Commonwealth of Australia War Savings Certificate one pound

Commonwealth of Australia War Savings Certificate one pound, serial number AA433807, and maturing on 24 December 1948.

Related to the wartime home front experience of the Adams family of Gardeners Road, Mascot. Family consisted of Maria Charlotte Adams (mother, born 1883; married Frederick Robert Adams London 31 March 1907. The couple emigrated to Australia in 1914 aboard "Themostheos"). Father Frederick served in the 19th Battalion in France and Belgium during the First World War, returned to Australia and left the family in the 1930's to look for work and never returned. All the couple's living children (Frederick Jnr, b 1907; Louise, Lily, b 1910 and Alfred, b 1912) were born in England, while Douglas was born in Sydney in 1920. During the Second World War, family members living at Gardeners Road were mother Maria, Frederick Jnr, Lily, Alfred and Douglas. At this time, because of frail health, Fred worked as a cleaner/caretaker at Century Storage Battery Company in Mascot; Lily worked for a number of essential service industries (including Major Paints); Alfred enlisted on 1 October 1941 and served with 2 Salvage Corps; and Douglas as a fitter for Stromberg-Carlson. Although Douglas enlisted in 1941 and spent 6 months training at Greta Camp, Sydney, he was recalled to Stromberg-Carlson where he remained for the duration of the war. The family supported the war effort by purchasing War Savings certificates - Douglas purchased this example as a Christmas present for his brother Fred, but it was never redeemed when it expired on Christmas Eve, 1948. These savings certificates were sold during the Second World War by the Commonwealth Government to raise money for the war effort. The certificate could be redeemed on the date of expiry for the purchase amount plus interest.