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.

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.

4 linear feet

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