Glass negative, quarter plate, portrait of strongman Don Athaldo, Tom Lennon, Sydney, Australia, 21 November 1936

Don Athaldo was the adopted name of Australian strongman and physical fitness advocate, Walter Joseph Lyons (1894-1965), who was born in Condobolin, NSW. Athaldo made public demonstrations of his strength, his most famous being pulling a touring car with six passengers more than half a mile up the hill in William Street, Sydney to Kings Cross. He ran a gymnasium, published two books "Health, Strength & Muscular Power" and "Meet Don Athaldo", and offered correspondence courses on physical fitness. (See Richard White, 'Athaldo, Don (1894 - 1965)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 13, Melbourne University Press, 1993, pp 82-83.)

Photographer: Lennon, Tom; Sydney; 1936

This negative was stored in a box inscribed in pencil 'Don Athaldo 21.11.36 / [A Boris?]'.

94/63/1-58/8

1936

81 mm

105 mm