Hugh Ryan lived at 37 Latrobe Street before it became WAS Gallery. He was there from 1948 until 2015. Born 17 June, 1927, in Melbourne, where his family ran dairies and delivered milk around Melbourne. His parents were Martin and Mary (Molly), he had an older sister Patricia (Pat, born 1925) and their home was in Sandringham. Aged 18 in 1945, Hugh joined the RAAF. The war was soon over so he was only enlisted a few months. In that time he had one flight, an RAAF transport plane to Brisbane. Hugh never flew again and that was his only visit to another major city.
After World War 2, Martin Ryan’s interest in farming resulted in the purchase of 37 Latrobe Street, Warragul, as well as the main farm in Nilma. 37 Latrobe Street was built in the 1930s, a solid brick, art deco, Californian bungalow style home, the original farmhouse for the area. In 1948 the whole family moved to Warragul to run dairy cattle. Six acres at Murdie Road were bought in 1965 as additional pasture for young heifers before joining the milking herd. Hugh worked the family farm for many years but, after his father died in 1976, he began to sell off some of the land. In the 1980s the Latrobe Street property was subdivided into light industrial lots and the Nilma farm sold to developers. Hugh kept Murdie Road so he could still be a farmer – digging weeds, mending fences, cutting up fallen trees, burning bonfires, mowing grass and keeping a few well fed and shiney cows.
A bachelor all his life, Hugh lived alone at Latrobe Street since 1976. His sister, Pat, married Tom Manton in 1958 and moved to Richmond. She and Tom remained regular visitors to Warragul. Hugh was a passionate golfer. Luckily the Warragul Golf Club was at the end of Latrobe Street and he could drive his buggy up the road on a very regular basis. For a significant time Hugh was the most played member of the club. He was also a one eyed Collingwood supporter. By the 2000s Hugh was suffering significant back pain probably as a result of farm labouring. Sadly Pat died in 2010 leaving Hugh the only Ryan left. Eventually he was unable to play golf but he did get to witness two more grand final wins by the Magpies. It wasn’t until 2015 that he had to go into Cooinda Lodge, Warragul, for full time care. Hugh died on 6 April, 2015, aged 87. He only spent 3 months out of his own home.
In 1982, Anne Lorraine, founder and Director of WAS Gallery moved into Hugh’s Murdie Road cottage. They became great friends and Anne is still living there after 43 years. She has a long connection with the Latrobe Street property and has embraced this by preserving the building and creating a space for art. A selection of artwork by Anne from the 1980s and 90s and created in her Murdie Road studio was included in the WHO LIVED HERE exhibition along with oil paintings of roses by Aileen Bonser celebrating the garden of Molly Ryan.
