Noel Thurgate
Portrait of Bob Sredersas
oil on canvas, 1986
Bob (Bronius) Sredersas
(Pronunciation: SHRED-AH-SHUS)
| Bob Sredersas
was born in Russia in 1910. It appears he returned with his parents to
Lithuania when he was 14. After the war, Sredersas was among the thousands
of Europeans looking for a new home, and who immigrated to Australia.
He arrived on the migrant ship Fairsea on 2 May 1950. Within a month of
arriving, he gained employment with Australian Iron and Steel at Port
Kembla. Bob lived in his home in Cringila for the next 25 years. Like
so many other migrant workers in Wollongong, he was absorbed into the
anonymity of the industry of Port Kembla. It was not until many years
later his story was told.
Bob was indeed a man of mystery to his street,
returning home of a weekend with brown paper parcels under his arm.
Since 1958 Bob had been travelling to Sydney weekend after weekend 'sniffing
around' the art auctions. His humble fibro cottage had become a treasure
house filled with the works of some of Australia's greatest artists:
Sydney Long, Hans Heysen, A H Fullwood. Sir Arthur Streeton, Margaret
Presten, Will Ashton, Alfred Coffey, Norman Lindsay and Arthur Boyd.
Bob had an uncanny ability to stumble on good pictures at the right
price. His first purchase was Herring Fleet at Sea by Sydney Long that
he bought for one pound. After seeing a similar work by Long in the
Art Gallery of New South Wales, he realised good buys were to be found.
In 1975 after being diagnosed as having cancer,
Bob set about putting his affairs in order. In 1976, on the inspiration
of a priest, Sredersas stunned Wollongong by handing over to the city
a brilliant collection of 79 paintings and sketches, mainly by Ausatralian
artists, and 31 pieces of antique china. The gift proved a major stimulus
for the Gallery in finding a home for its growing collection. Bob's
only concern in handing over his much loved collection was that his
treasures should be available for the people of the city and especially
children to enjoy. It was his way of giving back to a country and city
that had given him so much.
Bob died of a heart attack at the age of 72,
May 1982.
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