It's an Honour

A former colleague of Mr GeniAus recently sent him this photo. It reminded me that I should get around and photograph the Honour Boards on which our family members' names appear.

There is no guarantee that these boards will not disappear over time.

Column 8

As I tidied up my study this week I came across this undated clipping from the Sydney Morning Herald's Column 8 that makes reference to Mr Geniaus aka R. J. Ball.

47 1/2 Years Service to the Community

Robert Ball - Waverley c1964

As I have done for the last 41 years, when I said goodbye to Mr Geniaus this morning, I told him to have a good day at work. That was the last time I will be giving him that message as tomorrow we start a new chapter in our life.

Robert Ball retires today after a working life of 47 1/2 years spent serving the residents of  three Sydney Local Government Areas: Rockdale, Waverley and Hornsby. He was the chief executive at  Waverley and Hornsby for a total of  33 years, spending over 13 years as the Town Clerk at Waverley and 19 years as the General Manager at Hornsby. During that time he has served around a dozen mayors and tens of aldermen and councillors.

I could sing his praises but, as I am biased in my opinions, may not be too objective. Others said nice things about Robert at the various farewell functions held in his honour and he has received a number of cards and letters congratulating him and thanking him for his work.

The message on one card sums up what many have said:

To dear Robert,

Here's to a wonderful and restful retirement!

For your forbearance and fortitude in the face of the most appalling harassment from some members of the community. I salute you!

For your intelligent counselling of me and my colleagues. I salute you!

For your demonstrated superior management skills in balancing the demands of Councillors and the community against the need to balance budgets, and delivering what everyone wants/demands. I salute you!

For your patience and good humour in the face of often stupid behaviour by Councillors. I salute you!

Employees and colleagues from other councils have said:

Thank you so much for your help, support and guidance over the past 5 1/2 years.|

It has been a privilege to work with you and I will miss your sound advice and knowledge.

Robert Ball - Hornsby 2011

Thanks your advice and knowledge - I've learned a great deal from you.

Thank you for all your support and advice over the years.

Thank you for being such a supportive, friendly and approachable General Manager.

It has been great working with you over the years. You have always been a font of knowledge and experience!

Thank you for your guidance, support and sense of humour.

Thank you so much for your advice and wise counsel over the many years that we have known each other.

A new beginning for Wollarobba

I drove past Wollarobba, a very handsome early 20th century home, every day for about eight years of my working life and didn't spot it nestled among the trees in Willow Park, Hornsby.

This clipping from  "The Shaping of Hornsby Shire" relates the early history of Willow Park and Wollarobba.

Restored stained glass windows that
had been hidden by black paint

The old tenants have moved on and Wollarobba has been refurbished by Hornsby Council at a cost of $400,000. It was officially opened as The Wallarobba Arts and Cultural Centre last Sunday, October 9th. 

"Artists, art enthusiasts, students and art educators now have a new hub in central Hornsby with facilities and activities including community art studios, a purpose-built printmaking room, art classes, an artists’ lounge and a professional gallery space. The Hornsby Art Society also has an office in the centre." (Source)


I attended the Official Opening and was most impressed by the facilities, the sympathetic and economical restoration job and the beautiful building. I had my camera with me to record some happy snaps of Mr Geniaus (Robert Ball) who was the MC at the ceremony and who assisted the Mayor, Nick Berman, in the cutting of the ribbon. It was Robert's last official public duty after 19 years as the General Manager of Hornsby Council.

Welcome to Wollarobba

MC Robert Ball

Ribbon cutting - Nick Berman, Robert Ball

Wollarobba Foyer

Artist talk in the Artists' Lounge

Refurbished verandah at Wollarobba

Wollarobba Cupcakes

Local caricaturist, Mick Joffe, captures Robert Ball

He's not a genie yet!

Thanks to information shared by Dear Myrtle and Amy Coffin  I was able to register my husband at the bargain basement price of $US99 for the 2012 Rootstech Conference. This is only available till tomorrow - details are at Amy's blog.

Mr Geniaus is not a genealogist by any stretch of the imagination but he is interested in the results of my research and his family history. He spent five years (and a few pennies) on finding a grandfather clock made by his ancestor, James Gowans, and having it shipped to Australia. He has travelled with me to England and Scotland to visit ancestral towns and villages; he had a tear in his eye as we sailed away from Islay in Scotland, the home of his Gillespie ancestors. He has tramped through cemeteries in fresh English Januarys to find and photograph tombstones.

I won't even touch on Mr Geniaus' technology skills - but he has mastered his Blackberry!

I don't think I will turn Mr Geniaus into a genealogist so why am I taking him to a genealogy conference?

• He will be with me in Salt Lake City (a city we have visited before) and will be at a loose end
• The cost of registration is dirt cheap compared with the hundreds of dollars he has paid to go to corporate conferences (with his Scots' ancestry he loves a bargain)
• He will be able to register for conference lunches (so I don't have to worry about feeding him)
• He will be able to meet the GeniMates with whom I spend so much time virtually
• He will see that genealogists aren't a bunch of old fuddy-duddys
• With such a broad and varied program he will be able to find sessions that pique his interest
• Most importantly he will be able to share in the buzz and excitement of a superbly organised conference and gain an understanding of why I just had to return to Rootstech in 2012

He doesn't know it yet but he will be acting as my roadie/personal assistant/one-man support team. As an Official Blogger and presenter at the conference I will be hopping. Mr Geniaus will be put to work as my messenger, blog post editor (my keyboarding skills are punk), bag carrier and photographer. He will be charged with taking lots of photos of the exhibition area, of the sessions he attends and of yours truly mingling. 

He'll have a Ball.