Influential Melville Man Acknowledged

Sir Graham Laycock, who died from a massive heart attack while working in Thailand in 2006, operated out of Garden City Medical Centre. He and now-widow Lady Peggy Laycock were City of Melville residents for more than 50 years. Sir Laycock wrote a book in draft form prior to his death, which Peggy has since had completed. The book – titled What Colour Is The Wind: The Graham Laycock Story 1937-2006 – can be purchased at Dymocks Garden City or Koorong Books in East Perth.

The official book launch is to be held on Friday, 20 March at the Association for the Blind, however, Peggy felt it would be appropriate to present Mayor Aubrey with a personal copy of the book, as Sir Laycock was considered by some as “a Melville icon”.

Peggy said the book was essentially an autobiography, which her husband had spent about two years writing. “Graham was blind as a result of an accident that occurred when he was just nine years old,” she said. “He first attended Maylands School for the Blind and later Perth Boys’ – where he gained honours in a few subjects. He went to London aged 17 to follow his passion of studying physiotherapy. We met in London at the hospital where I was nursing. Graham’s three passions were physiotherapy, motivational speaking and preaching.”

Peggy said her husband had started out as a physiotherapist in St George’s Terrace in 1961, and was also the South Fremantle Football Club’s physiotherapist for 10 years. “He ran his own successful physiotherapy practice for nearly 50 years, with most of that time spent at Garden City. He cared for blind people in developing countries and was knighted for his humanity services to the underprivileged. He taught blind masseur students in six developing countries skills of self-esteem and self-worth, simple business procedures and safe techniques that enabled them to bring pain relief to their patients. Graham encouraged other blind people to do what he did, which was to live in a sighted world, although blind,” she said.

Mayor Russell Aubrey said he was honoured to accept a copy of the book from Peggy. “Graham Laycock was an inspiring, hard-working man who was popular and highly regarded in the local community. It is testament to both his and Peggy’s dedication that even after Sir Laycock’s death a work by him has come to fruition,” he said.