beginnings | verymerri

Peter was born in Sydney (we think) on the 25th January 1943 (so he told us) but we have been unable to find any record of his birth, if it was in NSW.

Peter's mother, Thelma May Noble (nee Nelson, born near Newcastle in 1911) married Peter's father Robert Noble (born Brunswick, Melbourne in 1910) at Waverley, Sydney in 1930.

When Peter was 13 months old his father Robert, an Australian Army infantryman who had arrived in New Guinea in March 1943, was killed in action at Slater's Knoll on 17th March 1945, at the age of 35.

Robert was Mentioned in Despatches and is buried at the Port Moresby War Cemetery.

“Lance-Corporal Robert Noble with a couple of his men stubbornly resisted each Japanese push much despite their weapons being jammed with dirt and debris. … had Noble ‘not stuck it out’ the Japanese would have overrun most of the company’s position. (Noble was killed three months later.)”

Karl James The Hard Slog: Australians in the Bougainville Campaign, 1944-45.

Thelma May Noble, April 1943

A note on the back says:

"to mum, from thelma"

With a further inscription:

"this was taken after you were born, sent one to dad at bougainville X"

stamped:

H. de FRANCEE

PORTRAIT STUDIOS

123 OXFORD STREET

BONDI JUNCTION SYDNEY

It was probably given to Peter by his mum.

We are not sure if Peter ever met his father. The picture on the left is Robert with Peter's brother Bobbie (about 7) and sister Sette (about 10).

There is no date on the photo but a note on the back says:

"This was taken love, before you were born. I was …(something)… Pregnant. love X"

And was probably given to Peter by his mum.

Photos send to Robert by Thelma

December 1944

Peter around 22 months

"Dec. 44.

Our little bloke

The Champ"

"Dec. 44.

Isn’t he a darling lov."

"Sunday 9th March 1952"

Peter wrote in 2009:

"My grandmother, her son, and his wife Helen, raised me."

In 2012 Peter wrote:

"Uncle Bob, Nanna, and the 9yo is me. Pic taken in '52, Cnr Bondi Rd/Denham Street - a block away from "Hollywood Hotel". Six days a week, I'd walk to the bus en route to 'Evita', and my mind would spin back. I'm genuinely rejoicing in memories of being.... both those ages."

His aunt Helen (Bob's wife?) died in 2009. Peter wrote in 2009:

"I loved her dearly and truly."

School and Work

We know little about but Peter's early life but we do know when he left school he worked at Supreme Sound Studios in Paddington, the pioneering Australian film, design and sound studio established in 1935. We think these pictures are of Peter around 1962.

Peter's Mum Thelma

"Xmas 1976

Sister Helmsley (on my right) Matron Milton, Self"

Thelma would be 65.

Not much more is on the public record about Peter's family and the early years.

We do know that when Robert enlisted in the army his wife's address was given as 302 Bondi Rd, Bondi.

Peter often said he was brought up above a laundry in Bondi. 302 Bondi Rd is still a laundry. This is it on the right.

Peter lived in a block of flats called Santa Barbara (aka 'Hollywood Hotel') in Edward St at the bottom of the hill from the laundry in 1981. Chuck and I lived in the flat below from 1981-83. It was our local laundromat. Peter never said anything about it until 2011.

David Cunnington & Cheryl "Chuck" Noonan, March 2020.