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2002 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc

 

Council plans Milligan events

 

Gosford Council is to establish a committee to investigate possible events to recognise and celebrate the life of Spike Milligan, including an annual comedy festival.

Expressions of interest are invited from the community, closing on April 14.

In addition, the meeting room at the Woy Woy library is to be named after Spike Milligan.

In 1999 the Council resolved that the Woy Woy Library would be renamed the Spike Milligan (Woy Woy) Library.

After canvassing the community and getting a positive response, Mr Milligan was contacted and agreed to the proposal.

A short time later, Council received a petition and on the basis of that resolved to rename the library The Woy Woy Branch Library.

The council sent a letter to Mr Milligan advising him that the library was being renamed and that a special area in the library would be named after him instead.

Spike Milligan was born in 1918 in India.

His parents came to Australia in the 1940s and finally settled at Woy Woy, both parents lived at Woy Woy until they died.

Milligan was a renowned author, playwright, humorist and actor, best known as a member of The Goons radio program

He wrote nearly 100 books and received a lifetime achievement award in 1994 from the British Comedy Awards and in 1992 received an honorary CBE

He left Woy Woy as a young man to develop his career in England, but came back often to Woy Woy to visit his parents.

Mr Milligan put Woy Woy on the international map, using the area as the basis for his comedy.

Council agenda MM.005, March 5