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Frank Bignold (1863–1922)

This entry is from Obituaries Australia

Mr. Frank Bignold, advertising manager for Marcus Clark and Co. Ltd., died in a private hospital, at Marrickville, early yesterday morning.

Born in India, in 1863 young Bignold was sent to Englaud to be educated. He left his name on both sides of King Edward VI School curriculum, scoring a scholarship and notching personally 11 tries, which, with conversions and goals kicked from the field totalled 37 point in one match. He also won three years in succession the school Athletics Challenge Cup, which had been in competition for 18 years. Mr. Bignold first embraced teaching as a profession, but when his father retired from a judgeship in the Bengal civil service, he resigned, and came out to Tasmania. Subsequently he was teaching in both the High and Grammar Schools at Launceston. After a time on the Zeehan-Dundas rush, he settled down to dairy farming in South Gippsland, came to Sydney in 1902, and joined the reading staff of "The Daily Telegraph." From this he was transferred to the sub's room. Mr. Binold was closely associated with the formation of the Australian Journalists' Association and was first district secretary for New South Wales, and later succeeded to the general secretaryship.  For his work he received the gold honor badge of the A.J.A. After a life crowded with incident, he was sent for by Marcus Clark and Co., Ltd., and offered the post of publicity manager. Here he was given carte blanche, and was associated with some of the biggest "stunts" ever attempted in publicity work in Sydney. He was responsible for the introduction of three-color work into general use in advertising in Australia.

A variety of activities did not exhaust all Mr. Bignold's energies, for he found time to help to draw up the original constitution of the Ad. Men's Institute, to serve on the council for two years, and subsequently to revise the constitution. He always took a keen interest in aviation, and in the early days was a recognised authority on altitudes, passenger flights, etc. One of the original founders of the Sydney Press Club, Frank — as he was familiarly known to his fellows — held office as secretary, treasurer, vice-president, and president, and on his recent retirement was unanimously elected a life member. It was Mr. Bignold's proud boast that he was father of three pairs of twins— twin boys, twin girls, and a boy and a girl. He was an Associate of the Royal Chartered Institute of Secretaries, and for his publicity work, on behalf of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, at the time of the jubilee appeal, was elected an honorary life governor of the hospital. In 1919-20 Mr. Bignold published three most interesting brochures — "The Story of the Davis Cup." "The World's Sculling Championship." and "The Story of the Tests." These are all profusely illustrated, and are valued works of reference on every sporting editor's table.

Original Publication

Additional Resources

Citation details

'Bignold, Frank (1863–1922)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://labouraustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/bignold-frank-32253/text39907, accessed 28 March 2024.

© Copyright Labour Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Birth

8 September, 1863
Arrah, Bengal, Bangladesh

Death

15 May, 1922 (aged 58)
Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

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