The Gilmores

New Guinea Old-time Who Left Their Mark

By a Special Correspondent

New Guinea’s “Befores” still spt with affection and respect of Jc Joseph Gilmore and his wife, Fh Doris Gilmore, who died within few months of each other last ye after giving 40 years of their li' to the Territory. Theirs was a typi Australian New Guinea story— some special touches of their own.

JACK took Flo and 2-years-i John to Rabaul about 1920, a he became engineer for f Expropriation Board. Later, became the Board’s manager in 1 Duke of York Islands, while 1 energetic wife took over the Koko Hotel. It was about this time the Gilmores purchased Put I plantation.

Fabulous stories from the n< Edie Creek goldfield lured J a Gilmore away, and he and parti Shannon made a clean-up El Dorado mine; while Mrs.# Gilmore kept the home fires burnt at the Kokopo Hotel.

Mr. and Mrs. John Gilmore—photographed Rabaul some years ago at the first Frangi[?] Ball. On the right is Mr. George Clarke, at Madang.

i Jack returned to New they took over the atung Hotel, outside of ; and then, for a time, Flo d the Rabaul Hotel for Ivan d War II came, and young )ined the Army; and a little Irs. Gilmore, with Territory- Peggy and Grahame, went lack Gilmore stayed until the ime in; and he and a small ;ot away to Papua in Jack’s the Gawa. The Army seized nch, and Jack tried to enlist back; but they said he was then joined American Small nd had a remarkable career— s the Americans’ salvage all the way through Oro Bay, afen, Hollandia, right to a—and he ended the war as >nel, and aide to General er.

Fhe Move to Madang

war over, the Gilmores re to Put Put Plantation, had married, and was Mrs. r; but soon afterwards her I was killed in an accident, rried again—she now is Mrs. es Bates had become DC at ;, and insisted that Madang a hostelry; and he persuaded id Mrs. Gilmore to leave in 1952 and establish and Madang Hotel. They spent lainder of their lives there, 1 much public service, and valuable property to the five of John, who is a coffee near Goroka; one child of e, also a Highlands planter; Igy's three children, Flo Gilmore died and was in Australia in May, 1961. ed in Madang in October; demonstration at his funeral how much the Madang loved and esteemed the old and Grahame, for the are managing the hotel ang, and Grahame recently ervised big additions of new odation blocks private with air conditioning, hot From solar gadgets in the md modern things of that and Jack might be a little if they could see the Hotel functioning today; but they heartily approve the enter their two sons.