Christopher Bennett

Memoir Reflections

Chris Bennett

Roy Boy at Gertie’s Gallery

Paul Bourke of Gertie’s Gallery and Christopher Bennett, author of Roy Boy, are delighted to announce a joint event at the gallery on 17th February. Come along to browse Craig McGee’s photographic exhibition, The Silent Shops, displaying photos of Fitzroy in the early 1980s, and hear some of Christopher Bennett’s stories from his memoir – Roy Boy -about growing up in the working class suburb of Fitzroy during the 1950s and 1960s.

Where: Gertie’s Gallery, 247 Gertrude Street Fitzroy (near Smith Street)
When:  Saturday 17th February, 1.00pm-4.00pm
Presentations by Chris Bennett 1.30-2.00pm and 3.00pm-3.30pm

One of the photograph’s in the exhibition is a 1980 photo of Kon’s fish shop located in Brunswick Street, near Kerr Street in Fitzroy. He was my father and with my mother Menka, ran the fish shop between 1948-1981.

Memoir: Roy Boy

Roy Boy is the compelling story of Christopher Bennett who was born and raised in the working-class suburb of Fitzroy in the 1950s and 1960s. In those days it was considered a slum area and the close-knit community had more than its fair share of ratbags, drunks and crooks. A cheeky and boisterous kid of migrant parents, Chris roamed the streets and nearby haunts for fun and adventure and found much more than he bargained for – including trouble with authorities and exile from his home and family.

“I haven’t read a book in years but read yours in four days. I could smell the smells and felt the feelings I had back in time’.
Nick Ranieri

Listen to the author reading Chapter 1 of Roy Boy at his book launch on 31 May 2023:

Purchase your copy here

Roy Boy is also available in book stores world wide including the Royal Historical Society of Victoria.
The Roy Boy Kindle ebook is available on Amazon and the ePub ebook is available here in my store. Choose the one that is suitable for your e-book reader.

Roy Boy Book Launch

Great turnout for my Roy Boy memoir launch last Wednesday night. It was very enjoyable to do the presentation and catch up with all the Roy Boys and Roy Girls from past and present day Fitzroy.

Because of the interest in Roy Boy, both locally and internationally, I’m planning a Zoom launch in the next few weeks. I’ll let everyone know the date and time soon. Again, thanks to all those who turned up to the North Fitzroy library book launch the other night to help celebrate and reminisce about the ‘good old days’

Update: Roy Boy – The Memoir


First copy of Roy Boy. My memoir about growing up in the working class suburb of Fitzroy during the 1950s and 1960s, of migrant parents.

Roy Boy – The Memoir

It’s All Happening.
– My book launch at North Fitzroy Library on the 31st May is booked out.
– The memoir will be available for purchase on the night of the launch for those attending the launch. For others it will be available on my website after the launch
– The pull up banner (2m high) has been professionally designed and I’m about to get it printed
– Ordered a batch of books to be printed – I ordered double the amount I planned because of the current strong interest in the memoir, both locally and internationally.

I was hoping to put my feet up after all this but no rest for the wicked. I’ve already outlined my second memoir!

Book Launch

I’m currently organising a book launch date and location for my memoir.

I’ll let everyone know when and where once I have confirmation.

This is the last lap of the marathon of writing a memoir over eleven years.

The next marathon is marketing and selling the book!