Residents of Upper Beaconsfield and surrounding areas

John Walter 'Wally Wobblelegs' Birch

M, #12135, b. 1924, d. 12 Jan 2004

Father*

John Walter Birch b. 1893, d. 27 Nov 1979

Mother*

Myrtle Rebecca Edwards b. 27 Apr 1895, d. 1978

Probate (Will)*

JOHN WALTER BIRCH. COMMERCIAL ARTIST. BEACONSFIELD UPPER. 12 Jan 2004. 1236514.¹

Birth*

1924

VIC, Australia.

Death*

12 Jan 2004

VIC, Australia.

Village Bell*

Mar 2004

Obituary. John Walter Birch. Known to Village Bell readers as Wally Wobblelegs. 1924- 2004
Wally was talented in arts and crafts. When he lost these skills to the depredations of motor neurone disease, which started in his arms, he joined a line-dancing group.
Eventually this was also denied him, along with his independence, and he came to live at Salisbury House. For a few months visitors had to search for Wally as he spent time 'walking' his wheelchair to visit other residents.
He spent a lot of time listening to music through headphones and enjoyed weekly tape-playing sessions with one visitor. His Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday visitors were usually roundly defeated at Scrabble but never did he gloat! He whiled away long, lonely night hours by composing poems, editing them and holding the result in his prodigious memory until a visitor could write them down.
I met this courageous, kind gentleman through the Care Group. I grew to admire and respect the way he drew on inner resources with humour to deal with the blow life had dealt.
His was deeply appreciative of the efforts of the staff to make him comfortable and of the support of relatives, friends and other visitors. The way he lived his life engendered respect and deep affection in all who knew him.²

Village Bell

Mar 2004

Rainbow song
I can climb a rainbow; know I can, its true,
I climb up on the green stripe and slide down the blue.
I can sit on rain clouds and watch the stormy view,
I can jump from moonbeams and land where dreams come true.
When the world is upside down and dreams have gone askew,
Think about the next dream, tomorrow starts anew.
Just pretend like I do, that's all you have to do,
And you'll be climbing rainbows; I know that you can too!
Wally³

Electoral Rolls (Australia) and Census (UK/IRL)

Date	Address	Occupation and other people at same address
1949	Lydia Street, Bentleigh, VIC, Australia	Occupation: photo lithographer. With John Walter Birch and Myrtle Rebecca Birch.⁴
bt 1954 - 1963	Richard Street, North Bentleigh, VIC, Australia	Occupation: photo lithographer. With John Walter Birch and Myrtle Rebecca Birch.^5,6,7
bt 1972 - 1977	12 Warragamba Court, Keysborough, VIC, Australia	Occupation: artist. With John Walter Birch and Myrtle Rebecca Birch.^8,9
1980	12 Warragamba Court, Keysborough, VIC, Australia	Occupation: artist.¹⁰

Date

Address

Occupation and other people at same address

1949

Lydia Street, Bentleigh, VIC, Australia

Occupation: photo lithographer. With John Walter Birch and Myrtle Rebecca Birch.⁴

bt 1954 - 1963

Richard Street, North Bentleigh, VIC, Australia

Occupation: photo lithographer. With John Walter Birch and Myrtle Rebecca Birch.^5,6,7

bt 1972 - 1977

12 Warragamba Court, Keysborough, VIC, Australia

Occupation: artist. With John Walter Birch and Myrtle Rebecca Birch.^8,9

1980

12 Warragamba Court, Keysborough, VIC, Australia

Occupation: artist.¹⁰

Citations

[S35] Probate Records, PROV (Public Record Office Victoria), VPRS 28/P34, unit 185.
[S15] Newspaper - Village Bell Issue 155, Mar 2004, p11 by Laura Levens.
[S15] Newspaper - Village Bell Issue 155, Mar 2004, p11.
[S149] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1949.
[S154] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1954.
[S163] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1963.
[S168] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1968.
[S172] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1972.
[S177] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1977.
[S180] Electoral Roll for Australia, 1980.

Last Edited

10 Dec 2019