Celebrating the BGS community

Brisbane Grammar School’s sesquicentenary has provided an opportunity to celebrate our community and its achievements over the last 150 years.

Revisiting the lives and times of our high-achieving community members provides a personal link to significant historical events and reflects the influence Brisbane Grammar School has had on a wide variety of professions and fields of endeavour.

Among the BGS community are statesmen, scholars and sportsmen; radicals and reformers; academics and artists. Many have a reputation throughout Australia and beyond for the contribution they have made to the sciences, business, education, law, military, government, the arts and sport.

Since the School’s foundation in 1868, there have been BGS community members worthy of recognition and each represent hundreds more who personify the School’s motto, nil sine labore – nothing without work.

Here follows a sample, by no means a definitive list, of BGS community members and their achievements according to each decade from the 1860s.

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1860s

Justice Sir Charles Powers KCMG (1853-1939; Foundation pupil in 1869). Parliamentarian, cricketer and Justice. A fine cricketer who captained Queensland against a touring English side, Powers had a distinguished career as a legislator and judge. He became Postmaster-General and Education Minister in Queensland and was appointed the first Commonwealth Crown Solicitor in 1903. Powers was appointed a Justice of the High Court in 1913.

Dr Kevin Izod O’Doherty – former convict, surgeon, founding trustee and parliamentarian.

Albert J Hockings MLA – the first subscriber to BGS, contributing £50 in 1864.

Thomas Blacket Stephens – original subscriber and first Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Sir Charles Lilley – subscriber, Chairman, founder of the Lilley Medals for academic achievement.

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1870s

Thomas Joseph Byrnes (1860-1898; BGS 1874). Premier of Queensland. One of 11 children of poor Irish immigrants, Byrnes won a state scholarship to BGS and won the Lilley Gold Medal three times. He obtained honours in Arts and Law at Melbourne University, taught at Xavier College, practised as a barrister, then succeeded Sir Samuel Griffith as Solicitor-General in 1893. In 1898 he became Premier. The Byrnes Honour Board is the central feature of the Great Hall.

Justice John Woolcock ’78 – barrister and Supreme Court judge. Long-serving Chairman.

Alexander H Francis MD ’74 – Thoracic surgeon, pioneer in treatment of asthma and tuberculosis.

Richard Powell Francis '70 – graduate of Balliol, chronicler of BGS, victim of the 1893 Brisbane flood.

George Rilatt – Equal longest serving BGS staff member, worked as a janitor for 51 years. A colourful icon of the School.

Dr James Mayne ’78 – benefactor, funding Herston Medical School and St Lucia campus of UQ.

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1880s

Robin Dods (1868-1920; BGS 1881-1886) Architect. One of Queensland’s most celebrated architects of the federation period. He designed St Francis’ Theological College at Milton, St Brigid’s Church in Red Hill, Shafston House at Kangaroo Point and numerous other public and private buildings.

John D Story ’85 – educational administrator and visionary, founder and later Vice-Chancellor of UQ.

Major-General Victor Sellheim ’84 – veteran of South Africa and AIF commander in Egypt in WWI.

Alfred D Walsh ’81 – prominent figure in pastoral industry, long-time manager of Dalgety and Co.

Brigadier-General Lachlan Wilson ’87 – Commander of 5th and 3rd Light Horse and captor of The Gun.

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1890s

Lieutenant-General Sir John Lavarack (1885-1957; BGS 1899-1904). Soldier and Governor. First served in WWI at Pozieres in 1916, was later appointed Chief of the General Staff in 1935. Fought in North Africa in WWII, and at Tobruk successfully repelled Rommel’s forces. In 1946 became Queensland’s first Australianborn Governor, serving two terms until 1956.

Dr Eleanor Bourne ’96 – BGS’ only female ‘Old Boy’, first Queensland woman to study medicine, served in WWI.

Lt Colonel Sir Donald Cameron ’97 – Commander of 5th Light Horse, Federal member for Brisbane.

Werner H J Ruthning ’98 – electrical and metal trades pioneer. Installed first electric lift in Brisbane.

Dr Charles Roe ’97 – senior urologist at the Mater Public Hospital.

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1900s

Professor Errol Solomon Meyers (1890-1956; BGS 1905-1908). Soldier and medical pioneer. Served in the medical corps on the Western Front from 1917. One of the founders of the Queensland Medical School. He had a distinguished career as a surgeon and lectured in anatomy from 1936. Later appointed UQ Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in 1942 and was founder of the Faculty of Dentistry.

Arthur Stanley Roe ’03 – Queensland’s first Rhodes Scholar, Captain in WWI, first urologist in Queensland.

Neville G Sutton ’10 – Professor of Surgery, UQ Dean of Faculty of Medicine and BGS Trustee.

Stanley Castlehow ’04 – Rhodes Scholar, lecturer in Greek 1915-1957 and benefactor at UQ.

Francis Gailey ’02 – Olympian, won four medals in swimming at St Louis in 1904.

Leonard Brown ’05 – Captain of Rugby at BGS and Oxford, Empire Champion Rifle Shot, Rhodes Scholar, Military Cross winner and medical doctor.

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1910s

Jack Lindsay (1900-1990; BGS 1914-1917). Author. Eldest son of Norman Lindsay. Graduated from UQ with first class honours in Greek and Latin. He published 169 books, including novels, biographies and criticisms. Awarded Order of the Badge of Honour USSR 1967.

Dr Tom Lawton '17– Rhodes Scholar, WWI service, captained Wallabies to victory over All Blacks.

Frederick Paterson '15 – Rhodes Scholar, only elected member of the Communist Party in Australia.

Dr Otto Nothling '19 – dual international in rugby and cricket, prominent Brisbane dermatologist.

Arthur Benjamin '11 – composer of Jamaican Rumba, shot down by Hermann Göring in WWI.

Mattie Bousfield – Headmaster’s wife, had significant influence on boarding students for over two decades.

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1920s

Air Vice-Marshal Donald Clifford Bennett CB CBE DSO (1910-1986; BGS 1924-1927). Aviation pioneer and bomber pilot. Joined the RAAF in 1930 and later worked commercially, breaking many long-distance flight records and developing air-to-air refuelling. In WWII he led the Pathfinder Force and became the youngest Air Vice-Marshal in the RAF. The Pathfinders were an elite unit in Bomber Command, which located and marked targets for the main bomber raids.

Leonard Shillam AM ’30 – renowned sculptor. His works Flight and Resting Kangaroo are at BGS.

Sir Charles Spry ’27 – soldier and spy. 'Silent Charles' headed ASIO and dealt with the Petrov Affair.

Ronald McKie ’29 – journalist and author. Won the Miles Franklin Prize for The Mango Tree.

Dr F Konrad S Hirschfeld ’23 – pioneer in thoracic surgery. Chairman of Board at BGS.

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1930s

Sir Ronald Jackson AC (1924-1991; BGS 1937-1940). Company Chairman and Government Advisor. Joined the Colonial Sugar Refinery in 1941 and rose to be a director and Chairman. Instrumental in shifting Australian business toward Asia in the wake of Britain’s intention to join the EEC in the 1960s. He saw CSR diversify into minerals and energy and was part of Australia’s first trade delegation to China in 1974. Appointed by the Whitlam Government to advise on policies for the manufacturing industry. On the Board of the Reserve Bank (1975-1991).

Norm Traves ’39 – Trustee 1979-1991. Respected engineer. BGS legacy family, son Warren Traves '82 is a current Trustee.

Max Julius ’33 – barrister and communist. Blocked from the bar, on appeal was admitted.

Leonard Teale ’38 – well-known actor in radio and film and star of television show Homicide.

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1940s

David Malouf (1934; BGS 1947-1950). Author. Named as a Q150 icon for the state’s sesquicentenary, Malouf has numerous awards including the Miles Franklin Prize for The Great World (1990). Remembering Babylon (1993) was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and his anthology of poetry Earth Hour was published in 2014. His first novel Johnno draws on his time at BGS. The David Malouf AO Gallery opened at BGS in 2018 and contains works donated by the author.

Dr Charles 'Chilla' Wilson ’32 – captained Australia in rugby and became a surgeon.

Maud Cooling – Headmaster’s wife with significant influence on boarding students. Beloved by students, with a stained-glass window created in her honour in the Great Hall.

Sir James Killen ’41 – RAAF service in WWII. Minister for Navy and later Defence in Liberal governments.

Tom Burns OAM ’48 – RAAF service in WWII. State Labor leader and later Deputy Premier.

Ronald Farren-Price AM ’47 – virtuoso pianist and Dean of Music Faculty at Melbourne University.

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1950s

Dr Clive P Hildebrand AM (1937; BGS 1952-1955). Engineer and business leader. Rhodes Scholar in 1960. Managing Director of QCT Resources and non-executive director of Oil Search Ltd. He has been director chairman of a number of public companies. President of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.

Alec Evans ’57 – rugby premiershipwinning captain, celebrated state player and international coach.

Major-General Professor John Pearn AO ’57 – distinguished paediatrician and ADF Surgeon-General.

Justice Ian Callinan AC ’55 – cricket premiership winning captain and High Court judge.

Thomas Baxter ’53 – Rhodes Scholar, Wallaby and successful engineer.

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1960s

Betty Howell (1926). Volunteer. A BGS parent and Headmaster’s wife, during her 25-year association with the School she volunteered extensively with the Art Committee and Auxiliary. In recognition of her incredible legacy of volunteering, the Betty Howell Awards were named in her honour. They are presented by the Board annually and recognise volunteers for their selfless service and contribution to BGS.

John Story AO ’63 – distinguished lawyer and company director, former UQ Chancellor.

David Ogilvie ’69 – outstanding school sportsman and Test cricketer debuting against India in 1977.

Drew Hutton ’64 – political candidate and activist. A founding member of the Greens movement.

Andrew Olle ’66 – journalist and broadcaster, long-time presenter of Four Corners on the ABC.

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1970s

Professor Don Markwell (1959; BGS 1972-1976). Academic, Author and Educational leader. A Rhodes Scholar in 1981, research fellow at New College Oxford, then Merton, he also studied at Princeton. He was Warden of Trinity, Melbourne and then Rhodes House. Led a significant review of education as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) UWA and has been a senior advisor to both the Minister for Education and recently the leader of the Government in the Senate.

Robert Forster ’74 – Singer/ songwriter. Co-founder of Brisbane band The Go-Betweens.

Mary Trembath – first full-time female member of the academic staff.

Norm 'Sarge' Vincent – beloved School Marshal. Former OBA President despite not being an Old Boy.

Christopher Wrench ’76 – lecturer and organist, giving recitals across Australia and Europe.

Richard Powell ’78 – Olympic rower, competing at Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992.

Mark Woodford ’72 – much-loved and respected Old Boy and teacher.

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1980s

Adam Zwar (1972; BGS 1986-1989). Actor, voice artist and writer. A boarder at school, he has won a host of awards including AACTA awards for the comedy Lowdown and light entertainment Agony Aunts (2012) and an AFI for Wilfred (2007). He has appeared in feature films Wedding Party and Rats and Cats.

Michael Ware ’86 – former war correspondent, became the voice of the Iraq War for Americans.

Simon Fenwick ’87 – analyst and fund manager, founding partner of international fund management company based in New York. Noted philanthropist.

John Collins and Ian Haug ’87 – members of iconic rock band Powderfinger.

Matt McLennan ’86 – fund manager, one of the most influential investors from Australia in the world. Noted philanthropist.

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1990s

Ryan Goss (1982; BGS 1995-1999). Academic. Rhodes Scholar in 2007. After UQ, the focus of his doctoral thesis at Oxford resulted in the book Criminal Fair Trial Rights, a work cited by judges in the European Court of Human Rights. He was a junior research fellow atLincoln College and began teaching at ANU in 2013. He researches and workson human rights law and constitutional law.

Stephen Moore ’00 – Former Wallabies captain; played over 120 tests for Australia.

Stephen Chappell ’92 – Group Captain Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

Lyn Gasteen – BGS parent and long-serving Head of History.

Dr James Bradfield Moody ’93 – Executive Director, Development at CSIRO. On ABC show The New Inventors.

Matt McKay ’00 – Football player for Socceroos and Brisbane Roar captain.

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2000s

Ray Chen (1989; BGS 2002-2004). Violin virtuoso. Armed with a 1715 “Joachim” Stradivarius, Chen performs on the international stage. He has a recording contract with Sony classical and has won a string of prizes and awards including first place in the International Yehudi Menuhin Violin competition in 2008. His 2018 tour of Australia was a sell-out.

Ned McKendry ’09 – Olympic swimmer and Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

Andrew Small ’01 – Physiotherapist with major US sporting teams and celebrities.

Chris Raine ’03 – Founder and CEO of Hello Sunday Morning, the world’s largest online movement for alcohol behaviour change.

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2010s

Matt Renshaw (1996; BGS 2009-2013). Professional cricketer. At 19 years old Renshaw became Queensland’s youngest ever centurion, going on to score 170 in the breakout innings. A year later and just three years after graduating from BGS, he debuted in the Australian Test team. As an opening batsman, he hit a century in just his fourth match for Australia.

Eliot Soo-Burrowes ’12 – Holds a FIDE Master title in chess and a 3rd Dan black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

George Pullar ’13 – Graduated from the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and has acted in three Australian television shows.

Angus Woods ’15 – Studying at Harvard University after being offered places at three Ivy League universities. Member of Harvard’s a capella group, the Krokodiloes.

Connor O’Grady ’18 – Young Australian Designer of the Year. Accepted an offer to study at the world’s best fashion school, the London College of Fashion.

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