Writer and long-term subscriber, Patsy Hollis was born and raised in Sydney along with her younger brother, Ken. She attended the selective school, Fort Street Girls, topping NSW in English Honours in the Leaving Certificate.
Patsy hailed from a musical and artistic family. Her mother came from a family of artists. One of her aunts was an exceptionally talented painter and Patsy inherited not only her aunt’s interest in painting but her talent as well. Patsy’s father’s family was very musical and her father himself had been a talented jazz pianist. However, jazz was not Patsy’s ‘thing’. She much preferred classical music. While she wasn’t a musician herself, she had an extensive knowledge of classical music. Patsy always had classical music playing at home and in her car and she shared her love of music with her late husband, Arthur, a scientist and pianist.
Patsy’s writing career commenced after leaving school and she was soon appointed the first editor of Home and Gardens magazine. She was then made first editor of the Vogue Guide to Living. Another promotion followed and Patsy moved to New York for three years to run Kerry Packer’s Consolidated Press in the USA. She was editor of Cleo magazine and worked closely with Ita Buttrose on the Australian Woman’s Weekly. While she was offered a number of opportunities to appear on television as well, she preferred writing instead, so never did.
A new role saw Patsy move to Hobart as editor of the ABC Gardening Australia magazine and as contributor to parts of the television program of the same name. After a number of years in this role, Patsy retired to Leura in the Blue Mountains, where she remained until her death.
Patsy would travel to Sydney especially when the ACO was performing. Whenever possible she never missed ACO performances. Patsy told us that she loved the ACO and the fact that it gives so much enjoyment to people all over the world. When she could no longer travel to attend concerts in person, Patsy continued to enjoy concerts through ACO HomeCasts and keenly followed the ACO’s activities.
We are enormously honoured to be the beneficiaries of Patsy’s love of music and of the ACO through a gift in her will. This gift will help to ensure that the ACO plays on for future generations and will leave an enduring legacy. We will always be grateful to her.
If you are considering leaving the ACO a gift in your will or if you have already done so, please do let us know as we would love to welcome you as a member of our Continuo Circle. Please feel free to contact Lillian Armitage on 02 8274 3827 or at [email protected].
