Scotch College

1930s

David Young (’37) is now living in historic Beechworth with his wife Deidre. In his retirement David has become an avid gardener, with many flourishing citrus trees and a much-tended vegetable patch. David has also become quite a hand at woodworking, making the most amazing articulated toys.

1950s

Peter Wigley (’54) retired in December 2004, after working in project management for 30 years with various affiliates of ExxonMobil Chemical Company in the US, Canada, Europe and the Far East. But it took just one month for Peter to become bored with retirement, so he became a consultant, initially in Houston, Texas. He is currently working in Antwerp, Belgium but will go back to South-East Asia in the new year. Peter’s wife Eva maintains the family home in Milan, Italy, and son Raphael is a currency trader in London.

Veteran athlete Don Chambers (’55) returned from overseas with a swag of veterans’ athletics medals won in Canada, the USA, England and Italy. The photo shows Don at the South East Counties veterans’ meeting at Kingston-on-Thames, near London, competing in the final of the 100m for the 70–74 age group. He finished a most successful meeting with six medals – five gold and one silver.

In the World Masters Athletics Championships at Riccione in Italy during September, he was part of the silver medal winning 4 x 400m relay team. Don competed in the Australasian Masters Games in Adelaide during October, and won six gold, seven silver and one bronze medal in a variety of events. The highlight was breaking the Australian record in the 80m hurdles (70–74 age group), in a time of 14.14 seconds.

Don told Great Scot he schedules his overseas athletics endeavours to coincide with his work as National Chair of Keep Australia Beautiful. ‘This month I’m visiting the USA, England and Ireland to learn more about anti-litter activities in those countries, as well as sharing our knowledge with them. I won’t be competing during this trip, but I will be keeping fit for competitions in Australia after Christmas.’

Film director and producer, Mike Rubbo (’56) has developed a vigorous career as a filmmaker and teacher, and recently made a film posing the question ‘who really wrote Shakespeare?’. He has been active in showing communities how they can make their own feature films economically, and has worked for 25 years at the National Film Board of Canada, directing over 40 documentaries. Another project involves helping 107-year-old Olive Riley, claimed to be the world’s oldest blogger, to maintain her blog, aiming he says, ‘to empower older people to use this liberating new technology’.

David Cowper (’56) is living at Sutton Coldfield near Birmingham in the UK. He has lived in the Birmingham area with his wife Lorraine and daughter Luisa since leaving Melbourne 14 years ago. David has made a wonderful contribution to cricket in the area though his coaching and administration skills. He is currently the county under 17 manager at Warwickshire, and also does one-on-one coaching at the Edgbaston Cricket Centre, which is located at the famous test and county ground. Outside cricket his other passion is golf, and he plays off a handicap of six at the Walsall Golf Club. 

David and Lorraine are very proud of their daughter Luisa, who has recently returned to the UK from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Georgia, USA after completing a health science degree. Luisa also had an outstanding record as a tennis player on the US collegiate tennis circuit, winning many awards and accolades. She has just started as a tennis coach at a Dennis Lloyd tennis centre in their area.  

Bob Cowper (’58) is still living in Monaco with his wife Dale, and has business interests in both Monaco and London. Bob and Dale travel regularly, and are now spending more time in Australia catching up with family and friends. They particularly enjoy coming to Merimbula each summer to spend time with their children and grandchildren. They also see Bob’s mother, Connie, and brother Trevor (’53) and his family in Melbourne. Former Test cricketer Bob’s sporting pursuits these days are golf and an occasional game of tennis.

1960s

Gary Edwards (’60) has been granted membership of the Order of International Fellowship, an organisation formed in 2007 to promote fellowship between people of all races, creeds, colours and religions, worldwide. According to a report in the Progress Leader newspaper, Gary said the promotion came ‘out of the blue’. But the paper pointed out that Gary has made many contributions to architecture over a 45-year career, including designing hospitals across Australia and around the world. In 1995 he received the inaugural Royal Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Chapter President’s Award for his outstanding contribution to architecture.

Jim Freemantle (’60) is the head of the new Liquor Commission in WA, which is aiming to reinvigorate Perth’s city centre under a new set of licensing laws. When he began in his new position earlier this year, Jim said he hoped the new commission would deliver quicker results, enabling a range of new venues to open in Perth’s CBD, catering to varying age groups.

An outstanding contribution to the engineering profession over many years has earned John Woodside (’60) the John Connell Gold Medal. The award recipient must be, or have been, an eminent structural engineer, and John fits that bill precisely. He was a highly respected principal of engineering firm Connell Wagner for many years, and in particular has made a significant contribution to earthquake design and concrete design in Australia. He has also been a great mentor for young engineers.

Ian Watkins (’61) has been a captain with Qantas for 42 years, and currently flies the Airbus A330 on the China and Japan routes. Based in Sydney, Ian is married with three children and eight grandchildren.

Professor Stuart McIntyre (’64) is currently Chair of Australian Studies at Harvard University in the USA. The Chair was established in 1976 as a gift from the Australian Government to the American people, to mark the American Bicentennial. Stuart McIntyre is one of Australia’s most influential historians, and took up the Harvard position previously held by such public figures as Manning Clark, Gough Whitlam, Geoffrey Blainey and Leonie Kramer. Stuart is a prolific author, whose books include A Concise History of Australia (2004), The History Wars (2003) and The Historian’s Conscience (2004).

1970s

One of Australia’s leading equine veterinarians, Glenn Robertson-Smith (’73) strongly advocates the use of vaccination to control equine influenza, the non-fatal illness which hit Australia in August, and affected the racing industry during the spring carnival and beyond. Writing in The Age in September, Glenn said: ‘History will judge how well or badly the state and federal governments have handled the outbreak of equine influenza in Australia … While there are arguments against vaccination, there are plenty for vaccination … There would be little to be gained by delaying EI vaccination until the disease is raging across Victoria’.

Russell Crow (’74) received a Bravery Medal from the Governor General during August, for saving the lives of three children caught in a burning tent at Killarney, near Warrnambool in September last year. Russell first rescued a 15-year-old girl whose clothes were on fire, and then he grabbed her three-year-old sister and extinguished her burning clothing. Finally he rescued the girls’ two-year-old brother, who was rolled up in a bundle of burning blankets. Bravery certainly runs in the Crow family: one of Russell’s grandfathers, Robert Crow won a Military Medal for bravery in the field at Pozieres during World War 1; his other grandfather, Norman Tanner (’15) was a member of ‘Z’ Force Commandos; and his uncle Russell (Archie Crow’s brother) was killed during World War II while flying a fighter plane.

Interviewed earlier this year in ‘The Age’ education supplement, Channel 7 journalist and 3AW broadcaster Nick McCallum (’78) confided that he had wanted to be a journalist from an early age, admitting that as editor of Satura at Scotch, he spent more time on the newspaper than on school work. ‘News was so much more interesting than maths,’ he said. He also told the paper that his mother used to proudly tell her friends that Nick came second in the School in Year 12 Latin, ‘but neglected to say there were only two in the class’.

1980s

Chris Warren-Smith (’83) has recently joined US firm law firm Fulbright and Jaworski in London. He joins Fulbrights as the head of its international financial services disputes practice. Chris was formerly a partner at Barlow Lyde and Gilbert, heading its financial services regulatory team. A very experienced lawyer in this field, Chris worked on the Barings Bank collapse. He lives in Berkshire and enjoys the rural life with his wife Fi and children Mia, Max and Laura at their property at Tidmarsh. Chris still keeps fit running to the office from his apartment in Paddington, as well as the occasional game of cricket. Prior to moving to London he played cricket with Melbourne University and Ivanhoe Cricket Clubs.

 

Alex Findlay (’84) is back in Melbourne with his new wife Aminata after teaching in Kenya. The couple’s wedding was celebrated at a garden ceremony in Nairobi and also three weeks later at Wattle Park Chapel in Melbourne. Alex reported that before leaving Kenya he met David Pearce (’96) at a charity/social cricket match played in the northern frontier district of Kenya. (See ‘What they’re doing now’ in the September issue of Great Scot for a report on David’s missionary aviation activities in Kenya.) Alex said he and David were among about seven Australians playing in the game. ‘He smote the bowling to all parts with some elegance, but with enough vigour to stiffen his back, disabling him from his missionary aviation for a short time. But he continues to represent us all well in Kenya!’

Andrew Barta (’85) and his wife Cathryn are the proud parents of a son, Cameron Luke, born on 15 July.

After leaving Scotch, James Laws (‘85) went jackerooing for two years at one of Australia’s most famous merino studs, ‘Haddon Rig’, before coming home to help manage his family’s large agricultural holdings. He currently owns and runs two large grazing properties in the southern tablelands of New South Wales, which at their height used to shear 100,000 sheep. During this time he also spent four years as a councillor on the then Crookwell Shire Council. James’ vast agricultural experience has stood him in good stead, enabling him to expand his business interests and form Webster Nolan Real Estate and Prestige Property Investments, operating in Sydney. He plans to expand soon into the Victorian property market.

Richard Mann (’85) and his wife Saran have welcomed a son, Lochlan Whitford, born on 5 September.

Anaesthetist Dr Geoff Steele (’85) spent two weeks in Bangladesh earlier this year, joining three other medical specialists and three nurses, all from Australia. All the personnel volunteered their services to help in plastic and reconstructive surgery. The teams completed more than 70 operations, treating burns victims and children born with cleft lips and palates.

Peter Tingate (’85) reports that OSCA was well represented in this year’s Melbourne Marathon. Brett Langley (’84), James Cain (’84) and Peter himself competed in their first marathons, covering the 42.195km return journey from the MCG to Sandringham in 3 hours 19 minutes 40 seconds and 3:39:01 respectively. ‘Also sighted on the course were Scott Montgomery and David Leeton (both ’85), but I am not sure of their times,’ Peter said.

Will Robinson (’89), a resources industry commerce and financial specialist, is the managing director of uranium explorer Encounter Resources. Encounter controls a portfolio of more than 6,000 square kilometres of highly prospective land, mainly in WA. Encounter floated as a public company in March 2006.

1990s

Mark Donaldson (’90) and his wife Tine are the proud parents of a son, Finn Erik Gordon, born on 6 September.

The Association of Consulting Surveyors (Victoria) has presented Bradley Aujard (’92) with the Peter Davies Award as the year’s top student in his Bachelor of Applied Science, Surveying course. Bradley received a plaque and a cheque for $300.

Cameron Smith (’93) and Julie are over the moon at the arrival of their daughter and first child, Emily June, born on 4 August. Also proud are great-grandfather Bill Smith (’39), grandfather Russ Smith (’66) and great uncle Rob Smith (’64).

Stuart Spiden (’94) and his wife Cath have welcomed twin daughters, Millie and Hariette, born on 21 September.

Andrew Crow (’95) and his wife Megan happily welcome their new daughter, Hannah Lynnette, born on 17 October.

Simon Hosking (’97) has been in London for two years, and is enjoying life there. He lives at Clapham and works with Barclays Capital, located at Canary Wharf. Simon enjoys being involved in the international banking and capital investment field, which he finds very challenging. He has been travelling regularly, and enjoys the easy access to UK and Europe destinations. Simon recently spent time with his parents Ben (’57) and Kris Hosking, guiding them around Portugal and Paris. Other Old Boy friends of Simon in London include Ed Hennessy (’97),  who is working with Morgan Stanley and Andrew Hinshelwood (’97 ) who now works for Sky Digital Media.

2000s

John Feddersen (’00) was awarded his Rhodes Scholarship during November. (See the story in the Old Boys’ section of this issue.)

Alistair McComas (’00) was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria on 18 September.

Thomas Macfadyen (’00) has been based in Sydney for the last nine months as a Management Consultant for Nous Group.

Breaking his neck playing rugby at school turned out to be a good break – in one sense – for Jason Stewart-Hesketh (’03). Jason wore a full neck brace for four months, and had to do weight training to strengthen his neck. He found that he liked weight training, and has never gone back to rugby. Jason has since won the Victorian (twice), Oceania junior and Australian powerlifting championships, and told the Progress Leader newspaper: ‘It’s fair to say none of this would have happened if I hadn’t broken my neck … And I just love powerlifting now’.

Another young Old Scotch Boy featuring in Progress Leader was Alistair George (’04). Alistair is returning to Australia in time for his 21st birthday late this year, after a tour of duty in East Timor with the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment. Alistair joined the army in 2004, his final year at Scotch, and his recent time in East Timor was Alistair’s second tour of duty helping reconstruction in the former Portuguese colony.