Since 1927 a member of the Burwood clan has been enrolled at Parramatta High School in each decade.
It is the only known Parramatta High School family to span 82 years over two centuries and at this stage can quite
justly claim to have had the longest span of any family who had attended Parramatta High School.
Thelma Lily Dobson (front row third from the left) transferred to PHS for Second Year in 1927.
After recurring problems with her eyesight, which initially prevented sitting her Leaving in 1930,
Lily left Parramatta High in April 1931.
Lily lived in Wentworthville and attended Wentworthville Public School. After completing 6th Class was a little young for high school, having
only turned 11 years of age on 30th November, 1925. She had to obtain special permission to enrol at the new Homebush Intermediate High School
in 1926 as one of its first students.
Noel Ashley Burwood (top row extreme left), Lily’s future husband, lived in Pendle Hill and
attended Old Toongabbie Public School before going to Parramatta High School in 1927.
Noel completed his Leaving Certificate in 1931.
Lily and Noel were married on 21st March, 1936 eventually having 5 children.
Four of these children then attended PHS and with grandchildren and other relatives
Noel and Lily contributed well to the population of Parramatta High School.
The extended Burwood family has had some member attending there for the past 9 decades,
in total 19 members have passed through the PHS’ hallowed portals.
Lily’s and Noel’s son, Ronald Noel Burwood, commenced education at PHS in 1949 and finished in 1954.
Ron was a member of the school’s choir (pictured above) that performed with distinction at the
Twelfth City of Sydney Eisteddfod and is the family’s historian responsible for much of the information in this article.
Lily’s and Noel’s first daughter, Joan Gladys Burwood, commenced at PHS in 1951 and left after passing her
Intermediate Certificate in 1953.
Joan’s sons: Paul Mervyn Tilly attended PHS from 1974 to 1979 and Kevin David Tilly attended PHS from
1976 to 1981 and her daughters, Ruth Laraine Tilly (1977 – 1980) and Linda Joy Tilly (1983 - 1986) also attended PHS.
Lily and Noel's third child, David Keith Burwood, did not attend PHS but two of his sons did. These grandsons of Lily and Noel
are Ross Philip Burwood who attended PHS from 1982 to 1987 - being one of the first schoolchildren to play school competition lawn bowls -
and Brett Cameron Burwood who was at PHS from 1985 until 1990.
Lily’s and Noel’s third son, Eric Richard Burwood, attended PHS from 1958 until 1962.
It was probably Eric who was responsible for persuading Lily and Noel to part with
one pound for the Parramatta High School Sports Oval Fund.
Their youngest daughter, Beryl Joyce Burwood, attended PHS from 1969 until 1972.
Whilst at PHS she met fellow student, Graeme Phillip Johnson, who commenced there in 1967
and completed his HSC in 1972. They were married in 1975 and had one child, Christopher,
before Graeme was tragically killed on 18th January, 1977 in the Bold St. Bridge, Granville Train Disaster.
Some years later Beryl remarried and had four more children, (Lily and Noel’s grandchildren) three of whom attended PHS.
These grandchildren are Nicholas Ray Carder who attended PHS from 1995 to 2000 and was school captain in his final year,
Steven Phillip Carder (1997 to 1999) and Bethany Joy Carder who attended Parramatta High School from 2003 to 2008.
As well as these direct descendants of Lily and Noel, there were other members of the extended family who were educated at PHS.
Their nephews, Graeme Kenneth MacKenzie, went to Parramatta High School from 1962 to 1966 and Ian Francis MacKenzie,
Graeme’s younger brother, attended Parramatta High School from 1966 to 1969.
On graduating Graeme returned to PHS as a teacher of geography and economics and became one of the first full time School Careers Advisers
and soon became a member of the Working Party on Careers Advising and Career Education in NSW holding that position until his untimely death
from melanoma cancer just prior to his 30th birthday.
Also their great niece, Kathleen Gaye Dobson, who was at Parramatta High School from 1992 to 1997.
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