He might be 84 years old, but as the old Aussie expression goes: No flies on John! And his dedication to the job is today just as strong, as meticulous and encompassing as it would have been some 60 years ago. Then, in 1960, just 24 years old, he started a 20 year career with The British Phosphate Commissioners on the island of Nauru (later the Nauru Phosphate Corporation). His background in his parents’ business served him well to take care of the Bulk Store. Just imagine what is required to cater for some 150 staff and about 1400 Chinese and Pacific Island labourers, with a 3 month lead time! A mere 5 years later he was appointed to be Secretary to the Island Manager.And just to prove that he was not just all about work: at the time there were just 3 single (Caucasian) women on the island. One of them, a young lady named Vana, was the manager’s stenographer. Anyway… they married… the wedding was organised by the company, right there in Nauru! [Knowing John’s commitment to his work, it is not known whether he took a honeymoon holiday or not… Ed. 😊]. One of their children was born on Nauru, the other in Melbourne. Among other duties, Vana was in charge of maintaining the Land Schedule, what appears to be somewhat similar to our Titles Registry Office. Except that on Nauru a piece of land can have as many as 100 male owners. So the register is in the name of the women. There is a complete separate story in there!
Comfortably retired now, other than volunteering at our Project Shed, John enjoys reading good novels (Jeffrey Archer, Wilbur Smith, Lee Childs etc), listening to traditional Jazz and Rock 'n' Roll and studying World War 2 History. Ah, did I mention that, for 3 years in his youth, he also was a Cadet Midshipman? And heavily involved with the Sea Scouts movement?