2 minute read
The Barbour Connection
You will often hear our TGS Old Boys say how important their TGS connections are. They will tell tales of meeting someone on the other side of the world whom
they spotted wearing a TGS cap. It led to an instant connection. Of getting their dream job by simply proudly sporting a TGS Old Boy tie at the interview. It led to an instant connection.
There is no denying that Toowoomba Grammar School students share a special bond. We celebrate it with our annual Old Boys’ Sons and Grandsons photo and our Old Boys’ Generations Gathering dinner. You see it in the playground at lunchtime, as the boys walk together, having a laugh and enjoying the day. You see it on the sporting field and the sidelines, when they cheer encouragement and celebrate the victories with the war cries that have been passed down from generation to generation, or when they support their mates so compassionately in defeat. You see it at assemblies when boys are applauded like rockstars for an amazing academic achievement.
This connection is like an unspoken code, where the boys of the Blue and Gold look out for one another well beyond the School gates. They are proud of where they have come from and of the history and traditions that they have shared. Watching the young boys on a daily basis and then listening to the stories of the Old Boys, it is true that the Blue and Gold runs through their veins.
It comes as no surprise then that the heritage and connections of Year 11 boarder, George Swanson rate a special mention. He is the greatgreat-great grandson of George “Pitty” Barbour, who was the longest serving Headmaster at TGS from 1910 to 1935. Mr Barbour was credited with making substantial new improvements to the School’s facilities, including a swimming pool, new ovals and science laboratories. TGS became part of the GPS Association in 1918, which started the School’s sporting achievement. The boys’ academic successes also improved under his leadership, and he supported many of the boys and the local community through World War I.
Young George’s claim to fame doesn’t stop there. He’s also related by marriage to another one of the School’s most notable students, General Sir Henry (Harry) Chauvel (1880-82). Sir Henry is one of Australia’s most lauded military figures. He fought at Gallipoli and in the Middle East during World War I and was the first Australian to attain the rank of Lieutenant General and later General. He was also the first Australian to lead a corps, the Desert Mounted Corps. They were responsible for the Battle of Beersheba, one of the most decisive victories in Australian military history.
And what does George think of these special connections? Well, like most typical 16-year-olds, he doesn’t have much to say except to grin humbly and say, “Yeah, it’s pretty cool.”
