OLSEN, Albert Mervyn

• Name	OLSEN, Albert Mervyn
  Gender	Male
  Person ID	I891	My Genealogy
  Last Modified	16 Sep 2023

  
  

  Family	WEIDENHOFER, Janet Clare,   b. 21 Mar 1917, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia ,   d. 7 Dec 1952, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia  (Age 35 years)
  Last Modified	16 Sep 2023
  Family ID	F228	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Janet was the seventh of eight children born in Hobart to May and Walter Weidenhofer. As with her siblings, she was encouraged by her enthusiastic and energetic parents to participate in sporting activities. Janet, with the same parental enthusiasm, took up swimming, and at the age of fourteen won the “Trans Derwent” swim across the River Derwent at Hobart. Later, she won the women’s 100 yards title on two occasions. She became very proficient in diving, and in 1936, aged nineteen, was a member of the Australian diving team, which competed in the British Empire Games held in Sydney. She was the only Tasmanian girl ever to be chosen as a member of an Australian diving team. In 1934 and 1938 she held the title of Tasmanian Champion women’s diver. Janet was equally enthusiastic and successful in the field of life-saving, and was a member of the winning team which competed for the T.W.White Trophy in the Australian Women’s Lifesaving teams’ Championship in 1937 and 1939. This was the first time that a Tasmanian team had ever won a title. Also in the years 1937 and 1939, Janet won the individual women’s lifesaving championship of Australia. She was also Tasmania’s individual lifesaving champion in those years. During this period, Janet also found time to study to become a teacher, and as part of the Tasmanian Education Department, she taught in several schools before being appointed as Instructor of Physical Education in Tasmanian schools. She was a member of the Council of Tasmanian Amateur Swimming association, and a member of the executive Council of the Royal Lifesaving Council of Tasmania. She also acted as coach for the “Top of the World” Swimming Club of which she was a member. In 1941 Janet married Albert Mervyn Olsen, always known as Mick, and they had three children – Michael, Gaye and Patricia. In 1952 Janet was diagnosed as having lymphoma and she died in Hobart on 7 December of that year.What a sad loss to her family and the community of Hobart. Janet’s husband,Mick began his adult life as a student of zoology, botany and bacteriology, which led him into many years of intensive study and extensive research as a bacteriologist. By 1967 he had been appointed Director of Fisheries and Fauna Conservation in South Australia. His continued commitment to his research was of great benefit to the Fisheries Industry, resulting in his being awarded a Centenary Medal in 2003 for “research and fisheries management.” A History of the Weidenhofer Families in Australia 1846 - 2004. Written by Wyn Allen (née Weidenhofer) 2004 ©. Reproduced with permission of Stewart Allen, Barry Malcolm and Carlien Melrose.