Dear Cousin Michael,
(Written over a few months)
On the 25th of June 2018, I had just gotten in to my workplace and settled into the flow of Monday Morning's work. I had just started talking to my Supervisor, on how to plan for the day's adventure. Half way though our discussion, about 8am, I had received a message, from a friend that revealed some very sad news. It was to inform me, of the day you died.
As I read the message, my heart and stomach sank. My supervisor was still talking to me, but I wasn't quite listening. My mind went completely haywire, thoughts of our recently made plans to meet up and discuss matters, completely dissipated into thin air. I was lost into a daze for about a minute.
I came back down to earth, with my boss still talking and then waited for his pause. I interjected that I had received some sad news of a death of a relative. Wasn't quite in the mind to absorb a days work instructions, all at that moment. But pulled myself together and proceeded to work through the day as best as I could.
When I got home from work, I decided to trawl through the plans we had made and the conversations we had discussed in the recent weeks, in particular, to that meeting we had scheduled for.
As you would be aware, the conversation would have included a Clarence Pitman. I was quite surprised that you knew of him and the proceeded to tell me he was a former student at Geelong Grammar. That was a wow moment, as I did not know that.
I wanted to know more about Clarence's early life and his history tied up with Geelong Grammar and in particular, if the school had a photograph of him.
My main interest with Clarence, was of his marriage to a distant Aunt (Caroline Anne Blood Newenham) and their children. Their children's lives, filtered down into my Family History and it's where I learned about them (and in particular, their tragedies involved).
I wanted to know, if you knew of his connection to teaching the "Pitman Shorthand" phonetic system? You got me indelibly hooked, on to learning more on Clarence.
A few weeks have gone by since that day and on the 27th day of August, a very special day was held in your honour. It was your memorial, held at the Geelong Grammar Chapel. Jo Ann and myself, drove 2 and a bit hours, to make sure we were there for it.
When we arrived at the carpark early, the sense of a well organised day was apparent. We had ushers, showing us were to go / how to get there, very well respected people greeting you at the chapel.
I told Jo Ann that we were to head to the chapel early, as I really wanted a seat, or atleast be in the chapel for the service. When we got to the chapel, we were greeted in the very same manner, as you would greet us at your home.
It was a very cold morning, maybe about 8-10 degrees Celsius, with a slight 5 knot breeze. We were seated at the very back of the chapel. With the cold stones of the chapel combined with the breeze, it made the chill factor quite a bit. I was dressed for it, but the chill factor got to me. I had to warm up by holding Jo Ann's warm hands.
My photographer friend and of course, one of the fellow students you had once known - Noni, had messaged me and asked where I was, as she was in the choir. I told her that I was in the Chapel at the back, watching. Because there was quite a bit of time before the service, I looked around and studied the chapel building. The ornate stained glass windows captured my imagination for a bit of the time.
I looked around and the Chapel was full to the brim, with people, people were filling the back part of the entrance way.
Now, even though we share ancestors of "the church", I must say on a personal level, I am not so much of a religious person.
But if I can add, that the service was very welcoming. The hymns and music was performed very well. I did feel at ease being there, knowing your "aura" was about.
The part that I really enjoyed, was the speeches, with trying to understand your Ancestry.
It gave me quite a giggle, because trying to explain it, was quite a mathematical equation. And hearing of other people's logic of trying to break it down (in laymans terms), was very humorous. And the feeling I got, was that I sat there thinking of how you'd be smiling down at the speeches, when they got to this bit. There was even a mention, of how easy it was for you to explain it (because it was so 2nd nature). *Note - If you were related to Michael, there is a very high probability that you would be related in a multiple of ways.
Then the service ended. It was time to say a final goodbye.
But before I departed, I wanted to make sure I made contact with your Brother - Jonathan.
I found him in the crowd, with his nephew (Tony) by his side. I had all of about 3-5 minutes with Jonathan and a few extra minutes with Tony. I knew that day for them, was going to be very busy.
I got straight to the point of how we were related and how you and I, discussed our Family lineages, coupled with a very entangling historical connections.
Johnathan mentioned that "I must go to Ireland", I said that "I haven't been yet, but it is on agenda".
It was about then I had to say my goodbyes, as people wanted to talk to Johnathan.
Tony, helped me see a much stronger connection to Geelong Grammar than I had ever imagined, via his family connections too, as he was pointing to a portrait of a family member on the wall.
This was only the start of a huge learning curve of "family connections" to Geelong Grammar.
A few months have passed now, it took me that long to pen something, because I didn't know what to write. My time to sit down and mentally think about our conversations was short, as the last 6-12 months had me working quite a bit. Personal time was very thin.
In the last 5 odd years, you helped me understand our family links well beyond what I had imagined.
And most importantly, it helped me to see or open my mind, to a world of how history can be told 2 ways. Sometimes the real truth is never told, particularly if it's being told by someone that doesn't want you to know the real reason "why things happened the way they did".
In these last few weeks, I've been accustomed to another connection to Geelong Grammar, that is your Cousin, Sir Cyril Brudenell-White, also attended the School and gave some speeches.
It is here I must say goodbye to you. Thank you for giving me your personal time and sharing information with me. Your power of conversation and involving people into your conversation, is by far, one of your greatest gifts.
May we share another cup of tea from the Moyode Teapot one day...Oooh and a couple of TimTams too......Till then,
Your multiple Cousin Brett.
(Written over a few months)
On the 25th of June 2018, I had just gotten in to my workplace and settled into the flow of Monday Morning's work. I had just started talking to my Supervisor, on how to plan for the day's adventure. Half way though our discussion, about 8am, I had received a message, from a friend that revealed some very sad news. It was to inform me, of the day you died.
As I read the message, my heart and stomach sank. My supervisor was still talking to me, but I wasn't quite listening. My mind went completely haywire, thoughts of our recently made plans to meet up and discuss matters, completely dissipated into thin air. I was lost into a daze for about a minute.
I came back down to earth, with my boss still talking and then waited for his pause. I interjected that I had received some sad news of a death of a relative. Wasn't quite in the mind to absorb a days work instructions, all at that moment. But pulled myself together and proceeded to work through the day as best as I could.
When I got home from work, I decided to trawl through the plans we had made and the conversations we had discussed in the recent weeks, in particular, to that meeting we had scheduled for.
As you would be aware, the conversation would have included a Clarence Pitman. I was quite surprised that you knew of him and the proceeded to tell me he was a former student at Geelong Grammar. That was a wow moment, as I did not know that.
I wanted to know more about Clarence's early life and his history tied up with Geelong Grammar and in particular, if the school had a photograph of him.
 |
| Marysville Cemetery Plot of Clarence Pitman |
I wanted to know, if you knew of his connection to teaching the "Pitman Shorthand" phonetic system? You got me indelibly hooked, on to learning more on Clarence.
A few weeks have gone by since that day and on the 27th day of August, a very special day was held in your honour. It was your memorial, held at the Geelong Grammar Chapel. Jo Ann and myself, drove 2 and a bit hours, to make sure we were there for it.
When we arrived at the carpark early, the sense of a well organised day was apparent. We had ushers, showing us were to go / how to get there, very well respected people greeting you at the chapel.
I told Jo Ann that we were to head to the chapel early, as I really wanted a seat, or atleast be in the chapel for the service. When we got to the chapel, we were greeted in the very same manner, as you would greet us at your home.
 |
| Geelong Grammar School Clock Tower and Chapel (right) |
It was a very cold morning, maybe about 8-10 degrees Celsius, with a slight 5 knot breeze. We were seated at the very back of the chapel. With the cold stones of the chapel combined with the breeze, it made the chill factor quite a bit. I was dressed for it, but the chill factor got to me. I had to warm up by holding Jo Ann's warm hands.
My photographer friend and of course, one of the fellow students you had once known - Noni, had messaged me and asked where I was, as she was in the choir. I told her that I was in the Chapel at the back, watching. Because there was quite a bit of time before the service, I looked around and studied the chapel building. The ornate stained glass windows captured my imagination for a bit of the time.
I looked around and the Chapel was full to the brim, with people, people were filling the back part of the entrance way.
Now, even though we share ancestors of "the church", I must say on a personal level, I am not so much of a religious person.
But if I can add, that the service was very welcoming. The hymns and music was performed very well. I did feel at ease being there, knowing your "aura" was about.
The part that I really enjoyed, was the speeches, with trying to understand your Ancestry.
It gave me quite a giggle, because trying to explain it, was quite a mathematical equation. And hearing of other people's logic of trying to break it down (in laymans terms), was very humorous. And the feeling I got, was that I sat there thinking of how you'd be smiling down at the speeches, when they got to this bit. There was even a mention, of how easy it was for you to explain it (because it was so 2nd nature). *Note - If you were related to Michael, there is a very high probability that you would be related in a multiple of ways.
Then the service ended. It was time to say a final goodbye.
But before I departed, I wanted to make sure I made contact with your Brother - Jonathan.
I found him in the crowd, with his nephew (Tony) by his side. I had all of about 3-5 minutes with Jonathan and a few extra minutes with Tony. I knew that day for them, was going to be very busy.
I got straight to the point of how we were related and how you and I, discussed our Family lineages, coupled with a very entangling historical connections.
Johnathan mentioned that "I must go to Ireland", I said that "I haven't been yet, but it is on agenda".
It was about then I had to say my goodbyes, as people wanted to talk to Johnathan.
Tony, helped me see a much stronger connection to Geelong Grammar than I had ever imagined, via his family connections too, as he was pointing to a portrait of a family member on the wall.
This was only the start of a huge learning curve of "family connections" to Geelong Grammar.
A few months have passed now, it took me that long to pen something, because I didn't know what to write. My time to sit down and mentally think about our conversations was short, as the last 6-12 months had me working quite a bit. Personal time was very thin.
In the last 5 odd years, you helped me understand our family links well beyond what I had imagined.
And most importantly, it helped me to see or open my mind, to a world of how history can be told 2 ways. Sometimes the real truth is never told, particularly if it's being told by someone that doesn't want you to know the real reason "why things happened the way they did".
In these last few weeks, I've been accustomed to another connection to Geelong Grammar, that is your Cousin, Sir Cyril Brudenell-White, also attended the School and gave some speeches.
It is here I must say goodbye to you. Thank you for giving me your personal time and sharing information with me. Your power of conversation and involving people into your conversation, is by far, one of your greatest gifts.
May we share another cup of tea from the Moyode Teapot one day...Oooh and a couple of TimTams too......Till then,
Your multiple Cousin Brett.
(Michael Dudley de Burgh Collins Persse - MVO OAM - 1931-2018)
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| Myself & Michael Persse (Oct 2013) |
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| Johnathan Persse & Myself (Michael's Memorial Aug 2018) |
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| Michael's Paternal Persse's of Moyode (Michael's Father, Grandfather & Great Grandfather De Burgh Fitzpatrick Persse) I am connected to Michael through De Burgh's Maternal Persse's of Roxborough, Co Galway and also his wife Mary (Minne) via the Blood/Davies Families of Applevale Co. Clare. |
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| Face Similarities with my Maternal Persse Lineage My Mother (Far Left) - Lady Gregory *Isabella Augusta Persse* (Middle) - Annie Hasler-MacNevin (Mum's Great Grandmother) (Far Right) (Cousin Relatedness is listed on the photo's to Lady Gregory) |
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