CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Ms SWANSON (Paterson) (16:32): In May, Maitland lost a legend. For 80 years he worked 5½ days a week in High Street. John Palmer Partridge was a gentleman of Maitland.
Hundreds filled the town hall for his funeral, and local 'poet larrikin' Bill Carney wrote this for him: The city mourned its loss last month; a nature's gent had passed on by. And gently twink'd his star that night, o'er icy, crystal Maitland skies. A man from boy of Heddon Greta; stayed and played his life at home but daily graced our city bustle; aside our river, low and brown.
John Palmer Partridge—one of five—from his good fam'ly: third eldest—last gave 94 strong years of grace, and passion, service: now he's passed. He came from schooling into retail: Gents Outfitting—short and trouser learned his trade and kept a standard: 'forever shorts!' his bent espoused. Years he'd wear 'em, on that levy, but then McDonalds Books his station All his compass: book and journal, scribe and stylus, things of passion.
School kids, teachers, custom passing, milled about him: got his grist The book you're after? … this one … that one? Sure, he'd know it—never miss. And so it went for three-score-years-and-fourteen: daily in his castle.
Look it up and book it up: your interest in his mind would nestle. Ever present, ever patient, ever kind as well to writers poets, try-ers, fledgling authors, history scribes and poor benighters. Goodwill too, came to him nat'ral: beaming face on gentlest frame He'd know your fam'ly—generations—and some who favoured with nicknames.
But all along, despite this vigour, mildly woven—he your vassal the bright star of his mind lay hidden, 'neath his own encircling bushel. Never one to seek the spotlight, trumpet his own worth or skill. Ah, but in the doing, builds a legend down those years by craft and will.
By presence, reputation, honourable action, calm and local lore John Partridge entered Maitland History in his time: we'd wish for more: More time, as he'd prefer where shoppers trawled the shelves in families where he could grade their booklore, learning. Open minds without TVs. More time of registers that ring!
Not 'beep' machines with EFTPOS wave … not swipe 'left/right' as many crave. … … … John Palmer Partridge: gone. We'll miss you. Our history's annals add your name.
You taught humility in custom. Your like we'd hope to see again. The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Aldred ): I thank the member for Paterson for that fine contribution.