OLIVER Percival "Percy".

Percy was Western Australia’s oldest Olympian when he died aged 92 on 9 July 2011. He had close links to Gnowangerup during his years as a state and national swimmer, regularly visiting Gnowangerup to attend events at the Gnowangerup Swimming Pool. This was during the mid 1930’s when Gnowangerup possessed one of the few swimming pools in the state where ‘turns’ could be practiced.

Percy was born in Nedlands on 1 April 1919 and attended Hale School. Percy taught at Mt Lawley and Hollywood Senior High School. Percy later became the administrator for the Education department for their Vacation Swimming Program.

Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral held at Karrakatta. His family described him as a “fun-loving, entertaining and wonderful dad” and a “loveable larrikin”. He won 13 Australian freestyle and backstroke titles and aged 17 was placed seventh in the 100m backstroke final at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, and two years later won the 110 yard backstroke at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney. He won a bronze medal as a member of the 3 x 110 yard medley and competed in the 110 yard freestyle event.

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PERCIVAL "PERCY" OLIVER                #1
 

   OPENING OF GNOWANGERUP SWIMMING POOL 7th March 1934            #2
Left - Right:   JOE BALL, FRED LLOYD,   ?   , Mr. A WATTS,    ?   , EVELYN DeLACEY,   ?    ,   ?   ,   ?   ,   ?   ,   ?   , J
IM GROCOCK, COLIN HEPPELL, HERB AYLMORE,   ?   ,PERCIAL "PERCY" OLIVER
 

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References:                 Article:     Research by Merilyn Stewart

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Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2024