Eulogy
Philip is the eldest son of Patricia Mullins nee Gowan. Ed was one of 4 siblings, Priscilla (Pris), Patricia (Bink) and Edwin (Ed) Philip (Junior) both boys being twins, all had family nicknames.
His parents, my grandparents were Rosina Gowan nee Wreford and Philip Gowan. YES, I am also named after both of my twin Uncles!Ed was named after his grandfather Edwin Horace Gowan of Dorset House. My first recollection of my uncle was when, at about 8 years of age, our family travelled from Australia to live in the UK for 2 years. We visited and stayed with my Mum’s family at 147 Laceby Road, Grimsby Lines, UK. Where Ed was raised, including the war years.
I can remember I used to sneak into his upstairs front bedroom to look at his enormous butterfly collection something he was quite proud of. Of course, he used to buy us lollies like buttered Brazil nuts and even took me to a stamp dealer to buy stamps as I was a keen collector even at that early age. My mother, Ed’s sister, was a war bride. My father, Reg Mullins, was a pilot in the RAAF, based at Binbrook, during WW2 and met her at a dance in Grimsby. We lived in Hornsby, NSW, and this is where we were when, much later on, my mother sponsored Ed to come to Australia as a 10-pound POM and live with us. We made a new bedroom on our verandah for him, and lucky me when he moved out, I scored my own bedroom in our small 2-bedroom house. Boy did Ed get a ribbing when he first arrived off the ship, as his Lincolnshire accent was so strong.
His first job was selling office equipment, and he and a Dutch mate had to demonstrate a letter-opening machine at a large company. So Ed grabbed the morning mail, which the secretary reluctantly handed over, and proceeded to stack it in the feed tray for his demonstration. He then pushed the start button which then shredded about 30 letters all over the floor. Ed used to joke he never got the order but it was one of the fastest sales exits he had ever made.
Following working here, I recall he worked for Hanimax cameras, where he was far more successful and even gave me a camera for Christmas. My father used to take Ed to the Hornsby RSL club drinking, and I always remember Ed got so drunk one Anzac day that he crawled home literally on his hands and knees, and my mother had to sew patches on his trousers for work. The last time I saw him in Sydney was at his Mosman Unit beside the zoo before I started my many overseas postings.
Eulogy by Philip Edwin Mullins (Pip)