VOLUME ONE (link) - iiNet

Robin Eliovson
Class reunion 50 years 1960 to 2010
Hyde Park high school
Dear class mates (sounds too
formal) "you okes" it is a
pleaure to re-unite with you all
once again. It seems to be
another life away this reunion
thing, but interesting non-the-
less. I am reminded by others
that I was a "naughty oke" and
I assure you I am nearly cured.
Underlined text are linked to other sites
The last 50 years - post school résumé - Well I am looking at my birthday 1st May and calculate 67 years where have they
gone? I left Hyde Park mid term, mid week, mid day, in April - amid a lot of raised tempers from my parents. I caught a bus
into town and went to visit Ivan Cohen's brother Basil who worked for a large bicycle distributor. At the end of the week I
had my first job ... selling push bikes. I was free from school, but little did I know not free from work. In 4 months after my
leaving school I managed to become indentured to a printing company as a compositor (that requires working with lead
type). I served my long apprenticeship of 5 years and then joined a small commercial printer in Braamfontein in 1966. I
enrolled at technical college and achieved a diploma in costing and estimating for printers.
I travelled to Europe and on my return joined a company in Doornfontein as an estimator and salesperson shared half
day. I remember my first day well. I walked from the one side of Commissioner Street to the other and did not make a
single sale... oh dear!!! My friend Norman gave me my first order for business cards. Some seven years later I was doing
maximum sales at the Doornfontein printer and I met with an old associate and we decided to join forces and start a
printing company. Futura Offset was born in 1972. I headed sales and administration and Roy handled the production.
Our first machine was a borrowed press and 4 months later we purchased our 1st litho press. Our company grew and
after some 10 years I purchase the majority of shares and was a sole owner. I grew the company over the 26 years that I
was at the helm with 68 employees and co-directors.
In 1997 I moved to Australia with my family. Soon I joined a plastics company that was in “trouble” and successfully made
it profitable again. Some 4 years later I moved on and joined some friends in a property development.
Shortly thereafter in 2004 I contacted Parkinson's which gave me the “Royal Runaround” until my doctor was able to sort
out the medication. I went into “retirement”, but never stopped work. I produced web sites for clients, designed logos and
kept myself busy. I also have taken up my life-long hobby of restoring veteran and vintage motorbikes. A friend introduced
me to “printmaking”. I also went for painting lessons and after a few
years have been doing artwork. I had a joint exhibition in 2009
Darling Harbour, Sydney
with 6 fellow Australian artists where I showed a group of my
artworks of birds and birds of prey. Some pictures can be seen
on Face book - my paintings and My Art and
FLICKR photo pages I still continue to paint weekly
and the rest of my free time is taken up with
vintage motorbikes. Which I restore and rally with.
I have a fantastic wife Sheila who supports and looks after me
and three children Tracy, Janice and Greg and 2 grandchildren.
I do hope you all enjoy the festivities at the reunion,
sorry I cant be there, best wishes, Robin.
1 1 meter meter long long pizza pizza being being enjoyed enjoyed by by my my wife wife Sheila Sheila
and two o grand grand children children Megan M gan 12 12 and and Aidan Aidan 55