Mineral and Rock Deformation – Laboratory Studies V36 (The Paterson Volume)

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 36 (The Paterson Volume).

Born on March 7, 1925 at Booleroo, South Australia, Mervyn Paterson's childhood revolved around life on the family farm. His father was a methodist lay preacher and the local church with its practices was part of his early experiences--it is rare nowadays for people to attend church services four times on Sunday! His early life contrasted markedly with Maginnis Magee of Australian bush fame, whom the namesake poet A. B. Paterson described so colorfully in A Bush Christening: "On the outer Barcoo where the churches are a few, And men of religion are scanty". Mervyn's early sharing of the beauties of nature developed, no doubt, during those peaceful moments as he rode his horse to the local bush school. Such interests continue to this day with his frequent treks from his home in the suburb of Aranda to the lab through the picturesque, relatively unspoilt forest that adorns Black Mountain in Canberra. Mervyn grew up with a respect for nature tempered by an experiential awareness of its hazards as in 1939 he drove with his father through one of those horrendous, nightmarish bushfires that periodically sweep through the Australia bush-land, as they transferred the family possessions from one farm to another.