Today is cause for celebration as it is 100 years ago that Charles James Melrose was born.
Recently I was on the website Trove and found his birth notice : this now confirms he was born in the suburb of Burnside at Dover House, previously at 398 Glynburn Road. Sadly this lovely old home was demolished in 1987, but the stables have been retained and the old gates have been relocated. (See. The Advertiser, 15 September 1913, p. 14). The State Library of South Australia has photos of it in their collection which can be viewed online.
At Stirling Oval today there was a group of dedicated Jimmy followers who attended a small unveiling ceremony of the revamped Jimmy Melrose memorial. One of the attendees was Hugh Wigg, a relative of Jimmy’s. The memorial has been repainted, the old rusty fountain removed and paving laid all around. In pride of place now, atop of the memorial is a wonderful piece of artwork depicting Jimmy as a child ready to fly a paper aeroplane. Simon Jones of the Stirling Council tells me it was decided upon this design to depict Jimmy’s early years in Stirling and Aldgate and the little plane shows his early flying aspirations which were inborn. Personally I was quite touched and felt it was a lovely honouring of his early life and later achievement as a young adult. The Stirling Council, historical group and others have worked hard on this project and it now stands proudly at the edge of the oval and can’t help but be noticed.
As Jimmy wrote several times in his diaries on his birthdays, “Mother and I had a little party”. So today it seemed fitting that those attending were part of another “little party” for Jimmy’s 100th birthday. I feel sure he would have liked it because it was simple, friendly and nothing ostentatious. Just his cup of tea – but he would have had a glass of milk as was his wont.
Note:
Saturday 21 September at 2.30 pm
SA Aviation Museum, Lipson Street, Port Adelaide
I will be giving a Power Point presentation on Jimmy’s life and things I learned along the way about him during the research and writing period. Questions and discussion will be welcome afterwards.
Copies of Boy Phoenix will be available for a special price of $20 for the occasion.
The life and adventures of Jimmy Melrose 