# Derek Robert



## Huntsman (Mar 3, 2012)

Hi Nostalgics,

I have recently come across a trio of books written by a ‘Derek Robert’ which I believe to be a pseudonym. His first book ‘That’s The Life For Me’ describes the early sea career of a deck officer in a tramp ship called Withywood and is very amusing. His second book is titled ‘Look At Me Now’ (named after a promontory in NSW, Australia although the author places it in Queensland for some reason) and describes a couple of ships and their voyages to Nauru and Papua New Guinea/South Pacific. The ships are called, Sisyphus which I believe is a made up name but was British Phosphate Commission ship, and the second was called Donnybrook which I think was almost certainly the Burns Philp ship Bololo. Part of this book also relates to the author buying a smallholding on the Bellarine Peninsular in Victoria, Australia and describes a place called Bellbird which again I think is a made up name. His third book is titled ‘Bellbird 11’ which is his phone number in this very small community. This book describes his attempts at hobby farming and his subsequent failure when he returned to the UK. It is clear from the third book that he describes Queenscliff near Port Phillip Heads as well as other some other recognisable but renamed places. 

For some reason this whole subject has got me intrigued and I am really interested in finding out who this author really is/was. I am intrigued why the author thought it necessary to try and hide the identity of places and ships and maybe his name when there doesn‘t appear to be any reason why the information couldn’t have been published using actual information. The time period of the three books would appear to be from the mid 50s to the early 60s and all three books were published by the Travel Book Club in the early 60s.

I know this is a long shot but I would love to hear from anyone who could shed any light on this mystery.

Cheers.

Huntsman


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## BillPascoeDaughter (Jun 13, 2014)

I'm curious about memoirs or accurate accounts of shipboard life in the early sixties. Sounds like this could be one? It's available for sale e.g. on Abebooks but I can't find any more details. Interestingly enough it's in an Australian second hand bookshop. Maybe the author is Australian? That's the Life for Me by Robert, Derek: Very Good Hardcover (Original Cloth) (1964) First Edition. | Mr Pickwick's Fine Old Books


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## Huntsman (Mar 3, 2012)

Hi
I think the author is English as he describes coming out to Australia and returning to the UK when his 'farming' venture failed.


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