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KEITH FRANK ROYLANCE

Keith Frank Roylance was the eldest and only son of Robert and Ethel Roylance. He was born at the Ada England Nursing Home, Bradshaw Street, Wooloowin, Brisbane on the 18 February, 1926. Dr MacGregor delivered the baby, assisted by Nurse Ada England. Keith Frank was named after his father, Robert Frank Roylance who, in turn, was named after his great grandmother, Francis Roylance from County Cheshire, England.

As a child Keith lived in Brisbane at Gordon Park. The family settled there in 1925. His parents built their own home in 1926. It was a grand old Queenslander, featuring wide verandahs, large windows and doorways that captured the cool breezes on a hot day. The house featured a pristine garden with carefully tendered garden beds with varieties of vegetables and flowers. Being one of the first houses in the district the Roylance family had few neighbours and plenty of bush. Keith's sister recalled her mother saying that many evenings after work Frank walked the hills in search of wild mushrooms as big as your hands" which Ethel prepared for the evening meal.

Keith was five when his sister was born in 1931. She had bright eyes, a cheerful smile and a warm personality. At seven years old he and his sister were baptised in the Methodist Church, Gordon Park on July 3, 1932. The certificate of baptism read: I Hereby certify that I have this day at Gordon Park Church baptised Keith Frank son of Robert Frank Roylance and Ethel Maud Roylance nee Gallant who was born at Brisbane in February 18th 1926 on July 3, 1932. Officiating Minister - Rev Kidd.

Both children attended Wooloowin State School on Gympie Road. Out of school the children enjoyed a number of pursuits. Both studied piano and singing with Mrs Ward. Keith had a beautiful singing voice and was a boy soprano. They were regular participants in the music school concert and were often cast together in duets like the medoly called Tea for Two, a song by Vincent Youmans and Irving Caesar. They were members of the Kangaroo Club that provided afternoon entertainment to families. The radio show featured music and singing that was broadcast on the local radio. One year he was invited to sing solo on the radio program, a moment he never forgot. As well, he loved to play the harmonica and kept it with him when he enlisted and went to the frontline in Borneo in 1945.

In 1935, when he was in third grade, his father died from Murray River fever a mosquito-borne virus that is maintained in a bird-mosquito-bird cycle. Water birds like herons and cormorants are the natural reservoir for the fever. The virus cannot be transmitted from person to person. Human infection occurs only through bites from infected mosquitoes. Keith remembered the day his father died. He stated to his wife, Pat:  I was swinging on the front gate. My Aunty Maudie came down the path crying. She grabbed me to her ample bosom and wailed‘ You poor fatherless boy! I had no idea what she was talking about.'

Keith completed school and began working when he was thirteen years old. He commenced work at Youngs Pharmacy, Albion and was responsible for the running of messages and the delivery of goods. He rode a bicycle to the different location. His Uncle Edgar gave him the bike for work.He worked there for some time before he changed jobs to work as a general storeman at Wilkinson's Wholesale Chemist, packing and delivering pharmaceutical products to branch storesfor four years.

Keith enjoyed an active social life during these teenage years. His sister remembered 'At seventeen Keith enjoyed going to the pictures at the Grange with Tommy Ord and George Whitty to watch a good movie and meet the girls. He also loved going to parties and dances with his mates. His fishing weekends were regular and he would rise his bike to Pinkenba with his mates. They would be dressed as old hobos and when he got home, having fished all night, he would would sleep all day, and Mum cleaned the dozen or so fish.' He fished off Pinkenba as a young man, but later joined the Waterside Workers Fishing Club and travelled most weekends to Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island. His mates included Kenny Grove, an ex-Rat of Toobruk and Brian Kenyon, with whom he enjoyed 'surf fising’. In later life, he travelled to friends (Bob D'Arx) in New Zealnd to fish on the North Island.

With the commencement of war in the Pacific, Keith enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on his eighteenth brithday. He was sent to the beaches of Borneo in Indonesia with the Australian assault forces that finally captured the island. At the time he was a lance corporeal working in Stores. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and returned to civilian life.

As an ex-serviceman, he was one of many men looking for work. In 1946 he gained employment in a Brisbane business called Buzacott Motors working in the spare parts department. Buzacott engines were popular Austrlian made engines that were advertised as offering the greatest value for money because their quality was high and their service dependable. This was a very happy time for him. In 1957 was promoted to Spare Parts Manager, a position he held for eleven years. When the firm was liquidated, the company directors offered him the dealership to their Spare Parts for the Buzacott machines. He accepted and took on the dealership in partnership with his Pat (wife) and accountant friend, Bill and Barbara Russell. The business was called R.& R. Spare Parts and continued until the death of Bill Russell in the 1970s. With the closure of Buzacotts, Keith worked for Winchcombe Carsons as a Marine Spare Parts Manager from 1960-1974.Several years later Winchcombe Carsons closed and he went to work as the Spare Parts Manager of Outboard Marines. He established company branches for Outboard Marines at South Brisbane and Archerfield. The business specialised in boat engines,Jetskis,GPS units, fish finders, oars, ropes and anchors.

Keith retired in 1984. After a long period of ill health he died in 1995 at Mt Oliviet Hospital, Brisbane. His funeral was held at the Holy Spirit Church, Wooloowin and was attended by many family and friends (150 people). They included his wife, Pat, three daughters, eight grandchildren (total then born), sister Beryl and in-laws Manfield, McKendry, Priston, Siwers and Bartlett. Two eulogies were read: Julie Roylance, for son Richard, then in England on a Churchill Scholarhip; and Leo Bartlett, son-in-law and husband of Philippa. [2]

Keith is buried at the Albany Creek Crematorium. Richard and family placed his ashes in his grave in July 1995. His grave is located near to his mother and Uncles at the Albany Creek Chapel. In 1995 a memorial plaque was laid in his memory by Legacy at the Returned Serviceman’s Memoral Park, Albany Creek.

His father, Robert Frank Roylance, is buried in the Roylance grave at Balmoral cemetery, Brisbane with his mother Hannah Roylance (nee Brocklehurst Stubbs), a first settler from England in 1883) and infant sister (Edith Roylance).

Keith married Mary Patricia Roylance in 1953. They had four children named Robyn, Philippa, Richard and Anne.