Century of luck

By Kath Gannaway
ROBERT Hill’s lucky star just keeps rising!
Mr Hill told the Mail in 2007, when he turned 100, that his dad had always told him he was born under a lucky star.
“Looking back,” he said at the time “I must admit I have been so fortunate in every way – health, jobs and the people I have met.”
On Thursday, Mr Hill celebrated his 103rd birthday with family and friends at Holmwood in Healesville where he is now a resident and that sense of good fortune has not diminished.
It seems the tips he passed on as a 100-year-old have also continued to pay dividends.
Number one tip was a 60-plus tradition of enjoying a gin and tonic each evening – although he says he is not quite so rigid with that now.
Having a family history of longevity, while not entirely in each person’s control, has also worked well for Mr Hill. His sister is 98 going on 99 and he is, as he says, still here!
Since coming to Healesville as a relative youngster – 18 years ago – Mr Hill volunteered for a time at Healesville’s premier secondhand book store, the Judith Eardley Save Wildlife Centre.
Having worked all his working life in the printing and publishing industry, it was the perfect match for his love of books and desire to continue to contribute to his community.
He was hailed as an inspiration by the centre’s volunteers.
“Apart from the fact that Robert is so gracious, he is very good at what he does,” centre manager Peter Hannaford said.
Mr Hill, who had continued to live at home until September last year, said working at the centre had been one of many enjoyable experiences in a fortunate life.
Life for Mr Hill has included a beautiful wife, Elsie, and daughter Louise Rossmann who helped her father celebrate his amazing 103rd birthday.
Other highlights of more than a century of memorable times include playing cricket at Lords during the war.
“My only claim to fame is opening the batting in a charity match at Lords,” Mr Hill recalled.
He was invited to play for an all-England team against the RAF, virtually a Test team of top batsmen of the time – including the likes of Kenneth Farnsworth and Leslie Aimes.
“It was a pitiful exhibition really,” he smiles. “I think we got about 170 runs and they made about 270 … from one or two wickets!”
But it WAS Lords and his then fiancee Elsie was among the huge crowd watching him open on the holy grail of cricket, and so was his dad.
Three novels waiting for attention on his bedside table are an indication that life is still good at 103.
“Things have worked out wonderfully well,” he says of the move to Holmwood.
“My dad was right. Things do work out all right for me in the end.”