By Andrew McMeekin
Dad started his shipping career with McIlwraith McEacharn & Co in Melbourne the late 1940s after leaving Scotch College. He was transferred to the Fremantle office in 1950, where they remained until 1964 when McIlwraith McEacharn joined with Adelaide Steamships to create the third-party ship management entity called Associated Steamships Pty Ltd.
Relocating the family back to Melbourne, he remained with ASP until 1979 and then joined Southern Shipping. After a few years with Southern Shipping he then joined M.I.S.C Agencies (Australia) Pty Ltd where he remained until entering semi-retirement in 1989.
He and Mum left Melbourne at this time for Nareen in Victoria’s Western Districts and for several years after retirement he split his time at the farm with consultancy work in the freight forwarding industry, keeping close to his shipping roots where he was always happiest. To the very last a framed poster of ASP’s three main vessels was on the wall by his bed, resisting all attempts from Mum and family to hide it away.
In the last few years, dad and mum (Margaret) returned to Melbourne and into care. Mum passed in January 2020 and Dad passed peacefully on Feb 10th.
