Robert Thompson

Robert's teens and twenties were spent in Perth WA. He sold plastic "colour" television screens door to door after school, he finished an apprenticeship as a letterpress printer, then travelled all over the state as an agent for a local family business with many gift lines then worked in a big city store as assistant-manager for one of the departments. Then he escaped to the bright lights and excitement of Sydney.  

First with the Yellow Pages, and then Peter Isaacson Publications where he was given free reign to build up KOMPASS. This was a directory of all the manufacturing companies in Australia , setting out their products in very comprehensive, cross referenced tables. He did this till computers made the product obsolete. They also made him obsolete.  

I met Robbie In January 1981 in Adelaide. In June I relocated Peter Lane Gallery to Paddington Sydney, moved in with Robert and opened Peter Lane Gallery. 

We moved to Tasmania in 2007 when our landlord sold the Gallery and our loft-flat above it. In Tasmania Robert discovered that there could be a life outside work. He set about getting involved.. We lived at Brockley, near Orford, and in 2010 Robbie founded "Sorell On Stage". It is a successful, on-going regional Theatre Company producing two plays and a children's panto each year, all written, directed and produced by its local members.

He also managed to score several "extras" in movies. He loved those.  He was a Founding Member for Choir of High Hopes Hobart in 2010. Jenny Chapman and Helen Todd founded, organised and ran the choir with help from many others including Robert and, for a while, me. Robert took every opportunity to sing and perform with them. He was the Choir's rep on the board for a couple of years. He was singing with them till his last week. 

Member of "Sisongke" choir for 5 years. Sisongke Choir welcomed him as they do everybody and he attended all their concerts and workshops. His enthusiasm was infectious. He helped, where he could and was a committee member. He made a point of always being reliable in all his activities. He helped me promote the Gallery by compiling mailing lists and researching with his computer for me. He seemed to know a lot of people whenever he walked through town. The bane of strangers ..

Eulogy was delivered by Peter Lane.