A son's journey

WE spend most of our young lives looking to the future but something happens, usually from our 40s, that prompts us to cast an eye to the past.

WE spend most of our young lives looking to the future but something happens, usually from our 40s, that prompts us to cast an eye to the past.

I've observed it in friends and family: they hit a certain age and suddenly feel the need to research family trees or archive photos and mementos. It's an urge that is familiar to Peter Holmes a Court - at the age of 44, he's been struck by the desire to learn more about his late father, Robert. The Holmes a Courts are one of Australia's best-known families and Robert's business exploits have been well documented. But Peter has realised that he knows little about his father as a person, and so he's embarking on a book of Robert's extraordinary life, starting with his early years in southern Africa. He's keen to hear from people who knew his dad: "stories, anecdotes and tall tales" are all welcome. His contact details appear at the end of the story.