By Alva “Bobbie” Davies

Frederick Willam Cowen was born at Tynong on 15th November 1931. Fred was twin with  his sister, Frances, and they started school at Macedon on 31st January 1931.

The day before his father had cut off all his little golden curls, to the dismay of his sister Alva who kept some of them a matchbox.  Fred was a confident little fellow and endeared himself to everyone. Our house was very close to the railway gates, and Fred used to sit himself on the gatepost and sing out for “papers” from the passengers going through on the trains. They even threw out a bit of spare change which Fred would promptly spend in the nearest lolly shop with the rest of the kids hanging on.

When our father was moved from station to station, it followed that we were moved from school to school, eventually settling in Noble Park after our father retired. Fred immediately made his mark around the town with his ability to sing, tell jokes and M.C. the local dances etc.
At Dandenong High School he was always involved in the school concerts and debating teams. He was christened “The Professor”.

As a Rover Scout, Fred was lucky enough to go to the Rover Moot in Kandersteg in Switzerland in between studying as a teacher at Teachers’ College. He was chosen to undertake telling the story of Waltzing Matilda in French as a contribution from Australia. All went well until he had to come to explaining a “matilda” and a “billabong”.

His first rural school was in a tiny town called Flynn’s Creek Upper where there were several grades in the one room. One little fellow ran fingers along Fred’s cheek and said that he had “wickies”. Wanderlust took over Fred and he set off to London, meeting on the ship going over with his future wife, Beatrice Mellor.

Fred taught in London for some time, eventually becoming secretary in the Chamber of Commerce in Durban and meeting up with Beatrice in Durban where they married. They lived there until the 1960s before settling in Queensland.
 
Fred died in Brisbane on 18th January 2004. Fred was about 5’9”, with blueish eyes, light brown hair and an engaging personality.
 
Children (all born in South Africa):

Scott Mellor Cowen (b…)
Gary Cowen (b…)
Amanda Cowen (b…)