"In Memory of My Dad"

"George"

4^th March 1929 - 26^th February 2009

George was a man who was very proud, a man who stood by his principles and beliefs, he was very honest and wanted to do the right things at all times, he was fair but he did like to be right.

George was born in Taree on the 4^th of March 1929 . He was an only child to his parents, Eric and Corallie, he had a very strict upbringing, something that he carried with him throughout his parenting years as well.

When he was 4 the family moved to Petersham, Sydney. He was very bright at school, Dux in primary school and he attended Fort St Boys High School. George was very good at maths and originally studied to be an accountant but deep down he wanted to be a policeman. His first application to join the force was knocked back because his chest was too small so he went to the gym and worked hard on building himself up and on his next application was accepted.

George joined the force on the 14^th August 1950 and shortly after met Freda when she was looking for a partner for a police boys club ball. The rest is history. 2 years later on the 20^th September 1952 they married.

Married life began with George and Freda boarding with an elderly couple at Chatswood. George was working as a motorcycle policeman based at Balmain.

In 1953 George was given a posting to a small 1 man station at Burrinjuck Dam. George and Freda started there family down there when Gary was born in 1953.

George was to work at several small 1 man postings and he took his duties very seriously. At these stations he was Clerk of petty sessions, driving assessors for those who wanted to get their licences, fisheries inspector, bush fire fighter, policeman and so much more, but he did it and relished his job.

When that station was closed down he transferred to Binalong another 1 man show, the family was there 5 and half years in total and during this time the family was completed when Bryon in 1956 then Graeme in 1958 came along. Several more country moves were done before they all moved back to the big smoke.

George kept fit during his time in the force by playing Rugby League and when he hung up his boots he became a referee, in his time at Pambula on the south coast he was president of the surf life saving club and when in Bathurst he ran the police boys club and manned a stall at the Bathurst races every year to raise awareness of the police boys club and to help raise much needed funds for projects. George was also a very good baseball player when he was younger and played tennis, social golf and lawn bowls.

In 1968 Freda’s mother was looking to retire to the south coast and so George took the opportunity to relocate his family to Sydney and bought Freda’s mothers house, it has remained the family home ever since.

George was certainly looking to the future with this move as he believed that Sydney offered his children better schooling and ultimately work opportunities were far more prevalent than they were in the bush.

George worked in several stations and branches of the police force after he moved back to Sydney , they include, Newtown, Rockdale, Kogarah and Hurstville stations, the police academy in Bourke Street, Special and Personnel Branch.

During his 36 years with the force George had worked his way up to Inspector and retired in 1986 with the long service and good conduct medal.

George and Freda have travelled extensively over the years. It all started back in 1977 when they embarked on a 3 month holiday to Canada to visit a pen pal that Freda had been corresponding with since she was in school.

During the next 30 years, they travelled to most places in the world and have seen Australia extensively.

As time went by George and Freda’s family grew as the boys got married and families of their own.

George revelled in his role as Grandpa George.