▁Louise ▁() ▁and ▁Regin ald ▁Thomas ▁Lyn ch . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁f itter . ▁Lyn ch ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁sub urb ▁of ▁K ew ▁and ▁attended ▁Catholic ▁schools , ▁initially ▁a ▁Mar ist ▁Brothers ▁school ▁in ▁Haw th orn ▁and ▁then ▁X avier ▁College . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁study ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Melbourne , ▁gradu ating ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁and ▁a ▁di pl oma ▁in ▁education ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁student ▁politics , ▁and ▁campaign ed ▁against ▁the ▁White ▁Australia ▁policy . ▁After ▁gradu ating , ▁Lyn ch ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁school te acher ▁for ▁about ▁a ▁year , ▁mostly ▁at ▁Col ling wood ▁Techn ical ▁School . ▁He ▁then ▁joined ▁Man power ▁( Austral ia ) ▁P ty ▁Ltd , ▁a ▁management ▁consult ing ▁firm ▁of ▁which ▁he ▁eventually ▁became ▁man aging ▁director . ▁He ▁married ▁Le ah ▁Brig id ▁O ' To ole ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁would ▁have ▁three ▁sons . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁in ▁politics ▁As ▁a ▁university ▁student , ▁Lyn ch ▁considered ▁joining ▁the ▁Australian ▁Labor ▁Party , ▁but ▁was ▁al ien ated ▁by ▁the ▁party ' s ▁left ▁wing . ▁His ▁decision ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁was ▁unusual ▁for ▁someone ▁from ▁a ▁working - class ▁Catholic ▁background , ▁and ▁throughout ▁his ▁career ▁he ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁party ' s ▁few ▁Catholic ▁MP s . ▁Lyn ch ▁first ▁stood