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Francis Lancelot PATTERSON (Frank)
Frank was born on 2nd December 1920 at 177 Victoria Road, Marrickville, NSW.
His father, Lance Patterson was a tram driver based at the Randwick depot.
He grew up with two older half brothers - Reg and Bill Mullavey.
Education He attended Chapel Street Primary School at Marrickville 1926 & 1927.
The family moved to Burton Street Randwick in 1927.
From 1927 to 1932 he attended Marcellin College, Randwick.
During the Depression his father was only working three days per week to allow more people to have some employment.
Because of lack of money, Frank was withdrawn and enrolled in the State School.
Employment He left school when he was 15 and commenced working in a clothing store.
He took up an apprenticeship as a (house)painter in April 1936 and became a tradesman in April 1941.
Romance In December 1941 whilst staying in Braidwood for a job painting the bank, he went to a dance on eve of his 21st birthday. There he met Olga White.
He had consumed a few beers beforehand and being a bit tipsy, fell over on the dance floor. He thought he had made a fool of himself.
He must have made an impression as Olga's brother Jack came around the next day and invited Frank to dinner to celebrate his 21st birthday.
Imagine his surprise when he turned up at the police residence!
WAR!
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor five days later, war in the Pacific started and he received his call up papers a week after that.
Frank joined the army in January 1942 and was stationed at Warwick Farm Racecourse for training. He was enlisted in the Survey Corps.
Training was at Cronulla and from there he was stationed in Queensland doing emergency mapping.
He & Olga became engaged and he wrote to her regularly.
Marriage
Frank & Olga were married on 9th February 1943 at the Methodist Church, Wagga Wagga (where Olga's father was stationed).
As he was on only 5 days leave, the honeymoon was short & sweet. They travelled to Albury. Being wartime, there was nowhere open to dine, so Frank arranged for cheese sandwiches - only to find out that Olga didn't like cheese. So she ate bread & butter on her wedding night!
Children
Nola was born in January 1944
Joy was born on Olga's 25th birthday in August 1946.
Alan was born March 1952.
After the war
Frank was discharged from the army in March 1946.
He worked for the Tramways as a coachpainter but was laid off in a downturn in 1952 (with a six-month old baby).
He worked as a warder at Long Bay Gaol for a short while.
He then joined Taubman's Paints as a salesman and worked there until 1970 when he returned to coachpainting at the railway at Eveleigh (Redfern). He retired in 1981.
After retirement
Frank's hobbies were lawn bowls and breeding budgerigars. He won may trophies and prizes for his birds in shows.
With Olga they travelled extensively around Australia and New Zealand.
Frank suffered a heart attack and died 2 days later on 16th September 1993 at Prince Henry Hospital.
Olga Dorothy WHITE
Olga was born in Bangalow, NSW in 1921.
Her father was a policeman and was transferred every 4 or 5 years. This meant that she grew up in a number of different towns, such as Fernmount near Bellingen, Menindie, Braidwood and Wagga Wagga.
She attended Bellingen High School before moving to Menindie where high school only went to age 15.
She moved to Wollongong and boarded with her grandmother. There she learnt violin.
Her father was transferred to Braidwood and she joined the family again. It was here she met Frank Patterson.
Her father was transferred again during the war, this time to Wagga Wagga. It was here that she married Frank.
Olga enjoys good health. She and her dog Topsy are happy at Randwick. She celebrated her 85th birthday in 2006.
