The heading says it all! Congratulations to the College’s Athletics Teams, Rawson and Rosebowl, on their great achievements on the track and field on 16 October. Both teams did very well through the competition at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre and our Rawson Team brough home the cup. The point scores were:
RAWSON: St Paul’s 301 – 1st | St Andrew’s 273 – 2nd | St John’s 196 – 3rd | Wesley 145
ROSEBOWL: St Andrew’s 212 – 1st | St Paul’s 161 – 2nd | St John’s 153 – 3rd | Sancta 138 | Wesley 110 | Women’s 84
The overall Intercollegiate Sport point scores for 2024 are:
RAWSON: St Andrew’s 22 eq. 1st | St Paul’s 22 eq. 1st | Wesley 15 | St John’s 13
ROSEBOWL: St Andrew’s 63 1st | Wesley 44 | St Paul’s 35 | St John’s 25 | Women’s 21.5 | Sancta 11.5
The last time the College won the Rawson Cup was in 2017 and it was at the Athletics that this win was secured. Congratulations to everyone who has contributed to an amazing year of men’s and women’s sports at St Paul’s, including the first ever Rosebowl Victory Dinner (for Rowing). To see other stories on the 2024 sports click on these links: Soccer | Rosebowl VD | April
The Graduate House community operates a student body similar to the undergraduate community’s Student’s Club. Established in 2018 the Middle Common Room (or MCR) also hold regular general meetings and at the AGM the community elects its executive committee for the year ahead. The senior student is the Middle Prefect who is the chair of the executive.
Congratulations to the following elected to the 2024/5 MCR Executive at the AGM held on 11 October:
Middle Prefect: Claudio Garcia
Secretary: Emmanouil Vourvahakis
Treasurer: Simon Homsanay
Calendar Officer: Anna Corff
House Officer: Helena Pathimos
Also appointed to the roles of Judicial officers (senior members of the MCR) for 2024/5 are: Vered Chhakchhuak, Pawani Mathur and Jason Zhu He.
The College community acknowledged the work of the retiring 2023/4 Executive and thanks the Middle Prefect – Jim Wong; Hon Treasurer – Samuel Zagame; Hon Secretary – Vered Lalrinpuii Chhakchhuak; Calendar Officer – Lauren Lim; House Officer – Patrick Golemo.
2024 MCR AGM in the Refectory2024/5 MCR Executive and Judicial Officers2023/4 Retiring MCR Executive
The Semester 1 academic results show an average Semester Average Mark (SAM) of 74.2%. On previous results the College’s SAMs continues an upward trend with Semester 1 SAMs being beaten year after year.
The College community congratulates the 2024 undergraduate Paulines on their hard work and commitment to their studies, as half the current students attained Distinctions or High Distinctions.
Our high achievers include Ben Varela (BE(Hons) II/BSc) with a SAM of 94.5 who commented: “I’m extremely fortunate, I study a degree I enjoy at one of the best universities in Australia with a caring family and fantastic friends to back me up. Even with this, it’s hard to imagine a greater fortune than living at St. Paul’s. Yes, I’ve been continually challenged by my residence and study, but it’s only been to my benefit. I’ve learnt how to use tools of self-development and how to hold a hopeful outlook toward the world, which I hope to share through my future career in biomedical engineering.”
Grace Merrilees (BSc I/MD) was our top performing fresher with a SAM of 94.25. Grace said: “I would say that my first year of study at university has had its ups and downs, and it took me a while to get my bearings. I have been fortunate to have had the support of like-minded intellectuals from the outset, particularly through St Paul’s’ incredible tutorial program. Being a part of a community that allows you to learn from senior students has been invaluable, and has pushed me to achieve my personal best. Furthermore, I am excited by my continuing studies in Anatomy, and later Medicine, and hope this will allow me to maintain academic momentum through upcoming semesters.”
The Graduate House community includes 15 research students and 29 Doctor of Medicine (MD) students progressing well. There are 35 coursework students with an impressive average SAM of 73.3%.
There were 360 tutorials completed in Semester 1 with the majority in Commerce, Engineering and Medicine. The tutorial programme continues to be one of the most important advantages of the student experience at St Paul’s and enjoys great support among all students particularly due to the contribution of our 3rd and 4th year undergraduates who are tutors and the postgraduate members of Graduate House who provide such value to the programme.
Acting Senior Tutor Lucy Williams has thanked the tutors and her assistant senior tutors on their efforts so far. She said “Tutorials are a great setting for freshers to be guided through the new joys and frustrations of university life. As well as deepening their subject knowledge, College tutorials help first years adjust to the unique demands of tertiary study. It’s also an important opportunity for our seniors to gain valuable mentoring and critical thinking experience before entering the workforce.”
Our Assistant Senior Tutor – Medicine, Arnav Shetty has been overseeing the tutorial programme for our MD students in Graduate House. The programme provides weekly content and clinical tutorials run by the senior medical students for MD I and II.
Innovations in 2024 have included:
clinical and anatomy tutorials alongside weekly content sessions;
a full-length practice clinical exam, with physical examination, history taking, and results interpretation session, run for MD I to help prepare for this unique and novel form of assessment;
GAMSAT specialist section tutorials from high-scoring medical students have been ongoing in anticipation of the September sitting, a system that will continue into the new year;
a specialist radiology tutorial run by resident consultant radiologist Dr Rathan Subramaniam; and
a joint formal dinner where GH medical students and medicine-keen undergraduates mingled and discussed the course content and tips for success.
Arnav congratulated the MD III students who recently completed their MD projects, he said “this is a 14-week research experience where students work on an individual research project and produce written work worthy of publication. Their research will be presented to Graduate House at a symposium later this year.” Arnav also acknowledged the MD IV students who have recently completed their last examinations for their degree. “They will be engaged in clinical and leadership workshops and placement in their specialty of choice for the remainder of the year” he said.
Students interested in medical school and want to have a chat about requirements, pathways, and pace of the course may contact Arnav at 045 2175360.
Old Paulines may be interested to learn about the Medical Alumni Scholarships that have been operating for the last 14 years. Click here if you want to learn more.
The Australian University Games were held in Canberra from 7 to 13 September and over 6,000 students gathered to compete in 30 sports. The University of Sydney was well represented and has been named the overall UniSport NationalChampion for 2024.
Back home at Paul’s there was a real sense of achievement in the days following the Canberra games because the College was well represented.
GOLD. In the USyd Women’s Football team was current Pauline Katie Tyo. Her team won the comp in a nail-biting grand final against University of Wollongong 3 goals to 2. Katie said “Winning the Australian Nationals means that we will compete in the playoff match either late this year or early next year against the top New Zealand university team. Whoever wins this playoff match will go to the University World Games in China at the end of next year.”
GoldSilverBronze
SILVER. Current Pauline Rex Bouvier and recent old Paulines Nico Anstee (2022-23) and Lachie Whitehead (2022-23) were playing in the USyd Men’s Football team who made it through to the grand final. Rex’s mum, Skye, was in Canberra and reported: “After an intense week of competition playing two games a day amongst over 40 universities down in Canberra over the week, here they are receiving their silver medals. I was working in Canberra and got to see the final games which were highly contested!”
BRONZE. Congratulations to current Paulines Jack Sproats (also a Junior Dean), Louis Eglington and Jesse Cochrane who played in the USyd Men’s Touch team securing a Bronze medal in the Games. Competition lasted for five days with two 40-minute competitions each day. “Our team had never played together before and was strung together from a diverse bunch. We only lost two heat games which placed us in contention for the 3rd place playoff. We were against UTS and put them to the sword. Successfully winning the bronze medal. Our success was in light of impressive off field camaraderie. If anyone is thinking about competing in uni games they absolutely should. It is an incredibly fun week on and off the fields. Make some lifelong friends” (Jack Sproats).
Stop Press. Katie Tyo also plays in Sydney University Soccer Football Club Reserve Grade Women’s team, here they are celebrating a 2-0 win in the grand final against Northern Tigers FC on her return from the Uni Games. Pictured below.
St Paul’s has an impressive community of medical graduates, many of them true leaders in the field of medicine who have made and continue to make significant contributions to the lives and wellbeing of people all over the world.
Our medical Alumni understand from their own lived experience, the formative and positive effect living at St Paul’s can have. Created in 2010 by Dr Rob Maserra (in College 2000-07) the Medical Alumni Scholarship was imagined as an avenue for the broader medical profession to engage with the College and support the next generation of students studying medical and health-science degrees.
Recently the College received a bequest from the estate of Selwyn Owen in support of this important scholarship. As a result, we now have the opportunity to build the capital base and ensure the future of this important scholarship programme for St Paul’s.
Since Graduate House opened in 2018, the number of medical and health sciences students has quietly increased with a 2024 cohort of 29 studying at all levels of the University’s Doctor of Medicine. Our medical students positively influence the College culture, bringing a studious, interesting and humanitarian outlook to our academically focused community of Graduate House.
Selwyn’s bequest has significantly boosted the Medical Alumni Scholarship fund, and we are very grateful to be able to continue to provide a great place to live for medical students from all backgrounds.
Paulines are known for their generous support of scholarships and bursaries through the Scholarship Fund and the St Paul’s College Foundation endowment.
Please consider how you can help further build on Rob’s initiative and Selwyn’s legacy by supporting this important scholarship fund. To make a donation CLICK HERE
For further information please contact Sarah Siegloff at the College 02 9550 7444.
The two points separation between St Andrew’s and St Paul’s heightened the excitement and tension of the Palladian Instrumental Ensemble competition on 12 September in the Refectory of the USU Holme Building. The win to St Paul’s added three and 2nd place to St Andrew’s added two points leaving us a point apart at the end of the night, with St John’s in 3rd place.
So, in 2024 this becomes the second Palladian win for St Paul’s. Congratulations go to the members of the winning ensemble: Adam Wong and Hugh Baker on guitar, Max Philips and Hugh Jordan on trumpet, Felix Power and Helen Jordan on saxophone, Aidan Cheung on tuba, Jackson Hawley on bass guitar, Daniel Paridis on drums, Bligh Walter on keyboard and vocals, Freya Carmody and Charlotte Hocking on vocals.
Their piece titled Decades and arranged by Adam Wong, consisted of a medley of Johnny B Goode, All You Need is Love and Waterloo.
The other ensemble piece St Paul’s performed on the night was Birdland by Maynard Ferguson, which was with a 17-piece jazz band and only received one mark less than the winning piece.
Some of the comments from the adjudicators were: “the general rizz was infectious”; “the gold spangled jacket is iconic” and “impressive in the power and general energy, also the visual/physical element of the performance”.
Another great victory for St Paul’s by our musically talented Paulines.
Palladian point scores after this penultimate competition were: St Andrew’s 15 | St Paul’s 14 | St John’s 9 | Women’s 8 | Sancta 4 | Wesley 4
“A Law School education bestows and receives the gift of responsibility” said the incoming Dean of Law, Prof Fleur Johns to introduce the topic of her address to the assembled old Paulines lawyers, students of law and those interested in legal matters generally.
On 9 September several judges, including old Pauline NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell, barristers, faculty members and solicitors joined LLB, LLM and JD students from St Paul’s and other colleges who gathered for the annual Law Dinner and address. Prof Johns, the Chief Justice, judges and retired law officers enjoyed connecting with students and providing their valuable insights to a career in the legal profession.
Peter King, Jack Stephens, Gabe Desiderio, Philip BarrProf Johns speaksProf Johns, The Warden, The Chief JusticeThe Chief Justice meets law students
Enthusiasm and great concentration led to a performance from a ‘scratch choir’ of Paulines that won one of the two Palladian Vocal Ensemble competitions on 29 August in the USU Refectory. Just over 100 Paulines joined forces to create the largest ensemble of voices for a Palladian team. This choir sang Kircher’s Cornerstone accompanied by our own Organ Scholar Bailey Yeates on piano. Quite frankly most of the singers are not choristers and had never done this before, they did have some expert support amongst them with the 17 resident members of the St Paul’s College Choir and all were under the direction and tutelage of our Director of Music Jack Stephens. Congratulations well deserved for an amazing effort and an emotionally charged and fine performance.
The smaller ensemble scored a highly commended singing Words by the Real Group in close harmony. It was impossible to tell the top performers apart – all of them were so good!
DEBATING: St Andrews 1st | St Paul’s 2nd | Wesley 3rd
ART: Women’s 1st | St John’s 2nd | Sancta 3rd
There is more excitement than ever-before in the Palladian Cup in 2024. The current point scores have St Paul’s and St Andrew’s ‘neck-and-neck’.
Palladian point scores sit at: St Andrew’s 13 | St Paul’s 11 | Women’s 8 | St John’s 8 | Sancta 4 | Wesley 4
Congratulations to the College’s Rawson Cup and Rosebowl Soccer teams on their outstanding performances on the field over the last few weeks. The Rawson team won three matches and drew one bringing the Soccer Trophy home for the sixth year in succession.
The result of the College’s Rosebowl Soccer team was an impressive undefeated, with two wins and three draws, leading to a second in the point scores behind St Andrew’s. The scores tell the story of the tough competition as all had close games with many draws.
Soccer Results
RAWSON CUP
Round 1: St Paul’s def St John’s 3-0 | Round 2: St Paul’s drew Wesley 1-1 | Round 3: St Paul’s def St Andrew’s 3-1
St Paul’s 1st | St John’s 2nd | Wesley 3rd | St Andrew’s 4th
ROSEBOWL
Round 1: St Paul’s drew Wesley 1-1 | Round 2: St Paul’s def Sancta 3-0 | Round 3: St Paul’s drew St Andrew’s 1-1 | Round 4: St Paul’s def St John’s 2-1 | Round 5: St Paul’s def Women’s 1-0
St Andrew’s 1st | St Paul’s 2nd | Wesley 3rd | St John’s 4th | Women’s and Sancta eq 5th
Basketball
The Rosebowl Basketball teams were well matched especially the nail-biter between Paul’s and Women’s with us just one point ahead at the final buzzer. Andrew’s missed out again in the Rawson losing much needed points for the overall competition. We congratulate Wesley on its wins in both Rawson and Rosebowl. St Paul’s 2nd and 3rd gave us an edge on the points tally putting Paul’s at no. 1 in the 2024 Rawson Cup.
Basketball Results
RAWSON CUP
Round 1: St Paul’s def St Andrew’s 64-49 | Round 2: St Paul’s def St John’s 53-51 | Round 3: Wesley def St Paul’s 66-45
Wesley 1st | St Paul’s 2nd | St John’s 3rd | St Andrew’s 4th
ROSEBOWL
Round 1: St Andrew’s def St Paul’s 34-25 | Round 2: St Paul’s def Sancta 68-43 | Round 3: St Paul’s def St John’s 49-21 | Round 4: St Paul’s def Women’s 48-47 | Round 5: Wesley def St Paul’s 61-39
Wesley 1st | St Andrew’s 2nd | St Paul’s 3rd | Women’s 4th | Sancta 5th | St John’s 6th
Current Intercol Sports point scores
RAWSON CUP
St Paul’s 17 | St Andrew’s 16 | Wesley 12 | St John’s 11
ROSEBOWL
St Andrw’s 47 | Wesley 34 | St Paul’s 25 | Women’s 18.5 | St John’s 17 | Sancta 8.5
Coming up: Tennis this week and next; Athletics on 16 October
The Legislative Council of NSW first met on 25 August 1824 as an advisory council of five members appointed by the Governor. Today it is a representative 42-member House of Review. Throughout its existence people associated with the College have been involved including four Paulines who have been its senior officer, the President, (fellow) Sir Alfred Stephen, (fellow) Sir Francis Suttor, (alumnus) Sir John Peden, and (alumnus) Ben Franklin. Ben is the incumbent President of the Legislative Council.
The NSW Act of 1823 was informed by an extensive inquiry into the NSW colony conducted by John Thomas Bigge. This British Act established the Legislative Council and the Supreme Court in NSW.
The 200 years of parliamentary democracy and the rule of law in NSW is celebrated in 2024. The colony’s first Legislative Council was Francis Forbes as Chief Justice, Frederick Goulburn as Colonial Secretary, William Stewart as Lieutenant Governor, John Oxley as Surveyor-General, and James Bowman as Principal Surgeon. The Council’s first members were appointed to advise the Governor, but ultimately had no real law- or decision-making power.
On 25 August 1824 with Governor Thomas Brisbane presiding, the Legislative Council held its inaugural meeting at what was then Government House (Sydney Museum today), just down the road from where the Council would make its permanent home at the Rum Hospital (now NSW Parliament House in Macquarie St).
The Currency Act 1824 was the first Act passed in NSW on 28 August 1824. The Act allows for transactions originally made in unofficial circulating currencies such as Spanish dollars (one of the imported currencies used in the early colony) and promisory notes to be payable in British pound sterling, which remained in circulation until 1966!
The NSW Constitution Act 1855 (UK) ushered in monumental changes, establishing a system of Responsible Government in NSW creating in 1856 two Houses—a directly elected Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council whose new primary role was, and sill is, a ‘House of Review’ to provide a check and balance on the Assembly. Changes from appointment to election of MLCs occurred later in the history of the NSW Parliament and on occasions the Council’s ongoing existence was brought into question (old Paulines Sir John Peden and Sir Norman Kater fought hard for the retention of the Council when it was under threat from the Lang government).1
The St Paul’s College Act was passed by the Legislative Council on 1 December 1854 after the £10,000 had been committed or given for the new college to be incorporated.
Sir John Peden (NSW Parliament House)Dr Sir Norman Kater (NLA Trove)LTCOL Harold White CMG DSO (AWM)Dr Peter Phelps (NSW Parliament House)The Hon Ben Franklin MLC (NSW Parliament House)
The Hon Sir John Beverley Peden (1871-1946)
MLC 1917-46
President of the Legislative Council 1929-46
in College 1891-99, Vice-Warden 1892-99, Fellow 1901-1928
BA(Hons I) 1892, LLB(Hons I)(University Medal) 1898; assistant lecturer in Latin 1896; president of the Sydney University Union 1893-94 and again in 1910-11; president of the Undergraduates’ Association, editor of Hermes 1895.
Sir John was a barrister and became Challis professor of Law and Dean of the Faculty in 1910 until retirement in 1941; he was a Fellow of the Senate and active on many of its committees 1910-41; Chairman of the Professorial Board in 1925-33.
1921-31 Sir John served as sole royal commissioner on law reform in New South Wales; in 1913 he served on the Royal Commission to inquire into the constitution of a Greater Sydney; 1927-29 he chaired the Commonwealth Royal Commission on the Constitution.
The Hon Dr Sir Norman William Kater (1874-1965)
MLC 1923-55 (Progressive Party).
in College 1893-95
MB ChM 1898, he won the University Haswell prize 1893, Renwick scholarship 1894, and rowed for the University.
He was resident medical officer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 1898, then worked his way to Britain as ship’s surgeon and worked in specialist hospitals in London. After his return to Australia in 1901 he practiced in Sydney and in 1902 abandoned medicine for agriculture. He was a member of the Boree Shire Council in 1906-11.
War Service:
Late in 1915 he went to Egypt to assist the Australian Red Cross commissioner;
He soon departed for France and joined the French Service de Santé Militaire, working near Toulouse. Returning to Australia in 1917 he joined the Australian Army Medical Corps;
He worked at the Military Hospital, Randwick, and, promoted captain and temporary major, from January 1918 to February 1919 as AAMC adjutant at Victoria Barracks;
For his active service in France he was appointed chevalier of the Légion d’honneur and awarded the Médaille de la Reconnaissance Française.
He served the Graziers’ Association of NSW as president 1922-24; in 1927-28 he was chairman of the Federal Pastoral Advisory Committee; he was appointed to the State Committee of the Commonwealth Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in 1929; president of the New South Wales Sheepbreeders’ Association 1940-44; from the 1920s Sir Norman had developed important business interests, including chairman of the Co-operative Wool and Produce Co. Ltd; a director of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. 1924-49; the Graziers’ Co-operative Shearing Co. Ltd (Grazcos) from 1919, Globe Worsted Mills Ltd from 1927, Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Co. from 1933 and a local director of the Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Co. Ltd.
The Hon LtCol Harold Fletcher (“Bill”) White CMG DSO (1883-1970)
MLC 1932-34 (Country party)
in College 1903-04
Football Blue 1903
Grazier and soldier from Armidale.
Military service:
1906 Bill joined the 6th Light Horse, Australian Military Forces;
April 1914 was promoted captain in the 5th Light Horse;
March 1916 he was appointed to the Australian Imperial Force as a captain in the 33rd Battalion;
Promoted major as officer commanding ‘D’ Company;
The 33rd Battalion fought at Armentières;
Billwas wounded on 8 February 1917;
He was again in action at Messines, Belgium, on 6-10 June and was awarded the DSO. The citation spoke of ‘his utter disregard of personal danger, his indomitable will and his tireless energy’ during his ninety-six hours in the front line.
Having attended the officers’ school at Aldershot in 1918, Bill was promoted lieutenant-colonel and commanded the 36th Battalion until June;
Then the 35th for the rest of the war. He led the 35th in action south of the Somme in August at Mont St Quentin and in September in operations against the Hindenburg line;
Between 1917 and 1919 he was three times mentioned in dispatches, received the French Croix de Guerre and was appointed CMG.
After the war he returned to his very successful agricultural pursuits. He was a councillor for the Guyra shire in 1911-29, vice-president of the Northern New State Movement in 1922 and a supporter of the Country Party. Like many ex-officers, he showed alarm at post-war political trends and took part in the Old Guard movement. He had no time for the New Guard. In September 1932 he was nominated to the Legislative Council; he did not like politicians, did not speak in the House and retired in April 1934 when the council was reconstituted. He was a Council-member of the University of New England in 1954.
The Hon Dr Peter Robert Phelps (b 1968)
MLC 2011-19 (Liberal Party)
in College 1990-93
BA(Hons) 1990, PhD (1997). Contributed to Mummers and was a tutor in history.
Peter’s political career included membership of standing and other committees; Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters 2017-19; Government Whip in the Legislative Council 2015-16. He was a member of the State Executive of the Liberal Party 2003-60; State Council 1996-1998 and 2003-2011.
Peter is an author and contributes to the community as a member of the Board of the State Records Authority of New South Wales since 2013; is an active member of various community associations.
The Hon Benjamin Cameron (“Ben”) Franklin (b. 1972)
MLC since 2015 (Nationals)
President of the Legislative Council since 2023
in College 1990-1996
BA (1994). College Debating.
Ben’s political career has included Minister for Tourism 2022-23; Minister for Aboriginal Affairs 2021-23; Minister for Regional Youth 2021-23 and Minister for the Arts 2021-23; Parliamentary Secretary for Energy and the Arts in 2021; Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy and Northern NSW 2017-19; member of a number of select and other committees.
Today Ben is leading the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the NSW Legislative Council.
FELLOWS OF COUNCIL AND THE NSW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
[Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) | Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)]
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Phillip Parker King FRS RN (1791-1856),
MLC 1829, 1839, 1850-51
Fellow 1855-56
Phillip was an internationally acclaimed hydrographer and explorer of Australian and Patagonian coasts 1817-22.
James Macarthur (1798-1867)
MLC 1838-1843, 1848-1856, 1866-67
Fellow 1855-59,
Agriculturist, member of the first Senate of the University; Colonial Treasurer 1856.
Sir Charles Cowper KCMG (1807-75)
MLC 1843-50, 1860
Fellow 1862-67
MLA 1856-59, 1861-70;
Premier of NSW 1856, 1857-59, 1861-63, 1865-67 and 1869-70;
1860 appointed Chief Secretary of NSW.
Pastoralist; 1851 president of the Australasian League for the Abolition of Transportation;
James Mitchell (1792-1869)
MLC 1855-1856
Fellow 1855-69
Physician and industrialist; trustee of the Australian Museum 1853-69; generous benefactor to St Paul’s College, to which he was elected a senior fellow in 1857; associated with the Australian Subscription Library, now the Public Library of New South Wales, as a committeeman 1832-53 and vice-president and president 1856-69.
Sir Alfred Stephen GCMG CB PC (1802-94)
MLC 1856-58, 1875-90
President of the Legislative Council 1856-57
Fellow and Chairman of Council 1855-70
Lieutenant Governor of NSW 1872-91
Administrator of NSW in 1872.
Chief Justice of NSW 1844-73; judge, philanthropist, social reformer; inaugural president of the Legislative Council; Earlier he was was made solicitor-general of Van Diemen’s Land in 1825 and then crown solicitor. He was also President of the Board of Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales 1874-89.
Note: Sir Alfred was a significant player in the founding of the University of Sydney and, despite the opposition of the then Church of England Bishop of NSW, Rt Rev’d William Broughton, Sir Alfred succeeded in having legislation passed for the establishment and endowment of colleges within the University. The act was the Saint Paul’s College Act (1854) (Private Act), now repealed and replaced by the current Act of 2018. We credit Sir Alfred as a ‘founding father’ of St Paul’s being its first Chairman of Council and prior to this the chair of the committee to establish and endow an Anglican residential university college in Sydney.
Robert Ebenezer Johnson (1812-66)
MLC 1856-61
Fellow 1855-66
Solicitor; another of our ‘founding fathers’ in 1853 he was joint secretary and treasurer of the St Paul’s College Building Committee with Sir Alfred Stephen; a member of the Benevolent Society Committee.
James Norton (1824-1906),
MLC 1856-61
Fellow 1869-1906
Solicitor; alderman of Double Bay from 1873; trustee of the Australian Museum in 1874-1906; trustee of Hyde, Phillip and Cook Parks from 1878 and chairman in 1894-1904; trustee of the Free Public Library from 1878, he was its chairman in 1890-1906; from 1879 a trustee of the Zoological Station, Watson’s Bay; in 1884 he became postmaster-general; a founder of the Linnean Society of New South Wales in 1875.
Charles Kemp (1813-64)
MLC 1861-64
Fellow 1855-1864
MLA 1860
Journalist and businessman; proprietor of The Sydney Morning Herald 1841-53; inaugural Railway Commissioner 1855-56.
Another of our ‘funding fathers’ he helped to found St Paul’s with Sir Alfred Stephen. From 1852, as a trustee of the estate of Thomas Moore who had left a substantial legacy to the Anglican Church for the education of young men for the ministry, he was a party to the foundation in 1855 of Moore Theological College; 1860-64 he was active in raising funds for building St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney.
George Henry Cox (1824-1901)
MLC 1863-1901
Fellow 1886-1901
MLA 1856-58
Pastoralist and sheepbreeder; in 1860 was the first mayor of Cudgegong the first rural municipality in NSW.
Charles Campbell (1810-88)
MLC 1870-88
Fellow 1864-78
Pastoralist at Duntroon, barrister; builder of the Church of St John the Baptist Canberra; Chancellor of the Diocese of Goulburn.
Philip Gidley King (1817-1904)
MLC 1880-1904
Fellow 1870-73
Pastoralist, marine surveyor; in 1876-80 he was first mayor of Tamworth; trustee of the Australian Museum 1881-1904; member of the Aborigines Protection Board 1883-1904.
Henry Cary Dangar (1830-1917)
MLC 1883-1917
Fellow 1865-67
Pastoralist; a silent partner in Dangar Brothers, Dangar Gilchrist and Co. and other companies; Commodore of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron; foundation member of the National Rifle Association of New South Wales 1860; honorary secretary 1866-68, vice president 1870-77, trustee 1877-1909; Commissioner Melbourne International Exhibition 1880, Melbourne Centennial Exhibition 1888; Director of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital; Trustee Art Gallery of NSW 1876-87; Council for New South Wales Academy of Art. Founder member, trustee of the Union Club, president 1901-08.
Note: Henry Dangar donated the College cloisters which were erected in 1864.
Sir Alexander Stuart KCMG (1824-86)
MLC 1885-86
Fellow 1873-1886
MLA 1874-79, 1880-85
Premier of NSW 1883-85
Colonial Treasurer 1876-77
Businessman; 1852 joined Bank of New South Wales as assistant secretary, assistant inspector 1853; Secretary and inspector 1854; partner in R. Towns & Co. 1855, senior partner on Towns’ death in 1873; director of the Bank of New South Wales 1855-61, 1867-76, 1877-79, president in 1861; sometime Chairman Australian General Assurance Company; director of Waratah Coal Co; took up extensive mining leases in Illawarra district in 1870s; from late 1870s chairman and proprietor Coal Cliff Coal Co. and a director of the Trust and Agency Co. of Australia; 1880s director of the National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Limited; the Bowenfels Coal Mining and Copper Smelting Company and the Sydney Exchange Co. 1882-86; local director of the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company; in 1860s invested extensively and unprofitably in properties in Queensland through R. Towns & Co; had real estate on North Shore, Sydney; owned two steamships built 1879; Commissioner for New South Wales at International Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876; Executive Commissioner for New South Wales at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition 1886; represented Sydney on Provincial Synod1874-83 and on General Synod from 1876; member of St Andrew’s Cathedral Chapter from 1868, trustee Church lands, and of Moore Theological College; a founder of the Church of England Defence Association.
Septimus Alfred Stephen (1842-1901)
MLC 1887-1900
Fellow 1885-1900
MLA 1882-87
Solicitor and pastoralist; from 1888 invested heavily in cattle stations in Queensland, and lost heavily in drought in 1890s, owned a half share in Elizabeth Farm, owned other property in or near Sydney; life member of Royal Society of New South Wales from 1879; fellow of Royal Colonial Institute from 1888; president of Hospital for Sick Children; director of Sydney Hospital from 1894-95.
Sir Francis Bathurst Suttor (1839-1915)
MLC 1900-1915,
President of the Legislative Council 1903-15
Fellow 1886-87
MLA 1875-87, 1891-94 and 1898-1900
Held Justice, Public Instruction and postmaster-General ministries on numerous occasions.
Pastoralist in Bathurst and Wellington; vice-president of the Sheepbreeders Association, president 1903-15; president of the Stockowners’ Association of New South Wales; trustee National Art Gallery of New South Wales 1899-1915, vice president 1915; trustee of the Australia Museum; director of Sydney Hospital 1904-14; president of council Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children; president of Royal Life Saving Society, Sydney Patron of Australia literature.
[further research to follow on Fellows of the College post-1900]
Sources: Australian Dictionary of Biography online: https://adb.anu.edu.au/; Parliament of NSW website: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Pages/home.aspx; Wikipedia; Alan Atkinson Hearts and Minds: St Paul’s College, Sydney University, 1816-2016, 2017; original documents and images, St Paul’s College Archives.
Admiral Phillip Parker King (State Library NSW)James Macarthur (State Library NSW)Sir Charles Cowper KCMG (State Library NSW)James Mitchell (St Paul’s College Archives)Sir Alfred Stephen GCMG CB PC (St Paul’s College Archives)Robert Ebenezer Johnson (St Paul’s College Archives)James Norton (State Library NSW)Charles Kemp (NSW Parliament House)George Cox (State Library NSW)Charles Campbell (State Library NSW)Philip Gidley KingHenry Cary Dangar (Hornsby Shire)Sir Alexander Stuart (State Library NSWSeptimus Alfred Stephen (State Library NSW)Sir Francis Suttor (NSW Parliament House)
Join us at the Summer Soiree
The Warden and the Union Committee warmly invite Old Paulines, their partners and friends to join us for an unforgettable evening of festivities and live entertainment in the Quad and Salisbury.
