The Plumbing Industry Association of SA Inc would like to pay tribute to Ray Hollis, a Plumbing Legend who sadly passed away on 29th July 2011.

Our sincere condolences and thoughts are with Ray's family and friends.

Ray's funeral will be held at Blackwell Funerals (120 Henley Beach Rd, Torrensville) on Wednesday 3rd August 2011 at 2pm.

Please see below Ray's Plumbing Legends article taken from the July/August 2008 edition of the Plumbing SA Magazine.

Interviewing Ray Hollis was a little more challenging than previous Plumbing Legends because he is such a modest and unassuming man. Ivy Hollis was most helpful in quietly cajoling him to reveal a little of himself.

Ray committed many years of service to the MPA first as a member of the Executive, then President before becoming its Secretary between 1970 and 1983. Ray initiated Apprenticeship Group Training which later evolved into PEER Training and was a long term proponent of training for the future. He was also a regular participant in national and international plumbing conferences over the years. Retiring in 1983 Ray and his wife Ivy became the forerunners of today’s Grey Nomads travelling around most of Australia by caravan.

Now in their 80’s, Ray and Ivy have spent the last twenty years living in a very pleasant group of units in West Lakes, across town from his beginnings in Wayville. Ray was born at Wendouree Hospital, Wayville in 1923. He attended Payneham Primary School before transferring to Prospect Primary School for six months. He moved to Nailsworth Primary School and then onto Nailsworth Boys Technical High School to complete his schooling.

Upon leaving school Ray did not at first follow his father into plumbing. His dad was a plumber with SAGASCO and was not in a position to apprentice him. Instead he began a fitting and turning apprenticeship. Hating being indoors and keen to be outdoors Ray jumped at the opportunity to take up a plumbing apprenticeship when it arose two years later with the Architect’s in Chief Department, later to become the PBD and now absorbed into DAIS.

Part way through his apprenticeship and old enough to enlist to serve in World War II, Ray spoke to his boss about enlisting and was promptly told that he was in a reserved occupation and required for plumbing work in the hospitals, prisons and other essential services provided by the government. Leaving work he went down to enlist anyway. Upon arrival he was immediately told on identifying himself. “Goodbye! Your boss has already rung us,” and so ended his attempt to enlist.

Ray finished his apprenticeship and with the war concluded he decided to open his own business specialising in commercial plumbing and in particular hospitals and kitchens.

Projects included the laboratories at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he was one of the first plumbers in SA to install PVC-U which was a source of great interest at the time to the E&WS Chief Inspector. Business grew steadily and Ray employed more plumbers particularly when he won a contract with a builder constructing new homes for the Housing Trust.

Ray had two children with his first wife who died after a long illness. Son John was fascinated by motor vehicles and followed his passion by becoming an owner operator of a trucking business which is located in Perth. His daughter, Christine lives in Adelaide with her family and works as the Office Manager for a real estate company. So upon retirement Ray sold the business and with Ivy, his second wife who he married in 1962, enjoys his grandchildren and retirement.

Plumbing SA Magazine
July/August 2008 Issue