Historical information

James Bryance CONDER (aka James Brycanne CONDER)
Artist, poet and four-navy veteran, 1872 - 1954.

In 1889 he served in the Merchant Marine Service sailing on the ships ‘Ellora’ and ‘Avenger’. in 1891, aged 19, he joined the Royal Navy in Australia serving on the flagship of the Australian Station, ‘HMS Orlando’, when it escorted ships of the new Australasian Auxiliary Squadron in coastal voyages. After serving 6 months he returned to family in Melbourne rather than sign on for 12 years.

Instead he joined the Victorian Colonial Navy and was posted, in succession, to the ‘HMVS Cerberus’, ‘HMVS Nelson’ and the gunboat ‘HMVS Albert’. In 1896 he left the navy, married Victoria Agnes NIHILL and joined the Victorian Police Force.

In 1904 CONDOR returned to the sea as part of the Commonwealth Naval Forces, an amalgamation of the colonial navies formed after federation and later becoming the Royal Australian Navy. On his first ship, ‘HMS Katoomba’, as bosun yeoman, he helped train new recruits. He later served on ‘HMS Challenger’ and ‘HMS Psyche’ which included voyages to Fiji, the New Hebrides, Singapore and New Zealand as well as regular cruises to Australian ports.

In 1909, CONDER left the Navy and undertook shored-based civilian work until 1913 when he joined the Royal Australian Naval College at Osborne House in Geelong. He remained with the Naval College until 1937 through its moves to Jervis Bay, NSW and then to Crib Point, Victoria training midshipmen according to the practices of the Royal Navy.

In later life, CONDER produced two handwritten journals for his family illustrated with his own paintings and drawings. Two original sets were made. One remains in the family while the other is held by the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.

PMHPS hold several items relating to James CONDER including photocopies of his journals ‘Notes from a Sailors Log - Under Canvas - Part I The Merchant Service’ (Cat No 2700.01) and ‘Notes from a Sailors Log - Under Steam - Part II The Navy’ (Cat No 2700.02), a photocopy of his Certificate of Service (Cat No 2700.03), a booklet of his life story (Cat No 2700.04) and several digital items (Cat No 2476.01 - 2476.09).

Physical description

Colour digital photograph of the title page handdrawn by James GONDER from ‘Notes from a Sailors Log - Under Canvas - Part I The Merchant Service’ (Cat No 2700.01).