Obituaries

had two daughters, Jacqueline in 1963 and Amanda in 1967.

On retirement Bill and Muriel travelled extensively in Europe including a trip on the TransSiberian Railway and a visit to the Channel Islands from which Muriel had emigrated prior to the outbreak of World War II.

They also took the opportunity to catch up in England with Muriel’s sister after a 33-year hiatus.

William (Bill) attended Barker as a boarder from 1941 to 1947 following in the footsteps of his father (Robert), uncle (Bruce) who were at Barker close to its inception and then elder brother, John (1940 to 1945).

Bill was an active participant in Barker extra-curricular activities including Swimming Team (1944 and 1945), Athletics Team (1945) and the Chess Team (1947).

On gaining his Leaving Certificate in 1947 Bill joined CSR Limited and served with distinction in a variety of accounting and financial roles throughout their diverse operations (including tenures in Fiji and Western Australia) culminating in a return to Sydney as Financial Controller from which he took early retirement in 1988.

Early in his career with CSR Limited, Bill was admitted as an Associate by the Australian Society of Accountants.

Bill, while working in Wittenoom (WA), met and married Muriel in 1961 and on their return to Sydney

In 1993 Bill and Muriel built a home in Berrima (NSW Southern Highlands) and lived there until moving to Caloundra in Queensland in 2021 to be closer to their daughter, Amanda.

Bill passed away peacefully in February this year following a short illness. He is remembered as a loving husband and father with a gentle and caring nature. Bill is survived by Muriel (his wife of 61 years) and his two daughters.

Amanda Taylor

1948 - 2023 children Nigel (95), Anne-Marie (98), Laura (00) and Ashleigh (05) also attended Barker. Bill was outstanding academically, receiving awards each year including Dux of Form IV in 1964 and Dux of the School in his final year. Bill served in the Cadets for three years attaining the rank of Sergeant. His sports included Rugby and Cricket. In Bill’s final year he was a School Prefect, House Captain of Wade House, Captain of the 2nd XI Cricket Team and ranked 100th in the State in his Leaving Certificate. He was awarded a Commonwealth Secondary Scholarship, Commonwealth University Scholarship and a Teacher Training Scholarship.

In 1968, Bill and two other exBarker boys, founded what was then called “BOBS” (Barker Old Boys Rugby) still popular with exstudents today and now includes woman’s teams.

Bill was still in contact with Barker friends and caught up whenever possible (attending a reunion last year).

Following Barker, Bill attained a degree in Electrical Engineering, followed by a Medical Degree at Sydney University.

Whilst working at Taree hospital as a Doctor, he met the love of his life, Jenny, a nurse at the time at the same hospital. He wrote in his diary after their first date “In Love”. They were married for 45 years.

Bill attended Barker during his high school years from 1961 to 1965. His brother Richard (63), and

Bill and Jenny moved to Grafton in 1980, where he set up the South Grafton Medical Centre working there for 37 years. During that time he also worked at Grafton Hospital, working many hours in Emergency, visiting local nursing homes, and doing incalculable numbers of house calls.

Bill worked hard for his family and was dedicated to his patients, but around these long work hours, he was always present and available to his family. The family holidays were often, and they continued right up until late last year. Dad loved having the family together at any opportunity.

After retiring just over five years ago, Bill said he couldn’t believe he ever had time to work. Coffee and cake out each morning with Jenny and the other weekly regulars, travelling with family/friends, fossicking in his study with 1000s of photos (family/friends donated a lot of time to his hobby of trying to get the perfect shot), and planning his next overseas trip with Jenny and children.

In April 2022, Bill was diagnosed with a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He had time to take a much-anticipated boat trip through Europe with Jenny at the end of last year, spend time with family and friends, and continue to enjoy 45 years married to his besotted, Jenny.

Bill passed away on 11 March 2023. He was the best husband and soul mate to Jenny, a wonderful Dad to Nigel, Anne-Marie, Laura, Ashleigh, and Grandpa to seven grandchildren, with another on the way.

Peter John Mason (58) 1942 - 2021

organisations he was involved with. He was warm hearted and never said no to helping someone out with a problem, such as getting tractors out of bogs, lending a piece of machinery and the like. Peter was a pioneer of ways of doing things at Hawk Hill such as direct drilling for crop sowing, leasing machinery, replanting trees on the land. Peter was the family chauffeur, general handyman, BBQ chef!

Peter attended Barker as a boarder from 1954 to 1958. His brother Geoffrey (71) and his son Richard (94) also attended Barker and his grandsons Samuel and Hugo are current students. During his time at School, Peter received many mentions in The College Barker publication for his involvement in Athletics, Cricket and Soccer. He was also outstanding academically receiving many prizes on Speech Days, including Dux in 1956. Peter had other interests too and was on the House Committee for Plume House and was in the production of Macbeth in 1957.

Following Barker, Peter ran his farming and grazing propery "Hawk Hill" at Boorowa. He was involved in many community organisations, Apex (life member), Boorowa Picnic Races (life member) and President, Boorowa Show committee, Rural Fire Service member for 63 years, district group captain - leader of tanker taskforce to Blue Mountains fires in 1994, Chair of division 8 NSW Rural Fire Service, Burrowa (retirement) House founding committee, Boorowa & District Historical Society, Boorowa Hospital Auxiliary supporter and member, Boorowa Silo Committee and Chair, Landcare founding member/ pioneer, Junior Farmers member and later a member of the Farmers and Graziers.

He was a man who was always busy, whether on the farm, tinkering in his workshop or working with the various

Later in life, Peter yielded to Elizabeth’s desire to spend some time away from Hawk Hill and they travelled to Sydney regularly to visit family and newly arrived grandchildren.

In 2016 Peter had a stroke that changed the life of his and the family forever. Peter was strong willed and had no desire to stay in hospital after his stroke so really worked hard to get well enough to come home and stay away from hospital.

Peter, late of Boorowa, passed away on 23 August 2021 and is survived by his wife, Elizabeth. Richard as a day student from 1983 until graduation in 1989. During his time at Barker, Michael proved himself to be the consummate all-rounder: strong academically; a capable sportsman; and a gifted musician. Even more important than his achievements, Michael showed himself to always be a loyal friend and so much fun to be around. Michael also harboured a not-so-secret passion for the martial arts.

Michael was born into a loving family in Eastwood, to devoted parents and three doting older siblings. The sudden loss of their father when Michael was in Year 6 had a profound effect on him. Despite this enormous setback, Michael determined to make the most of his time at Barker. He represented the School in tennis, cricket, soccer and rugby. He sang in the choir throughout high school and performed in the fun-filled frivolity of the 1989 Barker Music Hall. In 1990 Michael returned to Barker with a number of friends to stage the tribute show Bach to Barker, Billy Joel and Beyond, which was a resounding success.

Despite not having any formal musical education Michael’s astonishing musical talent became clearly evident during his senior years at Barker. The McCaskill Music Centre was not long open and Michael brought a ‘cool factor’ to the bass section of the senior choir with his incredible voice and infectious enthusiasm. He was also busy teaching himself piano and could often be found in the practice rooms after school jamming along to Elton John tunes or songs from the latest Lloyd Webber musical.

Upon leaving Barker, Michael gained entry into a Bachelor of Business at UTS Ku-ring-gai, as it was known then. Michael quickly realised that wasn’t for him. He withdrew after his first semester to pursue a career in his first love, music. His family and friends were unsure what that would mean, but it did see many of us following Michael around the RSL talent quest circuit and very soon he was writing and performing his own songs and wowing audiences.

In 1992 Michael and Barker friends Chris Hallowes (89) and Justin Duggan (89) along with Mike

Whyte and Tim Plummer formed the much-loved band Red Herring. Together they performed in many well-known venues around Sydney. The release of their first album ‘Creature’ led to airtime on Rage and Triple M. They also secured a number of gigs supporting some well-established artists including Rat Cat, Ian Moss and Spy vs Spy.

Michael was a talented songwriter. He also possessed an uncanny ability for performing covers in many musical genres. He was a gifted singer and pianist and could also play guitar and drums, making him an incredibly valuable and versatile musician. But it was in the recording studio where Michael found his true musical home. There he could combine his talents, his exacting ear and ability to bring out the best in other artists. For over a decade Michael ran his own recording studio, ‘Vienna People’. With over 100 million streams and success all over the world, as well as a lengthy list of gongs, including ARIA nominations and Golden Guitar Awards, Michael established ‘Vienna People’ as one of the freshest and most sought-after recording studios in Sydney.

Michael loved life and approached every day with passion and gratitude, determined to make every day count. He possessed an incredible generosity of spirit and a profound faith in humanity. Whether you knew him for a short time or a long time, Michael made you feel like you were his best friend. He would treat everyone the same — with love, friendship and enthusiasm.

The lives Michael touched during his 51 years are too many to count. They gathered in their hundreds in person at Macquarie Park and online for Michael’s funeral in February, led by long-time friend the Reverend Aleks Pinter (89). He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

However it was to his own family that Michael remained steadfastly devoted. He is survived by his 95-year-old mother, Vivienne, his brother and sisters and their children, including Robert Coker (03) Elle McGlynn (05) and Madeleine McGlynn (07), and an ever-growing number of grandnephews and grandnieces whom he adored.

Michael died in his sleep on 12 February 2023, his life tragically cut short by a heart attack. To paraphrase his musical hero, Sir Elton John, Michael’s candle burned out long before his legend ever will.

Ian Barrie Ridley (53) 1936 - 2023

Ian was born in Lindfield on 17 July 1936, the second of three sons to Ethel and Jack. Our brother Graham was born in 1933. I was born in 1941.

Growing up, we had lived in Killara, Lindfield and Gordon. After a couple of years elsewhere for the early years of primary school, we were all educated at Barker.

Ian’s family nickname followed him to school where he was known as ‘Herc’. Family legend has it that when Dad first saw Ian he said ‘he looks like a little Hercules’ so Herc it was!

And he was a strong, solid young man. Not fat but solid. ‘Big bones’ mom used to explain. He bought a little motor scooter as soon as he was able - a Corgi, I think - and would head off with confidence, too often only to return too soon pushing it after a tyre had failed.

Ian’s school mate, Peter Bedggood told me of the occasion in primary school when the Prep Firsts football team was being selected. There was a weight limit of ten stone. So the teacher helpfully put his toe under the scales to ensure Herc made the grade.

Peter came from Melbourne with his wife Helen, Ross Langwill and Johnny Cox and Robyn for Ian’s funeral in Bowral. All were close mates of Ian at school and long after.

Ian was important to Barker’s sporting teams right through his schooling. A front row forward in the Firsts and again in the Associated Schools combined team. An outstanding shot-putter and member of the tug-of-war team.

He was Quartermaster Sergeant in the School Cadets. In his final year, 1953, he was appointed a School Prefect.

Ian followed our father into regional broadcasting and, like our dad, was to become an outstanding leader in regional commercial broadcasting.

To learn more of the trade, Ian first went off to the UK and Canada in 1957 to work in regional television in several locations – most notably in Sudbury in Ontario. It was there he met and in 1959 married a work colleague Mary Ellen, a wonderful personal and professional partnership that was to last for 64 years!

When the company won the TV licence for Orange, Ian and Mary Ellen moved there. Ian was deeply involved in all aspects of the preparation for operations including the design of the new studios. Although he had no building design training, Ian proved to be a very skilful draftsman. With the chief engineer, Ernie Crouch, Ian totally designed the remarkable studios and offices which were soon to be a landmark at the entry to Orange.

Ian was initially the Program Manager, then Station Manager, General Manager and finally Managing Director.

CBN 8 went on to be a wonderful success and central to the success of other regional television stations. Its broadcast footprint extended to Bathurst, Dubbo and other adjacent areas. The company brand became MidState Television.

Ian had learned so much about the issues in television that he became the advisor to many other stations as they learned the hard way. Ian was the one they turned to for help.

Notably, he initiated the establishment of and was the first Chair of FACTS – the Federation of Australian Commercial Television Stations which was the new industry body to protect the interests of regional television.

Ian was very hands on. When someone had to climb the transmitting tower right up there on top of Mt Canoblas to get promotional film, Ian did it as he did not want to put any staff at risk. Mary Ellen did not learn of this until well after the mission was accomplished!

There is a website for past employees of CBN and it contains a great deal of history of the station. When word of Ian’s death spread through this site last week, there was a strong response and I would like to quote some of the comments.

Jim Wilkinson wrote that Ian ‘was a commanding figure like JR (dad).

Once met never forgotten’. Janelle Chapman said simply that ‘Ian was an icon of regional television and set a great standard for us all.’

He was also well known publicly. Like our uncle Alan some decades earlier, Ian was approached to run for the federal seat of Calare but declined, to maintain his commitment to the television company and industry.

He had had an early engagement with politics – in Killara the family lived close to the retired Prime Minister, Billy Hughes. Ian and Billy chatted across the fence but this did not seem to spark his interest in a political career. Ian would have been about four years old at the time.

Our dad was about to retire but died on Christmas Day in 1966 and Ian was appointed by the Board as Managing Director. He ran the business very successfully for nearly twenty years. Ian certainly had dad’s business skills but he also had mom’s gentle and caring nature.

Ian and Mary Ellen moved to Sydney in 1988 and, after retirement, moved to Burradoo in 1996. There, Ian was able to focus on his lifelong love of gardening – his vegetable garden was renowned! And, in his spacious garage, pursued his, again selftaught, skill with wood working. Ian and Mary Ellen put a great deal of time into being with and helping their family and grandchildren. And travel.

Ian was a truly principled man. Very generous to family and friends and caring to those who needed his support. Utterly without vanity or pride, thoughtful, gentle, generous. A life so very well lived.

John Ridley AM (58)

John Gilmour Nutt AM 1934 - 2023

Former Council of Barker College member

Rarely has the Council of Barker College been blessed with a person of Engineer Dr John Nutt’s intellect, professional standing and wealth of knowledge in their ranks. Indeed much of the infrastructure built in the 1990s on the main campus, which the current Barker community now enjoys, has the engineering (and fundraising) fingerprints of John Nutt all over it. Professionally John was one of the most respected engineers of his era – finally as global Chairman of one of the leading international engineering groups, Ove Aarup Partnerships - until his retirement in 1999. He was the key consulting engineer who brought the flamboyant Opera House sails, designed by by Danish architect Karl Utzon, into reality using then, innovative, concrete techniques and practical solutions to make them both structurally sound and more affordable. He was also personally responsible for the engineering of three of the top ten tallest buildings in Sydney including Gov. Phillip Tower and Gov. Macquarie tower.

He was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1992 for his services to Engineering and received four honorary doctorates in engineering (in addition to his own PhD from Manchester

University in the UK) and numerous fellowships and awards from Universities and professional institutions throughout the world. He served on the Barker College Foundation and Council from 1984 to 1994. He and his wife of 63 years, Roberta, had a family of five children who all graduated from Barker – Simon (77), Charlotte (78), Nigel (83), Matthew (85), and Abigail (87). John served as a member and then Chairman of the Barker Foundation and was appointed to the Council of Barker College where he became a much valued member of the Building Committee where he was instrumental in the then complicated engineering design of the Music Centre, Design Centre and Aquatic Centre, amongst other buildings.

John seemed always able to offer optimal solutions to each issue as it arose and had the presence and background that demanded our attention. In recoding his retirement in 1994 in the July edition of The Barker, the then Chair of The Council Building Committee –Bob Bland – reflected “To have had an adviser of the calibre of John Nutt at Barker has been of enormous value, and the School community can be very proud of the contribution he has made.” Vale John Nutt.

Chris Russell (70)