Robert Mackenzie Kennedy – Australian AIDS Memorial Quilt panel

Quilt panel, part of Australian AIDS Memorial Quilt in memory of 'William Robert Mackenzie Kennedy', cotton / wool / felt, made by Su Kennedy, New South Wales, Australia, 2002 Rectangular quilt panel, landscape orientation, with a background panel of black upholstery fabric with woven floral pattern. A woollen knitted jumper has been spread flat and attached to the background. The jumper was made before Bill's death, and is made up of various coloured knitted panels. The words 'William', 'Robert'' Mackenzie' 'Kennedy' were added to four panels of the jumper for the quilt panel. Dark red felt panels make 'Bill' on the left and '1919 1986' on the right. This quilt was made by Su Kennedy who described the components of it as follows: The Fabric Choice Dad loved flowers, especially roses. During his middle years he established a garden which featured about seventy different roses. The floral pattern in muted tones reflects his being poised between conservative constraints and instinctive taste for showy pretty things. [He resisted wearing green because he believed it was known to denote homosexuality.] He was unable ever to fully 'come out'. The Jumper I knitted the jumper for Dad a couple of years before he died. He adored it because I'd made it. For the quilt panel his full name William Robert Mackenzie Kennedy is embroidered within the design of the garment. The Felt Lettering He was generally known as Bill [although in the queer world he sometimes used his second name Robert]. The dark red denotes blood - the blood tie with me, the quilt maker; and the association with AIDS This quilt is in memory of William Robert Mackenzie Kennedy, (b 1.12. 1919 d 27.12.1986). He was born William Robert Mackenzie Kennedy 1 December 1919 and lived the majority of his life on a cattle property Glencoe in the Upper Hunter region of New South Wales. He had twin older sisters and a younger sister. Both of his parents died before he reached teen years and he was placed under a guardian, his mother's brother. He received local primary schooling and secondary schooling at private boarding schools. He had an excellent brain but did not pursue tertiary education. He would have been required to return to the farm to eventually take ownership and management. During World War II he enlisted in the RAAF and trained to become a pilot, reaching Flight Lieutenant rank. He became an instructor of trainee pilots. Late in the War he saw active service flying transport planes and was one of the first to fly over the devastated Nagasaki after the atomic bomb was dropped. He loved flying and earned an adventuresome reputation. He was one of the few who have flown under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. After WWII he married a local girl Irene who already had a son and daughter. They added a son and daughter. He was not an affectionate partner or father but saw to the health, education and material needs of the children to adulthood. He held genuine regard for Irene but they were not compatible and clashed frequently. In the late 1950s Bill was elected to the Scone Shire Council and served more than twenty years, about half that time as Shire President. Bill loved his cattle and took pride in developing a quality Hereford stud. He entered steers in competitions; his ultimate success being champion carcass in the Smithfield Market show in London. Eventually he started experimental breeding introducing European breeds to his herd by artificial insemination. In the early 70s he divorced, sold most of the cattle property and moved to Sydney. He took to share trading with great enthusiasm [he had always liked a gamble]. He joined the ALP and enjoyed expressing his left wing views. He became a regular counselling volunteer at the Wayside Chapel drop-in centre. In these later years, Dad became an avid jogger, entering the City to Surf each year until his death. He indulged heavily in the [at that time] illicit gay scene, enjoying bars, bath houses, and making occasional diary references to police raids and arrests. Throughout his life Bill maintained strong interest in the sciences, especially astronomy and space exploration. He never realised his fantasy of travelling to the moon. He also loved a wide range of music, country to rock, pop and popular classics. He enjoyed live concerts. Most years he would travel, usually overseas, always with a camera in hand.