I vaguely remember Birchgrove Primary School (Balmain/Birchgrove) at one time had Evatt listed as a former student, along with Dawn Fraser and John Kerr (of Whitlam fame), although I was never able to confirm Evatt.
Like John Kerr (and maybe Evatt?), my daughter Emily followed their educational path, Birchgrove PS, Fort Street High School, Sydney University. Now a medical doctor, Emily is yet to follow the political trail shown by Evatt, Kerr and, indeed, Fraser...
The Brilliant Boy is in my top 7 of my fave books of your's Gideon, thanks for this piece, a lot of it reasonated with me...I love that Menzies daughter Heather sent Ronie the reviews...I particularly like a book I gifted my late father (a Menzies fan) which I have reclaimed after he passed last September of letters Bob wrote to her.....
Doc was ahead of his time as your book clearly showed. I liked that he was driven by doing "right" and not the so called baubles of office. Your book pointed to art as his only material weakness. Lovely book and great article. Thanks.
Ronie lost her teenaged daughter in tragic circumstances, and her brother died less than a decade after Doc, so a sobering story all round. The other, less charitable GH (BTW, your link to Gerard is a page 404 which seems right) is as ever guilty of being parochial and missing the bigger picture when assessing Doc's behaviour. Whilst there is a modern malady of medicalising normal human feelings and behaviours, it would still be interesting to conjecture whether therapy for his separation anxiety and grief +/- depression might have altered Doc's personal trajectory and that of the country.
As a personal injury lawyer (and former captain of the Australian lawyers cricket team) I found Gideon’s book on the story of the Chester case a great read.
Although a barrister mate thought it was too detailed though ?!
Lovely story Gideon - the Doc & Bob Menzies shared a love of cricket - both great statisticians - as I’ve said before the Doc had a dog called Bradman or did I read that in your wonderful book ‘The brilliant Boy’
Beautifully written ..
I vaguely remember Birchgrove Primary School (Balmain/Birchgrove) at one time had Evatt listed as a former student, along with Dawn Fraser and John Kerr (of Whitlam fame), although I was never able to confirm Evatt.
Like John Kerr (and maybe Evatt?), my daughter Emily followed their educational path, Birchgrove PS, Fort Street High School, Sydney University. Now a medical doctor, Emily is yet to follow the political trail shown by Evatt, Kerr and, indeed, Fraser...
The Brilliant Boy is in my top 7 of my fave books of your's Gideon, thanks for this piece, a lot of it reasonated with me...I love that Menzies daughter Heather sent Ronie the reviews...I particularly like a book I gifted my late father (a Menzies fan) which I have reclaimed after he passed last September of letters Bob wrote to her.....
Doc was ahead of his time as your book clearly showed. I liked that he was driven by doing "right" and not the so called baubles of office. Your book pointed to art as his only material weakness. Lovely book and great article. Thanks.
Ronie lost her teenaged daughter in tragic circumstances, and her brother died less than a decade after Doc, so a sobering story all round. The other, less charitable GH (BTW, your link to Gerard is a page 404 which seems right) is as ever guilty of being parochial and missing the bigger picture when assessing Doc's behaviour. Whilst there is a modern malady of medicalising normal human feelings and behaviours, it would still be interesting to conjecture whether therapy for his separation anxiety and grief +/- depression might have altered Doc's personal trajectory and that of the country.
I've repaired that link, FWIW. Yes, loss is liberally strewn through the family. So is high achievement. They're remarkable people.
As a personal injury lawyer (and former captain of the Australian lawyers cricket team) I found Gideon’s book on the story of the Chester case a great read.
Although a barrister mate thought it was too detailed though ?!
Lovely story Gideon - the Doc & Bob Menzies shared a love of cricket - both great statisticians - as I’ve said before the Doc had a dog called Bradman or did I read that in your wonderful book ‘The brilliant Boy’
It's true, Jan. Essington Lewis, meanwhile, had draught horses named Bradman and Larwood, while I still miss Trumper the cat.
It was upon finding out that you had a cat named Trumper that I knew you could rob banks and I’d still like you.
Now what animal would Warnie be an appropriate name for?perhaps a competition u could hold at the Yarras function ?!
I can see why you would mourn her loss Gideon. What a lovely woman, from a family who definitely dazzled. Thank you again for more wonderful et al.
I too greatly enjoyed your book. Doc Evatt was a figure largely unknown to me until then.