Dion was born in Auburn and went to school in Manly. He worked for his father after leaving school, and spent time as a military volunteer during the 1930s [1] before the family moved to Wollongong. World War II was the impetus for another move, to Cowra, but Dion decided to take advantage of the free flow of people and went to Darwin.
On his return, he was once more absorbed into family life, using family members as subjects for his amateur photography and filming. But on his return to Sydney-side where he lived in Hewlett Street, Bronte, someone else caught his interest. Previously married and with two daughters, May - or Mavis - became a close friend.
Dion Slocombe and May The Leicagraph Co. Pty. Ltd, 5 Strand Arcade, Sydney |
"My mother at 31. Slick chick eh what? An Identity study |
The Leicagraph Co. Pty. Ltd, 5 Strand Arcade, Sydney |
That they were close is evidenced by the photographs Dion kept and which still reside in the Slocombe family archive. But what happened to May? We'd still like to know.
"Mum" on right 59 Strand Arcade, 1st floor. E.S. Smith Box 17, Bondi Beach |
Advertising (1943, March 16). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 1. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17840570 |
[1] The National Archives making a rare transcription error, labelling him Harold Don...
Slocombe, Harold "Don", 23 October 1934, National Archive of Australia B4747 |
On 31st December 2019 I found a previously unknown first cousin. She tells me that the woman in the photo is NOT her sister Beverley May, but that she is certainly the genetic daughter of Dion and Theda COLEMAN, and that her sister is Beverley May.
ReplyDeleteSo, we still don't know who the woman we've been calling May is, but we do know my uncle Dion has a daughter!