George HOWIE

(1928- )

George Robinson Howie was born in Adelaide on 4 January 1928. 

His mother, Gladys Olsen, was born in Port Pirie in 1896 but came to WA with her parents and older brother, Norman, in 1897, and grew up in the Fremantle area. When her father died in 1923 the family was living in Bicton. Reference

In 1926 Gladys married George Robinson Howie in Port Adelaide, South Australia, where Baby George was born on 4 January 1928. Soon after, Gladys’ widowed mother Nora became ill, and Gladys and George, with Baby George in tow, moved in with Nora, at 18 Glyde Street, East Fremantle, (now 6 a or b) to care for her. Reference

In June 1928 Gladys entered ‘Baby Howie’ into the first (and only) competition for ‘The Prettiest Rexona Baby’ in Western Australia. She filled in a coupon and sent in a photograph. First prize was 10 Pounds. George won! - He was 7½ months old. (reference) In one advertisement, Mrs Howie, credits her baby's beauty to ‘the use of Rexona Soap’. (reference). By 1930 Rexona went on to use beautiful girls in their future advertisements.

Gladys and George lived with Nora until she died in August 1930, then moved nearby- to 9 Bayley Street, North Fremantle. 

As a young man George Jnr worked as a sawyer before marrying Joy Olson (machinist) in Fremantle in 1958.

In 1963 Joy, still working as a machinist and George, a storeman, lived at 69 Elvira St, Palmyra. Joy and George, along with his parents George and Gladys, all lived 101 John St, North Fremantle- until they all went up to Port Hedland where both Georges worked as superintendents. 

George Robinson Howie died in 1962 in North Fremantle and Gladys died in 1977 in Hilton at the age of 82. 

By 1972 George Jnr and Joy had moved to Kambalda where he was a stores officer and, from 1977 to 1980 they lived in Wyndham, where he was an agent. Joy died in Lancelin in 1997.

1976 George Howie is mentioned as helping with construction work at the Beverley Gliding Club Reference

In 1980 both George and Joy were registered as voters in Wyndham, WA. Joy died in Lancelin in 1997.

At the time of writing there is a good chance ‘Baby’ Howie, who would now be 92, is still living.

Researched by Mark Jardine for www.streetsofeastfreo