NEWS DESK
Prout To Be A Rotarian Peter McCullough and Vic Jeremiah. DON Prout moved to Tyabb when he completed his electrical apprenticeship at the age of 21. For the past 66 years he has conducted his business as an electrician in the district, although these days he is “more-or-less” retired. Over the decades he has been involved in a variety of community activities with Rotary being a special interest. This is Don’s story. Earlier Prouts. Don’s knowledge of his grandfather, Samuel Prout, is limited other than he spent some time in South Africa where he managed a gold mine. He was a keen musician as evidenced by the photograph of the Johannesburg Brass Band which was taken around 1900. Samuel Prout had five children, one of whom was Stan who started his working life on a dairy farm at Woolamai. While there he met Ella O’Meara who also grew up on a dairy farm. They were married at the Presbyterian Church in Coburg where they built a house. Stan worked initially as a driver for City Motor Service which had a government contract; his passengers ranged from the Prime Minister to
Above: Johannesburg Brass Band Circa 1900. Samual Prout 2nd from left in the second row from the front. Right: Don and Shirley, married at the Frankston Methodist Church, 6th January 1957.
Dame Nellie Melba, and, on one occasion in 1928, he drove a young Elizabeth Greene to her wedding to Keith Murdoch. Stan was later in charge of the service department before leaving to purchase a mixed business in East Melbourne. The business venture was quite successful, enabling Stan to achieve his goal of returning to the country. Ac-
cordingly, in the late 1940’s, he purchased an orchard of 30 acres on the Frankston-Flinders Road (then called Hastings Road) in Tyabb. Subsequently he and Ella retired to a home in Jones Road, Somerville where they lived for the rest of their lives. Don -The Early Years. Don was an only child and was born in Brunswick on 29 August, 1928. He attended Mo-
Above left: A very young Stan Prout...not happy. Above: Stan Prout...the young adult. Below right: Stan and Ella in retirement. Below: Don with his first set of wheels. Below left: Stan and Ella Prout with baby Don, 1928.
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Western Port News 26 January 2016
reland Primary and Secondary Schools and then attempted to join the navy but was advised to do an apprenticeship first. About this time his parents relocated to East Melbourne which meant that Don was a student at Collingwood Technical School. After two years of a carpentry and joinery apprenticeship, Don transferred to an electrical apprenticeship which he completed successfully. Collingwood Tech. in those days was something of a nursery for potential sportsmen: Ron Richards and Len Fitzgerald (both of Collingwood) and Harold Shillinglaw (Fitzroy) were to become League footballers while Neil Harvey-the last remaining member of Bradman’s 1948 Invincibles-was a more than handy cricketer. Don was of course working during his apprenticeship years and, after his parents moved to Tyabb, he boarded at the YMCA and other places until he completed the apprenticeship. Although his mother had sent him
off for piano lessons for some years he was far more interested in playing the drums. He played the kettle drum in the school band and in the Salvation Army band while living in Moreland. During his teenage years he played regularly with several bands. This love of music has been a constant in Don’s life and he often plays the keyboard at home where the local Probus Club has a musical afternoon every second month. Don played football for about 20 years, starting with the school team and then Black Rock before he moved to Tyabb. Scouting was an early interest. Don joined the Moreland Cubs before moving on to Scouts. Later, when living in East Melbourne, he joined the Sea Scouts at Ivanhoe and would ride his pushbike across to attend meetings. In those years, while living in town, the bike was Don’s only means of transport to and from work.