The Bank Robber’s Boy is the against-all-odds story of Peter Norris, the son of one of Australia’s most wanted criminals, and his struggle to escape his father’s shadow.
Clarence ‘Clarry’ Norris, was a bank robber who outfoxed the law for two decades. From Sydney’s sun-drenched harbour to Melbourne’s shadowy streets, he pocketed millions between 1965 and 1985, leaving chaos in his wake.
Clarry wasn’t just notorious for his robberies, he was legendary for his escapes. One of the first to bust out of Sydney’s Long Bay Jail, he turned dodging the police into a specialty.
For years, Peter and his siblings were unwitting accomplices, dragged along in the cross-country crime spree.
Theirs was a family living outside regular society, Peter just a little kid, the youngest of four, who struggled to make sense of his home environment. Many terrifying people and events were treated as normal.
The Bank Robber’s Boy is Peter’s extraordinary story. His harrowing childhood and the long journey to break free from his father’s criminal shadow, while also coming to terms with the love and loyalty he felt, both from and for his dad. This memoir makes a powerful contribution to the Australian true crime genre.
“Yeah, he was once Australia’s Most Wanted – no escaping that – but that’s also the same man who showed me what it means to love and be loved, no matter what.” – Peter Norris
When foster care couldn’t be found, Peter was separated from his siblings and sent to Baltara Reception Centre in Melbourne, a specialised facility for boys aged 10 to 15 as well as a remand centre. There he suffered abuse as a state ward of Victoria, a case which Peter recently settled.
Throughout it all, Peter’s father would appear, against the odds, and take Peter on the run with him. Until the day when Peter said: ‘No, Dad. No more adventures. I’m sorry’. He stayed with his supportive foster family, the Dullards and knuckled down at school.
Graduating from La Trobe University with a degree in tourism and hospitality, today, he is a CEO running a multimillion-dollar hospitality venue, giving back to the community and fostering children himself.
“I didn’t write this story to glorify Dad or his crimes. This is me saying: I’m more than what I was back then. I’m more than the Bank Robber’s Boy.” – Peter Norris
Peter Norris is not your ordinary CEO. The head of Club Corowa, a multimillion-dollar-venue that employs more than 100 staff, he is also a world-class athlete who’s won bronze in the Obstacle Racing World Championships and two national body building titles.
As a former State Ward, he also provides a safe and secure home for vulnerable children and young people as a dedicated foster carer. In a journey that spans far beyond the boardroom, Peter is living proof of how one man can change his destiny and make a difference; not despite the odds but because of them.
The Bank Robber’s Boy is published by Big Sky Publishing and is available from all leading booksellers including QBD Books.
Image: The Bank Robber’s Boy – courtesy of Big Sky Publishing