George Chamberlain - 1973

George Chamberlain
1973

In mid-1973 George moved to a cute little garden flat at 45 Cumberland Avenue, Collaroy. I have many happy memories from that time. 

Not long ago, I was driving through the Northern Beaches when, for no particular reason, I took an unplanned detour along Cumberland Avenue. I parked outside No.45 and looked down the side passage, which I knew led to the garden flat at the rear of the property. It had been nearly four decades since last I was there. 

For some reason I can’t explain, I experienced the most startling and totally unexpected emotional reaction. I sobbed my heart out, sitting there in the car on that glorious summer day. At the time, I couldn’t quite understand why I had reacted as I did. Certainly, I was not experiencing any feelings of sadness. I now believe they were tears of joy for all the happy times George and I shared there, so very long ago. 

This photo shows George in the garden at No.45. The owner of the house was the elderly Australian artist, Mavis Dawson, who painted under her maiden name, Mavis Mallinson. Hanging in George’s garden flat was Mrs Dawson’s painting, “The Doomed Castle”. Its charming depiction of mermaids frolicking amidst a storm-tossed sea absolutely enchanted me and when George and I moved to an apartment at nearby Dee Why in 1974, I purchased the painting from Mrs Dawson as a keepsake. “The Doomed Castle” is with me still and always will be. It is one of my most treasured possessions:

"The Doomed Castle"

by Mavis Mallinson