Sidney Downer

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Sidney Frederick Downer (15 September 1909 – 17 September 1969) was a South Australian journalist and sports writer, a member of the prominent Downer family, who was for three years a Japanese prisoner-of-war.

History

Sidney was born son of James Frederick "Fred" Downer (1874 – 29 May 1942) and his wife Florence Way Downer née Campbell (1870 – 29 May 1942), daughter of Dr. Allen Campbell and first woman to gain a Mus. Bac. at Adelaide University. Fred was chairman of directors of Advertiser Newspapers Limited and a close personal friend of Keith Murdoch and editor Lloyd Dumas. Sidney was one of only two of their offspring to survive to adulthood; his talented sister Alleyne was to become the dearly loved wife of Henry Rymill.[1]

Downer's parents were in London from 1915 to 1919, during which time he attended

Melbourne Herald. It was there he met Melbe Roark (c. 1906– ), whom he married in 1932 and were to have two children together. He returned to Adelaide in 1933 to work at The Advertiser. In 1934 he was the recipient of a notorious newspaper story when stage personality Patricia Hackett took out her displeasure at a "mixed review" by slinging the contents of a bottle of ink over him.[3]

With the outbreak of World War II Downer was posted to the

Newland family. Marital happiness was not to last however, and a few years later they separated, and Sidney took up with Dorothy "Doss" Anderson, née Clampett,[1] whom he married in 1964.[1]

He died in hospital, where he had been admitted suffering from pneumonia, a few days after his sixtieth birthday.

Bibliography

Family

He married Margaret Elizabeth Jean Dutton, née Newland, (10 January 1910 – 1988) on 8 September 1948. They separated around 1960. They had two children:

  • John William Downer (15 May 1935 – ) married Christine Whitehead in November 1964, divorced 1976. He married again, to Rose ?? in 1979.
  • Elizabeth Downer (17 May 1937 – ) married William Davidson, by whom she had three children. She married again, to Reginald Tolley.

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978 1 74305 199 3
  2. ^ "Young Century Maker". The News (Adelaide). Vol. V, no. 749. South Australia. 17 December 1925. p. 3. Retrieved 11 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "The Hackett Episode". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 7 September 1934. p. 1. Retrieved 11 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Last Ship from Singapore". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXIV, no. 26017. South Australia. 23 February 1942. p. 4. Retrieved 11 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Flt. Lt. Sidney Downer Safe". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. 88, no. 27116. South Australia. 31 August 1945. p. 8. Retrieved 11 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. The Mail (Adelaide)
    . Vol. 34, no. 1, 745. South Australia. 3 November 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 11 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Orders for Divorce". The News (Adelaide). Vol. 50, no. 7, 658. South Australia. 19 February 1948. p. 9. Retrieved 11 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Paddock Below the Hills". The Canberra Times. Vol. 47, no. 13, 349. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 3 February 1973. p. 12. Retrieved 11 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
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