Patrick Joseph Ogilvie was born in 1925 to David Petrie Ogilvie and Madeline (nee McCaffery). His parents ran and owned open-air picture theatres in south-east Qld towns, one of which was Rosewood. Patrick watched his mother covering lampshades which stood him in good stead when he later worked with wire and tulle. At age 11 he was engaged professionally as a tap dancer at the Theatre Royal and was billed as Brisbane’s Fred Astaire. For almost fifty years Ogilvie designed hats for Queensland’s best-dressed women. He made hats as a hobby while working until at age 21 he left his accountancy position with the State Education Dept, Treasury Building, Brisbane and trained in Sydney by milliner Margot Macrae, and then worked for Valda Normoyle, milliner and couturier, of Sydney. He began his own millinery business in Brisbane in 1947. His maternal aunts, the proprietors of Greddens’ women’s shop in Queen St, gave him the use of a room behind their factory in Elizabeth Street where he operated from one room for both manufacturing and retail. Within a year had moved from a back room in Elizabeth St to fashionable Rowe’s Arcade. Eventually he had 38 staff and occupied the entire third floor of Rowe’s Arcade building (he designed the décor). Has spent his entire career in Brisbane and his clients came from all over Queensland, including many from the west. One of his first clients was Mrs Ben. Cochrane of Lachern, Longreach; eventually he had a large western Queensland clientele. They could be assured of hats of superior design and craftsmanship, tailored to meet their needs, yet up-to-date with world trends. Above all Ogilvie hats matched the personalities of their wearers, for each hat was a one-off. Ogilvie had a fine eye and was a genius for conceptual design. Some clients placed orders for ten or more hats a year. In 1955 Ogilvie married nurse Antoinette Robson (or Ross?) and had four children. Closed the Rowe’s Arcade premises c. 1972, when hats no longer a viable proposition, and moved to his present dress shop at Indooroopilly Shoppingtown. One of his best clients was Mrs Olive Kratzsmann. Until the demand for hats declined in the early 1970s, Ogilvie hats were among Queensland’s most prized accessories. In 1992 he made a number of hats for a client of 3O years’ standing, Leneen Forde, when she became Queensland’s first female governor.
Most of the photographs that Mr Ogilvie has lent for copying by the Museum were taken by Harry Freeman, fashion photographer of the Courier Mail , and should not be reproduced without the newspaper’s permission. His wife, Antoinette, and daughter, Dominique, feature in many of these photographs.
The QM (library) has an oral history of Patrick Ogilvie, recorded by historian Sue Pechey.
Information from Judith McKay in an interview with Patrick Ogilvie on 3 June 1992.

Bibliography: ---------------
Courier Mail, p.17, Thurs., 18th July, 1963. “Began career in accountancy..now he’s our leading milliner”, “from a small beginning with a capital of six pounds, a borrowed corner in a fashion workroom and a staff of one (himself), Mr Ogilvie has gone on to build up a business which includes a beautiful period salon, etc etc and an Australian-wide reputation for elegant, beautifully finished individual hats.” Two photos of models wearing hats, one of the photos being of Patrick Ogilvie’s wife…

Sunday Truth, l6th July, 1967, p.49 - four photos of a model wearing Ogilvie headwear

Australian, 4th June, 1997 ,Obituary, “Stylish hatter with a head for business”, article by Mark McGinness, a Sydney-based writer, on Patrick Ogilvie, with photo. - PATRICK OGILVIE, born ROSEWOOD, Qld, 13th May, 1925, Died Brisbane, 29th April, 1997, aged 71.

Courier Mail, Wed, 7th July, 1965- p.16 – four photos 4-year old Dominique Ogilvie wearing four of his creations..

Sunday Truth 3rd August, 1969 p.81 - photo Mrs Toni Ogilvie of Chapel Hill

Undated article from newspaper - Coronation year – 1953 or 1954
“A Winter Collection by Ogilvie”, showing at a morning tea at the Mater Hospital yesterday – morning tea held to defray expenses for Mater Coronation Ball at Cloudland on lst June. - four photos .




Courier Mail – no date - Funeral notice - Patrick Joseph Ogilvie , deeply loved husband of Antoinette, father of Brent, Mitchell, Dominique and Sarah… brother of James, Maxine and John.
Died 29th April, 1997 – private service St Ignatius Church, Toowong,30th April.

Sunday Mail, 7th November, 1999 p. 27 – article on Mitchell Ogilvie, menswear retailer., son of Patrick.

Courier Mail Wed., 4th November, 1959 p.17– “Brisbane was top in fashion at the Cup.” (Patience Thoms at Melbourne Cup yesterday) – One of the day’s fashion highlights was the finely pin-tucked bell-topper trimmed with delicately ruched taffeta worn by Mrs Patrick Ogilvie of Taringa who was attending her first Melbourne Cup…..Mrs Noel Kratzmann… Both women had flown to Melbourne with their husbands.