Expression of gratitude from family of Bartley Ho
Bartley Ho is a long-time resident of Ultimo, having spent more than 50 years in the area. He has seen Ultimo rise from a humble working-class inner city suburb to a thriving much sought-after area attracting many peoples from all walks of life. Bart (as his friends know him), is the eldest of four children, born in Brisbane, Queensland on March 10, 1948, to Melanesian/Chinese parents. He spent his first three years in Northern Queensland. Family hardships with work brought his parents south to Sydney where they settled and made their home initially in Redfern. Soon after, Ultimo became the family's permanent home, where Bart attended the Ultimo Public School, and found his first part-time job as a paperboy delivering the local Sun and Daily Mirror papers after school. He became an active member of the Socialist Party of Australia, always keeping in mind where his roots were and trying to make a difference for working-class people. As a very proud merchant mariner, he had an interesting life of travel, which had taken him all over the world, and in that capacity on many occasions he participated as a union delegate offering assistance to his fellow workers wherever he could. Bart officially retired this year after serving 30 years with the Maritime Service, and was looking forward to a long-awaited holiday in China. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, he has been struck down with advanced pancreatic cancer. Through his quiet unassuming nature, and because of the enormous amount of inner strength he has found within himself and with the support of the many friends he has made over the years through maintaining close connections in the community, he is taking this devastating situation in his stride. Bart, his sister Lola, and brothers Bruce and Vincent, would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the many wonderful people who have given them the gift of their love and friendship to carry them through this very difficult time.* * * Lola Simmons (New York)