Frank had TB as a teenager and after several years in Waipiata Sanatorium went back to Waitaki Boys at the age of 20 to get UE. By then he was a tubby lad and had to wear short pants and full school uniform! Drove his fathers large Ford car as often as he could...He had an Art master at Waitaki who was impressed by his talent and encouraged his desire to go to Art School. This he was able to do when he turned 21 as a mature student. I believe he got top marks at the end of his first year. During 1952 when i was in England he had an accident on his motor bike when he had severe brain and foot injuries. This left him with eye focus difficulties and on going pain in his foot even though he had had several operation on it in Oamaru hospital after the accident. Finally had bone, old sock and shoe leather removed from the site in Christchurch hospital. I suspect during this time he could have developed a pain killer addiction for a while. Whatever, he lost the urge to go on with his Fine Arts Degree, and i don't think he did much at Uni. When we got engaged in 1953 he took a job with a firm doing glass etching which was a fashion at that stage especially front doors and mirrors etc. I think he may have done a mural for a pub in Christchurch. The owner of the business wanted Frank to go into partnership or something. However, we had decided to get married in September, Father Glass had always told him there was a place in the Firm for him and we went to live in Oamaru. Apart from a few unfinished
still lifes of the Meakenware crockery I don't recall him painting anything much then. he wore glasses from then on - optician didn't think he needed them for sight but if the headaches were more comfortable to go ahead. Nothing much known then about head injuries or relieving pressure from the brain. Also at this time we had several Curates at St Lukes who became friends and had many discussions which led to Frank studying Theology and finally feeling he had a Calling. Any free time ha had was spent on house painting for some extra cash and painting and drawings got an outlet in Sermons and teaching.

Sir Mountford Tosswill "Toss" Woollaston (1910-1998) was one of the most important New Zealand painters of the 20th century.
Born in Toko, Taranaki on April 11, 1910, Woollaston studied art at the Canterbury School of Art in Christchurch. He became interested in modernism after moving to Dunedin to study with R N Field.
In 1934 he settled at Mapua, near Nelson, and married Edith Alexander two years later. They became part of a circle of local artists and writers which including Colin McCahon. After World War II the Woollastons moved to Greymouth, and the landscape of the West Coast became a major feature in his art.
It was only from the 1960s that Woollaston was able to paint full-time; previously he had taken numerous part time jobs to support himself and his family.
As well as painting, Woollaston wrote, poetry in particular having been a lifelong passion. His books included The Far-away Hills in 1960, and Sage Tea (his autobiography) in 1980. He was made a Knight Bachelor in 1979.
Woollaston died in Upper Moutere on August 30, 1998.
His son Philip Woollaston was the (Labour) Member of Parliament for Nelson from 1981 to 1990.