Mrs. Rene Horwood's Letter
"I do remember you Ossie and I remember the other boys, and as far as I'm concerned there was only 6 that Tom taught. You Ossie & Elaine, Keith Davis, Nigel Love, Romney Smeeton, Kevin Neave and Kevin Ryan.
Keith Davis has always been a good friend of mine. He's a brother of Elaine Love's and the Love's I'll never forget because all the time Tom was hospitalised over the last 4 years, Nigel used to pick me up and take me to the hospital, because towards the end with Tom being deaf and not being able to wear his hearing aid, I was his only means of communication. He could lip read me but not easily lip read others.
None of these wanted to teach, they all wanted to do their own things and they were all able to increase their own clinics. Keith doubled his and so did Romney and Kevin Neave. He was another one in Melbourne who was very good to us all.
I'll never forget one day, visiting Tom, that was after he had his second leg off. He wasn't wearing his hearing aid and we were all very emotional and I think Tom knew too, because he died three weeks after he had his second leg off. From memory, Nigel Love must have been there, and I think Mrs Love must have been there too, because they used always pick me up and take me to hospital, then take me home for tea. Ossie & Elaine were there.
Ossie had hold of one of Tom's hands and I had hold of the other, and Ossie said "this might be our last visit Tom, but I want to promise you something before I go. Before I die, I promise you, your name will be known around the world". I looked at Tom and said "Did you understand what he said?". He shook his head no. So I repeated what Ossie had said. He put his other hand out and took Ossie's other hand and said "Thank you son. I'm very glad. I would have liked a little longer, but I know you will carry on my work". However, Tom had asked you long before that to teach.
Don't you remember Ossie you were very emotional when he said "Thank you son"? You couldn't answer and I lip read back to him and said, "Right Tom at last you've got your wish, you've aksed all the boys would they carry on, now you've got your wish with Ossie & Elaine". After we left the hospital, do you remember Ossie I thanked you when we were going down in the lift, for giving Tom his final wish to teach his work.
We talked about you taking his name aound the world, there was one thing I asked you - could you do me a favour because Barry was one of my favourites and he was living in Sydney. If I give you Barry's address when we get home will you promise me before you do anything you'll talk it over with him?
You talked it over with Barry and there's only one thing you told Barry that you want to do, and that's honour Tom. You said "Icould do anything I like with this work but I will always honour Tom as being the founder of this work" and that's what I've always done. And that's what I did. And I said to him "What about the other members of your family?" and he just said, "Don't worry about them, they are being looked after".
Ossie, you had asked Tom earlier, "What about the family taking this on?" and he said "None of them are interested in it",he said "The women folk are not interested in it at all, he said "I wished Barry would have taken it on" he said "But he wants to be a musician. I'd like you to teach it. But I don't want you to teach it until after I die."
I can remember Tom saying to you, that this was his wish. Even me, I was under an oath never to get hot fingers and do any manipulation in spite of all I'd learnt and taught him too. I showed Tom a lot of moves that he did. I showed him the frozen shoulder move. And I can tell you Ossie, I don't know whether you ever heard how the frozen shoulder got the name. Because we did a butcher that was carrying frozen carcasses from the cool room to the shop. That's how the frozen shoulder got its name.
I remember when Ossie & Elaine started, they got the opportunity after they put their girl through medical school. They were invited to America to demonstrate the Bowen Technique and that was the beginning of Ossie's promise to Tom to make his name known around the world."