We were both doing the Electrical Trades course as Electrical Mechanics and over the next couple of years we both worked on modernisations, repairs and maintenance - Buckinghams, Grace Building, Tomassetti House are a few locations that readily come to mind and we had some of the most enjoyable times of our working lives.
As apprentices we worked under the guidance and supervision of either a qualified "sparky" or one in the last year of their apprenticeship and, as such, we both worked under people such as Dave Rutter, Brian Baxter, Bobby Coates and Helmut Nehls and alongside other tradies and assistants including George Farham, Ken Rousham, Ray Johnson and others whose names elude me.
In 1967 I took a different career path to Garth and went into the Engineering Dept. as a trainee draftsman. I can't remember when Garth left the company and headed west to Perth but it couldn't have been much later. He worked with Grant Elevators, I know that much, but for how long and with what other businesses, I don't know.
We met up again at the Arnold reunion in 2005 and reminisced about the old days - as did everyone else - but if he was in bad health at that time he gave little or no indication of it.
It wasn't until last year that I heard from Garth again; he phoned me to see if I could give any information regarding the use of asbestos in the manufacture of the fireproof landing doors back then and he also contacted John Inglis about the same subject.
It was at that time I learned that he had mesothelioma and wasn't expected to see another year out.
We exchanged emails several times after that initial conversation and the last one I had from him was late last November.
Sadly, Garth passed away in July, on the 26th. and my condolences go to his wife, Doris, and family.
