Almanac Tribute: Tim Harcourt’s personal tribute to Fred (Chocka) Bloch

 

 

 

A personal tribute to FA Bloch AM

By Tim Harcourt

 

Growing up in Adelaide in the 1970s could not have been better. There was no shortage of role models. Apart from my parents, there were four great figures to look up to as a kid in South Australia namely: Don Dunstan, Ian Chappell, Barrie Robran and Freddy Bloch. A politician, a cricketer, a footballer, and Fred who could do all of the above and much more.

I was always amazed how Fred could generate enthusiasm for and excel personally at a whole range of pursuits be they academic, sporting, music, cooking or the turf ( you name it, he was brilliant at it).

The Bloch influence always loomed large in the Harcourt household. You knew Fred was at the door because he would never knock or ring the doorbell but let out a huge Swiss yodel.

Suzanne and Robyn were better known to us than Batman and Robin and with my sister Becky they were a dynamic trio roaming the neighbourhood.

Maida lived up to her name and not only made the Bloch house but also made the Harcourt house – brush fence and all!

Maida, as Suzanne Bloch often points out, is a great lateral thinker and as Maida did the work Fred and Dad kindly watched and “supervised”.

The Bloch’s were generous hosts to us at 531 Fullarton Road Netherby and when Maida put in a swimming pool we always seemed to have our towels and bathers on us when we visited and that was only when we weren’t staying at the Blochs’ beach house in Aldinga.

There are three influences that Fred had on me that I would like to place on the record in appreciation.

First, the North Adelaide Football Club. Because of Fred, my brother Rob and I barracked for the Roosters and idolised Barrie Robran. Fred put up a poster of Barrie on my dad’s office door which was labelled “Right Footer” and a picture of the Pope labelled “Left Footer” (with Dad being a Jewish Methodist that was always confusing). When North won the flag Fred would introduce me to the who’s who of the club at Prospect – it was the golden ticket.

Second, Adelaide University, the Economics and Commerce Faculty, the Cricket Club and, of course, the Football Club.

Dad first met Fred when he worked at the National Bank just over the road here on North Terrace.  As Fred was a league footballer, Dad was star struck, and always talked footy with him but he also found out that Fred wanted to further his economics studies at the University. Fred had topped each year with straight distinctions so Dad got Fred a lectureship and also suggested that the Adelaide Uni footy club appoint Fred as Assistant Coach. And the rest is as they say is history.

Academically, Fred was a natural. He was a brilliant economist. His PhD thesis on the term structure of interest rates supervised by Professor Eric Russell is a classic to this day.

Fred was a brilliant teacher of accounting. As David Hill, CEO of Deloittes Asia Pacific, said to us: “Chocka had the ability to make accounting interesting, and for many in his Introduction to Financial Accounting lectures it was love at first T account… I always remember how he took the same interest in the learning and welfare of everyone regardless of their socio-economic status. He had time for everyone.”

And these sentiments by David are echoed by the amazing number of tributes on social media from the many generations who took Fred for Accounting 1.

As well as his academic accomplishments, Fred also jazzed up the faculty Christmas party thanks to FAB productions and convinced Dad to dress up as Frank Sinatra one year, Suzi Quatro the next and finally Norman Gunston. One Prosh Week he even got Dad to put a pie in Molly Meldrum’s face…something Molly remembered when I met him at the Crows vs Collingwood in Dubai many years later.

The third influence is my graduation from ‘Camp Bloch’ in the summer of 1982-83. In late 1982, my mum and dad left Adelaide for Cambridge, England (where they would be for 28 years). I had just completed matric at Unley High and spent the summer before starting uni in the “Presley Room” at Camp Bloch. So at the tender age of 17, Fred took charge of my upbringing before I was let loose on Adelaide Uni and Lincoln college.

It was a splendid education.

First was fitness – swimming, running, biking, push ups, sit-ups and weight training and regular attendance at cricket training and pre-season training with the footy club.

Second, important investment meetings at various locations, Victoria Park, Morphettville, and Cheltenham with Fred’s Uncle Jack who coined the immortal phrase, “I’d rather give it to the bookies than the tax man”.

Third, intellectual stimulation. I left a bookcase of 200 books (politics, economics, history and sport) at Fred’s place and after 6 weeks, I asked if I could collect them and Fred said: “Yeah I have read them”.

Fourth, political campaigning, Fred and I campaigned for Bob Hawke and Labor in the famous “drover’s dog” election in March 1983. Years later when my wife Jo first visited Adelaide we arranged a dinner at Don’s Table in Norwood so she should could meet Don Dunstan, Fred Bloch and a number of Adelaide legends. Imagine her delight when Bob Neil showed up unexpectedly, with a six pack.

Finally, “cultural activities”. After Suzanne and Robyn went off to school Fred would swap the kiddies videos for those of the “Adult entertainment” variety but after a number of questionable choices we stuck to silly comedy and ended up watching Monty Python’s Time Bandits over and over.

Camp Bloch was very important to me at a crucial time in my life. I missed my family in the UK but Fred and Maida looked after me exceptionally well.

And I am pleased to say I am not alone in experiencing the Bloch kindness. Because Fred did this for every person from all sorts of backgrounds. It didn’t matter if you were from Mansfield Park, Elizabeth or Hackney High (as Fred called St Peter’s College).

Before economists talked about things like building “social capital” it was Fred who was actually doing it. It was Fred (or “Chocka” as he became) who more than anyone else built the fabulous culture at the world’s greatest football club, as he did throughout his faculty and his university, and all the many sports, political and music clubs and societies he joined. Making sure everyone had a place and felt included was Fred’s goal in life and he had a hell of a lot of fun doing it.

Bless you Freddy, you enriched us all.

 

Professor Tim Harcourt
Industry Professor and Chief Economist
Institute for Public Policy and Governance (IPPG)
University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

 

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