CG Ambrose Congdon Donation Archive and Special Collections
JG124b, James Graham BuildingHeadingley CampusLeeds Beckett University Leeds West Yorkshire United Kingdom LS6 3QS Telephone: (0113) 812 3522 Email: Archives@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
2013-06-20 Generated by Access to Memory (AtoM) 2.8.2 2026-05-11 12:24 UTC English ISAD(G), Second edition Ambrose Congdon Donation CG 1934 - 1953 1 box containing 11 celluloid films, photographs, letters and printed material Archive and Special Collections
JG124b, James Graham BuildingHeadingley CampusLeeds Beckett University Leeds West Yorkshire United Kingdom LS6 3QS Telephone: (0113) 812 3522 Email: Archives@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Congdon, Ambrose Major

Ambrose Major Congdon was born on 2 January 1909 at West Barton a farm near Horwood in Devon, the son of William Congdon and Bessie Major Maire. His father William was a farmer; the Congdon family had laboured in this small part of the North Devon landscape throughout the nineteenth century. Congdon was a student at Carnegie Physical Training College during the 1936-37 academic year. Like many of his peers attending Carnegie at this time, he had already begun to teach Physical Education in schools. As a result, many students were in their mid-twenties when they participated at the College. Carnegie had opened three years earlier in 1933 under the stewardship of its first Warden, Ernest Major.After Carnegie, Congdon taught PE at Bromsgrove and other schools in the Midlands and kept in touch with his Carnegie pals for many years afterwards; his letters often refer to his passion for golf. In later life, he returned to his native Devon where he died at Tiverton on 26 July 2000.

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The donation contains ten 16mm and one 8mm films showing Carnegie College of Physical Training shot by Ambrose Congdon, a keen amateur filmmaker, during his time at Carnegie in 1936-38. Congdon caught on film his fellow students at work and play, including shots of Mr and Mrs Major relaxing in their garden. He also filmed the beginning of land clearances for the 1938 extensions to Carnegie College. The films capture the 1937 Festival of Youth. There is also a photograph/scrap album from the same period. Included are letters received by Congdon during the months after he and his contemporaries left Carnegie.

Donated by Ambrose Congdon's family in 2003 subsequently passed to Andy Bowles, Principal Lecturer, Carnegie Faculty of Sport and Education who then passed it on to the Archive..

Interim description in December 2006, revised June 2013

Compiled by Keith Rowntree

 Ephemera of Ambrose Congdon CG/1 1936 - 1953 4 items of printed matter, 1 embroidered badge, 1 photo album.

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 Marshall, F (1949) Physical Activities for Boys’ Schools. University of London Press. London. CG/1/1 1949 Printed book

Ambrose Congdon's own copy signed on front endpaper.

 Marshall, Francis James Charles

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 Daily Telegraph. Fitter Britain Supplement. 7 December 1936. CG/1/2 1936 Printed newspaper

Significance to Ambrose Congdon not known.

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 Carnegie 1936-37. Black leather photo album CG/1/3 1937 Black leather photo album

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 Carnegie College of Physical Training Carnegie embroidered blazer badge CG/1/4 n.d. Embroidered blazer badge

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 Carnegie College of Physical Training Journal of Physical Education. July 1953. CG/1/5 1953 Printed journal

Significance to Ambrose Congdon not known.

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 The Carnegie Physical Training College Leeds Prospectus. CG/1/6 1936 Printed matter Carnegie College of Physical Training

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 Carnegie College of Physical Training Letters and documentation of Ambrose Congdon CG/2 1936 - 1938 Typewritten, handwritten and printed letters and documents

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 Carnegie Physical Training College Session 1936-37. Information CG/2/1 1936 Typewritten sheet Carnegie College of Physical Training

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 Carnegie College of Physical Training College rules Carnegie Physical Training College Session 1936-37. College Rules CG/2/2 1936 Typewritten sheet Carnegie College of Physical Training

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 Alphabetical list of Carnegie students Session 1936-37 CG/2/3 1936 Typewritten sheet Carnegie College of Physical Training

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 Carnegie College of Physical Training Carnegie students Carnegie Physical Training College Session 1936-37. Voluntary classes CG/2/4 1936 Typewritten sheet Carnegie College of Physical Training

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 Letter from E. Major dated 18 February 1936 CG/2/5 1936 Typewritten letter Major, Ernest Carnegie College of Physical Training

Major was born on 28 July 1898 in Blackburn, Lancashire. In 1901 his father, William Major, was a Gymnastic and Fencing Master at Thommasons Gymnasium in Bolton. Ernest Major studied at the Silkeborg College of Physical Training in Sweden, 1913-15. He was a member of the Carnegie Advisory Body prior to his appointment as Warden. During the Second World War he served as Lieutenant in the 51st Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment promoted to Major towards the end of the war. From 1946 onwards he was HM Staff Inspector for Physical Education. Major was awarded an OBE in 1977. He died in 1989.

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 Letter from E. Major to Mr. Congdon dated 21 July 1937 CG/2/6 1937 Typewritten letter Major, Ernest Carnegie College of Physical Training

Major was born on 28 July 1898 in Blackburn, Lancashire. In 1901 his father, William Major, was a Gymnastic and Fencing Master at Thommasons Gymnasium in Bolton. Ernest Major studied at the Silkeborg College of Physical Training in Sweden, 1913-15. He was a member of the Carnegie Advisory Body prior to his appointment as Warden. During the Second World War he served as Lieutenant in the 51st Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment promoted to Major towards the end of the war. From 1946 onwards he was HM Staff Inspector for Physical Education. Major was awarded an OBE in 1977. He died in 1989.

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 Letter from E. Major to Mr. Congdon dated 13 August 1937 CG/2/7 1937 Typewritten letter Major, Ernest Carnegie College of Physical Training

Major was born on 28 July 1898 in Blackburn, Lancashire. In 1901 his father, William Major, was a Gymnastic and Fencing Master at Thommasons Gymnasium in Bolton. Ernest Major studied at the Silkeborg College of Physical Training in Sweden, 1913-15. He was a member of the Carnegie Advisory Body prior to his appointment as Warden. During the Second World War he served as Lieutenant in the 51st Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment promoted to Major towards the end of the war. From 1946 onwards he was HM Staff Inspector for Physical Education. Major was awarded an OBE in 1977. He died in 1989.

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 Letter from E. Major to Mr. Congdon dated 11 November 1937 CG/2/8 1937 Typewritten letter

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 Letter from E. Major to Mr Congdon dated 16 November 1937 CG/2/9 1937 Typewritten letter

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 Letter from E. Major to Mr. Congdon dated 23 November 1937 CG/2/10 1937 Typewritten letter

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 Letter from E. Major to Mr. Congdon dated 24 December 1937 CG/2/11 1937 Typewritten letter

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 Letter from West Yorkshire Unemployment Advisory Council to Mr. Congdon dated 3 November CG/2/12 1937 Handwritten letter

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 West Yorkshire Unemployment Advisory Council Letter from West Yorkshire Unemployment Advisory Council to Mr. Congdon dated 29 September CG/2/13 1937 Handwritten letter

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 West Yorkshire Unemployment Advisory Council Letter from the Central Council of Recreative Physical Training to Mr Congdon dated 22 November 1937 CG/2/14 1937 Typewritten letter

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 Central Council of Recreative Physical Training Letter from Herefordshire County Council to Mr. Congdon dated 13 November 1937 CG/2/15 1937 Typewritten letter with handwritten postscript

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 Herefordshire County Council Letter from Worcestershire County Council to Mr. A. M. Congdon dated 22 February 1936 CG/2/16 1936 Typewritten letter

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 Worcestershire County Council Physiology test, 13 March 1937 CG/2/17 1937 Typewritten document

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 Physiology test Final Examination 1937, Theory of Physical Education I CG/2/18 1937 Printed sheet

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 Theory of physical education Final Examination 1937, Theory of Physical Education II CG/2/19 1937 Printed sheet

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 Theory of physical education Final Examination 1937, Anatomy CG/2/20 1937 Printed sheet

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 Anatomy Final Examination 1937, Principles of Education II CG/2/21 1937 Printed sheet

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 Principles of education Final Examination 1937, Physiology and Hygiene CG/2/22 1937 Printed sheet

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 Physiology and hygiene Letter from Tony to Ambrose dated Friday CG/2/23 n.d. Typewritten letter

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 Letter from Jack to Am dated 29 September 1937 CG/2/24 1937 Handwritten letter

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 Letter from John Curd to Am dated 14 November 1937 CG/2/25 1937 Handwritten letter

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 Letter from Jack to Am dated Tuesday Evening 10.30 CG/2/26 n.d. Handwritten letter

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 Letter from Jack to Con dated Monday 5th CG/2/27 n.d. Handwritten letter

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 Letter from Jack to Ambrose dated Sunday 2 January 1938 CG/2/28 1938 Handwritten letter

Letter from J M Forster former student at Carnegie.

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 Letter from Ralph to Ambrose dated 2 February 1938 CG/2/29 1938 Handwritten letter

Letter from Ralph Staines former student at Carnegie

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 Carnegie P. T. College postcard CG/2/30 n.d. Printed postcard

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 City of Leeds Training College Athletics Club 3rd Annual Contest scorecard CG/2/31 1937 Printed matter

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 Athletics E. Major newspaper cutting CG/2/32 1937 Newspaper cutting

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 Carnegie College of Physical Training Handwritten film notes made by Ambrose Congdon CG/3 1937 5 leaves of handwritten notes

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 Films CG/3/1 1937 2 sheets handwritten notes on ruled paper

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 Titles CG/3/2 1937 Handwritten notes on both sides of ruled paper

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 New Arrangement CG/3/3 1937 Handwritten notes on ruled paper

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 Film titles CG/3/4 1937 Handwritten notes on plain paper

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 The films of Ambrose Congdon CG/4 1934 - 1937 10 b+w cine film 16mm and 1 b+w cine film 8mm

The original boxes were unfortunately lost, presumed destroyed, during the conversion process in 2005.

Published

Compiled by Keith Rowntree

Films were converted to Digital Betacam and the more usable DV-CAM format in 2005.

 ‘Field Events’ 26.6 Carnegie. CG/4/1 1936 - 1937 16mm cine film

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Film depicts field sports around the sports field with Carnegie Hall and City of Leeds Training College in the background. Stanley Wilson, tutor with javelin. High and Long Jump by J. Dodds. Discus and Shot by N. Ellis. Javelin, Discus and Shot Stanley Wilson. Pole Vault, J. Dodd. Shot and Discus, E. Aitcheson. Hammer, W. Wood. High Jump styles, J Dodd. Hop, Step and Jump, E. Aitcheson J. Curd.

 Stanley Wilson Carnegie College of Physical Training Field events ‘Field Events’ copy in Posso Paris red and silver box CG/4/2 1936 - 1937 16mm cine film

This film is a copy of CG/4/1.

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Copy of CG4/1

 ‘Gymnastics’ 7 Carnegie. CG/4/3 1936 - 1937 16mm cine film

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Agility progression, Head Spring, Hand Spring by Oliver, Fairhurst and Wollerton. Janes. Baily.Agility progression by Mr. Goldthorpe and Mr Wilson in Gym.Vault Film (box outside) by Oliver, Fairhurst, Dodd, PattersonApparatus work by Fairhurst.Recreative work by Fairhurst, Oliver, Baily, CreaganDirected by Mr Goldthorpe

 Gymnastics ‘Running’ 10 Carnegie CG/4/4 1936 - 1937 16mm cine film

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Running practices and styles100 and 220, J. Heaton J. Holmes E. Bates E. Harris440, A. Brown K. Stagg880, A. Keen P. MurphyMule, F. Aplen V. Davies

 Running styles Carnegie College of Physical Training 9 Carnegie. CG/4/5 1936 - 1937 16mm cine film

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Film shows Carnegie students outside Carnegie Hall. Rugby match between Carnegie College of Physical Training and Loughborough College of Physical Training. Caterpillar bulldozer working on land behind Carnegie College for gymnasium extension. Mr and Mrs Major and family relaxing in garden and on grounds around College.

 Carnegie College of Physical Training Gymnastic extention 'Boxing and Judo' Carnegie 1936-37 CG/4/6 1936 - 1937 16mm cine film

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Boxing Course by Sgt WheelerJudo by J. Edmundson, J. Curd

 Boxing Judo ‘David’ 1. Festival of Youth in beige box CG/4/7 1937 16mm cine film

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This film shows the Festival of Youth held at Wembley Stadium in 1937 attended by the King and Queen.

 Festival of Youth ‘Original Swimming Scarborough 1937 CG/4/8 1937 16mm cine film

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 Carnegie College of Physical Training Swimming ‘Swimming Copy Scarborough 1937’ CG/4/9 1937 16mm cine film

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 Carnegie College of Physical Training Swimming

Copy of CG4/8

 Carnegie versus CG/4/10 1936 - 1937 16mm cine film

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An athletics match between Carnegie and Leeds Training College taking place at Beckett Park. Athletics match between Carnegie and Loughborough College of Physical Training first match at the new stadium.

 ‘A M Congdon 1934?’ CG/4/11 1934 8mm cine film

Appears to show a school trip to Windsor

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