Douglas Hope

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Douglas Hope

Photo: source Stuart Hope

Douglas, Ethel, Stuart Hope

Photo: source Stuart Hope

Douglas and Olive Hope's wedding

Photo: source Stuart Hope

The pain of losing their only child must have been softened slightly with the arrival of another son, also in 1921, Douglas Hope. Douglas married Olive Jane Sims (or Jane as she preferred to be known), at Sydney in 1945. Jane was born at Lismore in 1923. She and Douglas had three children, David John Hope (1948), Rodney William Hope (1952) and Bronwyn Judith Hope (1954). Douglas Hope died of bowel cancer at Sydney in 1969, 48 years of age. Although Douglas and Jane lived in Sydney, they transferred back to Western Australia for a couple of years after the war and it was here that David John Hope was born. Later in life, David became a Civil Engineer and works for the New South Wales Water Board and married Janis. Rodney and Bronwyn both went into the teaching profession, Rodney as a Primary School Teacher and Bronwyn as a Maths Teacher.

Douglas Hope (born 15 April 1921) did well at school and won some form of scholarship entitling him to continue his schooling in Perth. This would have involved leaving the family in Gnowangerup and living with the family of his Auntie Anne (sister of his mother Grace Marr). Due to the family's economic position, and perhaps his proud father's reluctance to accept help from his sister-in-law, Douglas remained on the farm and left school when he was about 13.

Douglas joined the RAAF during World War II, where he trained as a fitter and turner, then joined air crew. He was grounded almost immediately for the duration of the war by a bout of rheumatic fever. Whilst in the RAAF he also did a private course in writing at Melbourne and wrote several short stories and poems, some of which were submitted to publishers but none were accepted for publication.

After discharge from the RAAF the now married Douglas worked in a motor garage in Subiaco (Perth) for a couple of years before moving east to Sydney in 1951. He soon took up work as a civilian at the Garden Island Naval Dockyard where he worked until his death in 1969. In the mid-1960's as a scientific instrument maker, he spent 3 months in the USA doing special training relating to modernising Australian warships. During this trip he became a member of the Honorary Order of Kentucky Colonels (just like Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame).

He was a great tinkerer and spent many hours fixing cars, making his own parts where necessary. He had a fairly frugal approach to life, reflecting the difficult economic times of his boyhood.

Douglas' great sporting love was tennis which he began teaching himself to play in Perth after the war. He eventually became an A grade player and coach in Sydney, and became heavily involved in tennis administration. He was awarded life membership of the Manly District Tennis Association in 1962.


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William Robert Hope (father)

William Bryce Hope (grandfather)

Thomas Hope (great grandfather)