 Henry J. "Doc" Bertram
Trustee
Born in Sydney in 1920 and educated at Earlwood Public and Canterbury High Schools, Doc further trained at Sydney Technical College as a Mechanical Fitter (with theory and mechanical drawing) and was apprenticed to an engineering firm. He studied Mouth Organ and Bass Mouth Organ at Horrie Dargie's Harmonica School in Sydney; from late 1938, he further studied Double Bass.
During the 1940s, Doc played in dance bands, nightclubs, The Billy Weston Big Band etc. and joined Horrie Dargie and two others for a Tivoli tour of New Zealand. During the tour a vocal instrumental Novelty Quartet was formed. By December 1951 (and back in Australia) a pianist was added to the act and this became the famous Horrie Dargie Quintet.
The Quintet worked extensively and by November 1952, they left for the United Kingdom, working variety theatres, television, radio etc, where Doc was married and started a family.
Doc returned to Australia in March 1958 for two Tivoli tours and joined GTV9 Melbourne in 1959. By the early 1960s he began copying and playing Bass in a band at the Silver Spade Room at the Sydney Chevron Hotel. During this time, Doc joined MAGA.
From 1972-86 played in various bands and groups throughout Australia and, after retiring in 1986, he returned to Sydney where he continued copying until the mid-1990s.
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