100th birthday of Jack Glasson
FAMILY and friends from all over the nation gathered at St Augustine's Nursing Home in Coffs Harbour today to celebrate the 100th birthday of Jack Glasson.
Born in Broken Hill on June 2, 1912, Jack spent his early working life chasing silver, lead and zinc 'down the pit' and carried out every task from swing a miner's pick to setting the fuse to the dynamite and operating the weighbridge.
Later he joined his brother at Glasson Motor Co and rounded out his working life driving trucks.
At the age of 19, he married 18-year-old Elva May and they were together for more than 60 years.
There were five children.
"Dad has always been a hands-on person and when he did any job, it had to be exact," daughter Pat said.
"He lost his dad in the mines - killed in a rock fall aged 45 - and all the boys still went down the mines at Broken Hill.
"All his life he loved motorbikes and was a bit of a daredevil."
Jack still has gleam in the eye and amazed family members recently by expressing a fondness for the famous 'Chloe' painting in Melbourne's Young and Jackson Hotel.
Along with the traditional 'telegram' greeting from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Jack received best wishes from the Governor-General, Prime Minister, Premier and local, state and federal dignitaries.
