The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of WA would like to publicly thank the Estate of Michael Harris for his generous gift to our organisation.
A kind and caring man of vast interests, Mr Michael Harris was born in Perth and enjoyed a childhood on his family farm in Dalwallinu, 248km north-east of Perth. Lacking a high school at the time in this Wheatbelt region, Michael’s family decided to move to East Fremantle where he attended Fremantle Boys School. The heritage building which was the school became an annex for John Curtin High School in 1958, whereupon Michael then continued and completed his secondary education.
Michael became interested in composer Sir Arthur Sullivan and his musical works when he discovered that his mother’s maiden name was Sullivan. Born in 1910, Blanche Sullivan of Southern Cross was the daughter of Tevelyn and Agnes Sullivan. Blanche’s father, Tevelyn and her uncle, Lincoln, were the twin sons of Sir Peter and Ellen Sullivan of South Australia.
Michael’s sister Beverly recalls that Michael “became quite the detective to find if our family were related to the Sullivan of Gilbert & Sullivan. Our mother thought there was some connection but distant. It was all word of mouth and from her memory.”
Beverly said that Michael decided to investigate if there was a link and took “a special holiday to the UK to follow up on distant family tree connections on both our father and mother’s side.” She said that Michael had reported some traces of information and that since his passing, she has found among his photos a picture of Sir Arthur Sullivan’s final resting place, his burial crypt at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Upon retiring from farming, Michael’s parents chose to resettle in the Perth Hills, and Michael relocated there also; later joining as a member of the Darlington United Church. Michael was a regular church member and had attended Church of Christ in High Street Fremantle from his teens to early twenties.
His sister recollects that, “Michael was the one to ask if the family has a query they could not solve.” Though he never married, and was quite private and frugal, Michael was a much-loved brother to his sisters Dorothy and Beverly.
His sister continued, “He saw the future of computers very early on and attended Night School to gain many certificates of competency. He also became an accredited accountant and member of the Australian Accountancy association.” Michael worked at the State Electricity Commission in WA in the 1970’s and ‘80s and harnessed his interest and aptitude in computing to help integrate this aspect into the company, “he was highly intelligent and greatly liked by his team of IT persons in SECWA.”
Perhaps Michael’s feeling of kinship with Sir Arthur Sullivan also inspired a further interest in music. Though Michael did not play an instrument, he was most knowledgeable on organs of the world and sang in a choir. He attended many music concerts in Perth and he spoke to his family of singing at an event marking the Pope’s visit to Perth in 1986. Beverly detailed that Michael “seemed to know so much about any subject – wildflowers, photography, orchids, ships, cooking and the lists goes on. He was a keen photographer and won prizes especially for his stunning photos of wildflowers of WA.”
The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of WA offers much gratitude and thanks to Mr Michael Harris for his interest in the melodies and music of Sir Arthur Sullivan in bestowing a bequest to our community organisation.
With thanks to Beverly Wilson for taking the time to provide information and images for this article.
