, San Jose, California.

Location of this collection:
1661 Senter Road
San Jose, CA 95112, US
Contact:
(408) 287-2290
research@historysanjose.org
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