_Jan Andries BRODERYCK ____
_Wilhelmus Gerhardus BRODERYCK _|
| |_Magdalena Johanna VENTER _+
_John Andrew McSeveny BRODERICK _|
| | _ OPPERMAN ________________
| |_Elizabeth Johanna OPPERMAN ____|
| |___________________________
|
|--Patrick BRODERICK
|
| _Thomas James FITZMAURICE _+
| _Albert James FITZMAURICE ______|
| | |_Priscilla HOEY ___________+
|_Mary Jessie FITZMAURICE ________|
| _Herbert Skeet LEGGETT ____+
|_Florence Emma LEGGETT _________|
|_Sarah LEACH ______________+
Complete list of names in tree
URL changed? Try Dale or Debbie's tree home site.
[244]
[244]
Life history summary
Paddy Broderick was born on Feb 2nd, 1933 in Bloemfontein, and attended school at Greenhill Convent for 2 years, followed by 8 years at Christian Brother’s College in Bloemfontein. From the age of about 8, he was working with mechanics at his Dad’s Car Workshop, mostly getting in the way, but learning as he did so. He spent his holidays and time after school working with the mechanics, and couldn’t wait to leave school and start his apprenticeship. He started as an Auto-electrician (2 years) at Electric Service Corporation, and then changed to Apprentice Motor Mechanic for 4 years. Once he’d become a fully-fledged mechanic, he began working for his eldest brother, Billy, and at the same time joined the Catholic Youth Club (where he became President), and the Catholic Men’s Society, which was later disbanded. Paddy joined the Knights of da Gama, Council 10, a year after they were inaugurated, but he was too young to be a Founder Member. His sponsors were Bert Gleeson and Neville Armstrong, who later joined the priesthood and became the Army chaplain. Two years later, he left for Durban, where his parents had settled, to help them out with their Tea Gardens in Amanzimtoti, as a Waiter on weekends.
He contacted the employment bureau of the Knights of Da Gama and spoke to Brother Knight Edmond de Gersigni, who put him in contact with Stanley Motors on the Esplanade in Durban, where he became a truck mechanic, under the supervision of Sidney Marchant. Paddy stayed in ‘Toti, and caught the train each day to and from work, making for very long days. It was Brother de Gersigni who introduced him to the Durban Knights of Da Gama Council One, making sure he was there to greet and welcome the newcomer. It was here that Paddy met Brother Philip Kairuz, who graciously offered him a place to stay on the nights of meetings and other events. Although he never missed a meeting or social, his elevation to 3rd Degree took about 3 years. Brother Knight John O’Connell asked Paddy to accompany his daughter, Maureen, to a Knight’s function at the Ambassador Night Club as a blind date. Prior to this, all the Knights were asked to show the Hungarian Refugees from Salisbury Island the town of Durban and its surrounds, so Paddy took 3 young men as far as Port Shepstone, after which they gathered for a meal provided by the Knight’s Ladies in Point Roads’ St Peter’s Church Hall. To his surprise and shock, Brother Knight John O’Connell and his wife Myrtle, brought Maureen over to be introduced to him. He was not prepared, in his sweaty clothes and disheveled hair, to meet his blind date, and as it turns out, neither was she - Maureen had several plasters on her face, having recently had some moles removed by Brother Knight Dr. Stafford Mayer. Later she told Paddy about a “Hungarian” who didn’t want Hungarian Goulash that night, only the potatoes, and it turned out to be ... Paddy (a very fussy eater). They danced together that night despite their unpreparedness, enjoying each other’s company so much that Paddy asked her parents if he may take her home at the end of the evening.
Whilst out with the Youth Group one evening, Maureen left a phone message for Paddy to call her back when he returned, which resulted in them going out together on their first date to see “The Barretts of Wimpole Street” at the cinema, followed by their previously arranged “blind date” on Feb 24th. They courted seriously and one night, Paddy told her what he wanted in a woman, to which Maureen asked “Is that a proposal?” Paddy’s response was “Yes, if that’s they way you take it!” They became engaged on May 16th, Maureen’s birthday, and were married on April 7th of the following year, 1958, at the Durban Cathedral by Fr. McGrath. Throughout their courtship, Paddy stayed at Brother Philip Kairuz’ apartment, to be closer to Maureen who stayed in Red Hill. Paddy and Maureen had 6 children over the years, 3 sons and 3 daughters, followed by 4 grandchildren.
During his years with the Knights of Da Gama (Council 1, Council 22, Council 25), Paddy hardly ever missed a meeting or a social. He served as MFD, MSD, BCH and Deputy Grand Knight, as well as 3 terms as Grand Knight, and one year of Regional Grand Knight, after which he stood down.
After 10 years at Stanley Motors, Brother Knight Tommy Le Breton approached Paddy to become his Workshop Manager at G.M.S. Transport, where he stayed for 22 dedicated years. He retired early when Barlows bought out the company. Paddy’s love of cars and his interest in fixing them for friends and colleagues ensured that he had a “job” from home during his retirement for the next 12 years. In the year 2000, Paddy and Maureen began working for St. Vincent de Paul’s Our Lady of Perpetual Help Conference, ordering, packing and delivering packages for conferences to distribute to the poor. After selling their family home in Montclair of 40 years, and celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary, Paddy and Maureen moved into Ozanam House to become the caretakers, and to dedicate their time to managing, stock-keeping, packaging and distributing parcels to the greater Durban area conferences. Having been members of Council 22 since 2000, Paddy and Maureen joined Council 25 in their new location, where Maureen delighted in the company of the Ladies of the Council, and enjoyed the home masses.
Paddy’s involvement with, and dedication to, the St. Vincent de Paul Society spans 59 years, a record which was recognized and acknowledged by the society during his farewell at his old Parish in Montclair. Furthermore, Paddy’s dedication to the poor was officially recognized by the Vatican this year, with the award of a Benemerenti Papal Medal, to be conferred on him in the U.S. where he now resides. Paddy would like to thank the influence of mentors such as Dick Steele, Mike Maidment, Bob Moore and his beloved Maureen in acknowledgement of this honour - without their help, his work would not have been possible. Paddy lost his soul-mate unexpectedly in 2010, and with the progression of his arthritis, has struggled to maintain the level of help to others to which he was accustomed. He has had to leave SA to move in with his daughter and son-in-law in the USA, to be taken care of. He has made contact with the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus at the St. Matthew’s parish in Limerick, Maine.
In 2013 he was awarded the Papal Medal: Benemerenti
[245] Mechanic
[NF79] Emmanual Cathedral with Fr. McGrath
[241] [S130] Patrick Broderick
[242] [S130] Patrick Broderick