Arthur Edwin Gillingham "Phil"
17/11/1941 ~ 22/07/2023
The service to celebrate Phil’s life will be held in the Renowden Chapel,
Springvale Botanical Cemetery, 600 Princes Hwy, Springvale
on Friday 28th July 2023 commencing at 2.00pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Parkinson’s Australia
via the link below:
https://www.parkinsons.org.au/make-a-donation
If you are unable to attend Phil’s service,
you are welcome to watch via the live stream link below:
https://smct.org.au/view/848189431
Private Cremation
4 Tributes
Lance Thomas
I only knew Arthur “Phil” for about 12-13 years. I started walking early in the morning around 5.30am, after I retired from working. It was in Campbell Street just near Grantley Drive, where I met him. We both said good morning and both of us stopped and had a chat for a little while and that was how a friendship started. Phil was a real gentleman who cared about people. Many a time if I had not been walking for a couple of days. He would text me to see if I was okay, or if our other friend Jim had not been seen walking he would be asking me if he was okay, that was the person he was. Caring for people. I am going to miss our meetings of a morning and trying to solve the world’s problems with our chats while we walked and stopping to chat with Jim and his dog Misty. I am sure Phil will be looking down on us and thinking look at those two silly buggers walking in this cold weather.
Will miss you Phil.
Lance and Jim
Bob Crichton
The tribute from Lance Thomas captures the essence of the Phil I knew. I met him exactly 52 years ago when assigned to a project at Deer Park. We were on secondment from ICI in the UK – 17,000 km from home with two kids under four. Phil and Jennifer eased us into the Victorian scene – marsupials, wines, politics (remember Bolte and McMahon?) and climate – four seasons in a day. We will be forever grateful to Phil and his family for their kindness during this time. The secondment ended at the end of 1972, but the political and cultural debate continued at a distance. There was much to talk about given the events in the UK and down under. Chance brought us back to Melbourne in the 80’s and it is a mark of a true friendship that time seemed to have stood still. This period marked the start of Gillingham (Oz) and Crichton (Europe) tours and many great experiences together. Tasmania was the last box to tick in Australia, and we did that in 2018; touched by sadness as we all sensed it would be our last time together. Phil was one of a kind and all the happy memories can never be extinguished
Linda O’Brien
I was employed by Arthur in 1980 when he was the personnel manager for ICI’s vinyl chloride monomer plant in Laverton. He employed me as his secretary. Such a beautiful soul and a really, really nice guy. A gentleman in every way possible. I just stumbled across his tribute by accident. Myself and my then husband and son were also a guest at his house for a bbq one day. I remember his wife taking out some frozen pate and placing it on the hearth of the fireplace only to discover a wee while later, their little dog had consumed the lot and was lying on its back recovering from such a feast. A beautiful family too. RIP Arthur. Linda O’Brien
Dave Lascelles
I still think of Arthur as an integral part of my years at ICINZ. If ever you are in NZ Jennifer please look us up. Dave and Sue Lascelles (03) 3559101; 0276918091.