Oakman ^of Ireland

Bob went to school at Our Lady's in East Brunswick and St Brigid's in North Fitzroy. He left school when he was 14 years old. By the age of 15 he had obtained work as a Telegram Boy at the North Carlton Post Office. Bob used to tell of delivering telegrams during the war and once having to ride his bicycle all the way from Carlton out to Eltham - a distance of about 20 kms - to deliver a telegram.

Bob married Jessie Whiting at St Brigid's Catholic Church in North Fitzroy on 11 July 1931. Jessie worked as a bootmaker until her marriage to Bob. Both Bob and Jessie had a passion for music. Bob loved to sing - particularly old Irish ballads - while Jessie was a trained and accomplished pianist.

Bob later moved to the GPO in Melbourne City. He also worked at the Spencer Street Post Office, where he worked night shift as a mail sorter of "Registered Mail". This conveniently allowed him to spend his days working for the Victorian Totalisater at the gallops, trots, and dogs races in Melbourne on weekends, and at country race meetings all around Victoria during the week. Bob was keenly interested in horse racing!

In 1933, Robert and Jessie were living at 85 Miller Street, Thornbury, where their first child, James Edward was born. By 1937 they were living at 122 Amess Street, North Carlton, where their second child, Kenneth Ambrose was born. After saving enough money for a deposit to buy their own home, Bob and Jess purchased 513 Canning Street, North Carlton.

After 50 years of service with the Post Office (the maximum possible term), Bob was retired at the age of 65. To his horror, he was also forced to retire from the Totalisater which had adopted the same age restriction. He decided to put his age back 7 years and, given his outstanding skill with mental arithmetic honed through many years on the tote, he obtained a job as a tally clerk on the waterfront. When they retired him for reaching 65 (he was by then 72) he found work as a Storeman at a store in Bourke St, Melbourne City, but found the position too strenuous. He then found work as a janitor in a factory in Richmond which made Christmas novelties and bon bons etc. The factory was owned by a woman who shared his passion for horses and did not overwork him. He worked there until shortly before he died.

Bob's other passion was football and he was an ardent fan of the Collingwood Football Club.

Bob died from heart failure on 22 January 1982 and Jessie died on 19 April 1990. They are buried together at Faulkner Cemetery in Melbourne.

Bob & Jess' children:

James Edward Oakman 1933-1995

Kenneth Ambrose Oakman 1937-2010