FatherReginald Phillips b. 3 Aug 1924, d. 9 Aug 1995
MotherRosalind Madge Helmer b. 17 Dec 1924, d. 13 Oct 2016
Pedigree

Birth, Death, Marriage

Michael Thomas Phillips was born on 13 March 1949 in Shepparton, Victoria.1 
He died on 1 September 1975 in Shepparton, Victoria, at age 26.1 
ChartsCampbell, John, descendant chart
McDonald, Archibald, descendant chart
O'Loughlin, Michael, descendant chart
Phillips, James, descendant chart
Steer, Edward, descendant chart

Story

Michael was the eldest grandchild of Tom and Sis Phillips. He was creative, loved building things and was planning to be an engineer. In 1970, he was involved in a tragic accident from which he never recovered. When he died in 1975, he was just 26 years old. He is fondly remembered as a warm, gentle, fun-loving lad who we lost far too young.
 
Being the eldest of nine children of Reg and Madge Phillips, Michael was also the eldest of 31 grandchildren of Tom and Sis Phillips.
 
He enrolled at St Brendan's primary school in Shepparton in 1954. This was 25 years after his father started at the same school.2
 
Michael was an altar boy at St Brendan's church in Shepparton.3
Michael Phillips, altar boy
He later attended St Colman's secondary school, then Assumption College in Kilmore as St Colman's only went as far as Leaving certificate, or Year 11.4
Michael Phillips
Image: Rene Barnes
Michael once built a miniature showground in the yard at home. The size and complexity of his show had to be seen to be believed. There was a huge main tent plus two smaller ones.3
Some amusements and part of the big tent at Michael Phillips's show
Tents and transport vehicles at Michael Phillips's show
Rides included a Big Wheel, Octopus, Ghost Train, 'U-Drive Cars' and 'Speed Boats'. He also designed and built a working monorail.

Attractions included a lion tamer's ring, horse show and zoo. A lot of detail went into his 'Smokey Dawson' show, which advertised whip cracking, knife throwing, the Strong Man and wood chopping, plus songs from Smokey Dawson and Gale Howard.

Around the show there were also ticket booths, plus all sorts of cars, trucks and other transportation vehicles.3
'Octopus' ride at Michael Phillips's show
'U-Drive Cars' and 'Speed Boat' rides at Michael Phillips's show
Part of the working monorail at Michael Phillips's show
'Smokey Dawson' sideshow at Michael Phillips's show
The building and flying of model planes was another of Michael's pastimes. We know his fleet once consisted of at least seven planes, but there were surely many more. He sometimes attended meetings with other enthusiasts, where they could compare planes. Sometimes the planes made it home intact, sometimes just the pieces. No doubt to be rebuilt better than ever.3
Michael Phillips's model planes
Michael Phillips preparing his model plane
Michael Phillips's model plane
Michael Phillips's model plane
As with many teenage boys at the time, Michael soon developed an interest in cars. He loved to create, invent, build and rebuild, and was planning to be an engineer.5
Michael Phillips, altar boy
On 17 October 1970, Michael was a passenger in a car in which the driver lost control and hit a pole. The car was heading east along Rea St when a right turn was attempted at the T intersection and the car hit a telephone pole on the passenger side where Michael was sitting.6,7
 
After intensive care in Mooroopna hospital, Michael was transferred to Melbourne for two brain operations before returning to Mooroopna. His injuries left him hospitalised and unable to communicate. Madge and Reg were frequent visitors until his death in 1975.8,9
 
Michael Phillips died in Shepparton on 1 September 1975, aged 26. He was buried at Shepparton public cemetery on 2 September 1975.10
 

Citations

  1. [S19] Robyn Phillips, personal communication, 12 May 1996.
  2. [S165] History of St Brendan's Primary School 1891-1991, St Brendan's Centenary History Committee, 1991, p. 73.
  3. [S381] (home movie), video, c. 1962-.
  4. [S294] 'Phillips Family', Facebook, social network, 26 July 2019, Darkie Phillips comment 27 July 2019 in Peter Phillips post.
  5. [S266] Susan Phillips, personal communication, 3 February 2013.
  6. [S215] Trevor J Phillips, personal communication, 10 July 2014.
  7. [S289] Jane Murray, personal communication, 28 August 2014.
  8. [S551] Madge Phillips, eulogy, document, 19 October 2016.
  9. [S171] '$100,000 for a broken life', The Age, 1854-, newspaper, 14 December 1971, p. 1, https://news.google.com/newspapers
  10. [S78] Shepparton Public Cemetery, cemetery and register, Michael Thomas Phillips entry, 1975.