By Jude Paul, Secretary, from Bulletin 8 of 2023 (October)

The President: Duncan Leys

I was born in Moree, the youngest of seven children, and completed my schooling there. My mother was a schoolteacher whose job was terminated by the education department on her marriage, and my father was a surveyor’s chainman and storeman. We were a family of readers with a love of history.

I was in high school when Charles Perkins and the Freedom Riders came through Moree. (I was clueless as to what the fuss was about). After leaving school I completed a diploma in business at the NSW Institute of Technology (now UTS) and a graduate diploma, always studying part-time, mostly at night. While working and studying, I married Janice, and our son Matthew was born.

Most of my working life has been spent in manufacturing and the last 31 years in furniture manufacturing. Naturally I have an interest in all furniture, particularly colonial, mid-twentieth century and more modern, as well as an interest in pre-1960 architecture.

I am a member of the National Trust and the Australiana Society. I’m also a keen gardener and the current president of the Wentworth Falls Garden Club.

At the time I moved to Sydney in 1970, several of my colleagues lived and even squatted in Glebe, but I failed to see the attraction. It was old and decrepit, so I spent 40 years living in western Sydney where our workforce lived.

I do have Glebe roots, which were only recently discovered. My grandfather and my grandmother (who both died young, before I was born) were married in my great grandparents’ home in Oxley Street. My father’s first-born brother Charles was born in Leichhardt Street and his next-born brother Frank died in Leichhardt Street at 10 months. Charles worked at the Rozelle Tram Depot.

Perhaps this might explain why I am beginning to feel home in Glebe?

Ordinary Member: Glen Powell

Glen Powell is married to Ruth and has two sons at university (USyd and UTS). He works with Wesley Mission on community development, and is involved in their work on affordable housing, gambling reform and mental health advocacy.

Glen was one of the founding organisers for the Sydney Alliance – a grassroots advocacy network of unions, faith-based, and community groups.

He was once a professional musician, sings in the Glebe Community Choir and holds a PhD in leadership development as a social inclusion strategy.  

 

Ordinary Member:  Angela Hallinan

Although spending the late ’70s at the University of Sydney and living in Annandale for five years in the early ’80s, I had never spent any time in Glebe until 18 months ago, when my husband and I did a reverse sea change and moved here from the Central Coast.

To say that we are happy with our choice would be an understatement and through the Glebe Society Walks, our own daily walks and research in the library, we have come to understand and appreciate the area.

I have no specific qualifications to be a committee member, but I hope I can make a contribution to the excellent work the Glebe Society does.

 

Ordinary Member: Tim Hesketh

 Tim completed undergraduate and masters degrees in Electrical Engineering at the University of Cape Town. He and his wife Beryl moved to New Zealand in the early 1970s where they both ended up at Massey University completing PhDs while on the staff there. They moved to Australia in 1985 and to Glebe in 1994.

Tim’s research involves control systems, e.g., for steelmaking. He had various roles at UNSW including Associate and Acting Dean of Engineering and was active in international recruitment, academic curriculum development and research supervision. He was Head of Electrical Engineering before he retired in 2009, taking up a part-time role at NICTA (now CSIRO’s Data61). 

His interests include computing, photography and various outdoor pursuits, particularly bushwalking in the Blue Mountains, around Australia and beyond. Glebe provides a special environment with access to bays, the foreshore, harbour and a short walk or ferry ride to the city. Tim identifies with many of the objectives of the Glebe Society and admires the contributions of its many members.