I was born early in 1938 in 17 Allison Rd, Kensington, an inner suburb of Sydney, the eldest son of Dally Messenger and Dorothy nee Davidson.

My antecedents on my father’s side is well recorded elsewhere. My great grandfather migrated to Australia in the 1870s as a land of opportunity. 

On my mother’s side: her father, William Carruthers Davidson,  was born in Glasgow, Scotland, ca1877. He came to Australia, when he was 17 years of age and worked all his life in the NSW Railways. His mother was a Lauder – possibly related to the renowned Scottish singer, Harry Lauder.

My grandmother was a Doyle  – an Irish stream which is traceable back to a convict.

My earliest memory is of the family home at 6 Henley St, Drummoyne. (Schools: St Mark’s Drummoyne, and Christian Brothers Rozelle).

1938 -Birth

1945- (6)- Grade 2 St Marks, Drummoyne.

1946 (7) – Grade 3 – Christian Bros, Rozelle (3 Months?) – Schools in Leura?

1947 (9) – Leura Public School 

1948 (10) Clairveaux. Katoomba

1949 (11) Clairveaux, Katoomba (Bro Malachi)

1950 St Canice’s. Katoomba (Bro Dermott)

1951 St Bernard’s Katoomba (Bro Mark)

1952 St Bernard’s Katoomba (Brother Anthony)

1953 Marist Brothers, Parramatta (Brother Lawrence)

1954 ANZ Bank, Parramatta Delicacies, Easons Frozen Foods, Glover’s Cakes, Windmill Biscuits).

1959 – (21)  St Columba’s College, Springwood1960-1961-1962

1963 -(25) entered St Patrick’s Manly. NSW 

1964 (STB) 1965 – Sacrae Baccalaureus Theologiae at St Patrick’s , Manly

1966 (ordained)

1967 – Parishes of Lochinvar and Maitland. (Fr Gerard Flatley)

1968 – Muswellbrook (on leave) (Fr Rod and Fr Fitzgerald)

1968 – December 23 – Genevieve Born

1969  -1975 – Haileybury College. 

1970 – Natasha May, second daughter, born in Springvale Hospital (Sept 2)

1972 – Julia Helen, third daughter, Born at Springvale Hospital, (Oct 6)

1974 – appointed Civil Marriage Celebrant

1976 – St Leonards (Librarianship @ Melbourne State College)

1977 – Full time Marriage Celebrant (with Doug Stephens at Moorabin Golf Club)

1980 – Sept — Dance Australia

1990 Finished at Dance Australia then sold to Yaffa. Resumed Celebrancy.

1994- founded and elected President of the Australian Federation of Civil Celebrants

1995 – Established the International College of Celebrancy

2003 (65) – December 3 – Fully purchased 504/80 Lorimer St, Docklands

2005 (67) – (August) I married Remi Barclay Bosseau at the Monash Centre

2012 (74) – Finished writing “Murphy’s Law and the Pursuit of Happiness”