St Pauls

Our long-time former Alumni Officer, Selwyn Owen, has died at the age of 80 after a long illness. Selwyn was an undergraduate student at Paul’s 1964-66 and at the University he graduated BE(Chem) in 1967. Selwyn was a tireless worker and advocate for his old College. He was well known throughout the ranks of alumni and was highly regarded as one of the happiest ‘characters’ of College life by students when he was working here from 2004 to 2016 as Alumni Officer.

Selwyn came to College from North Sydney Technical High School and enrolled at the University as a Commonwealth Scholar and a Repatriation Scholar. Selwyn’s first job was teaching at The Kings School 1967-69. He then worked for CSR in Ingham Qld as an investigating chemical engineer. In 1971 he moved to Adelaide where he taught at St Peter’s College. In 1984 he moved to Geelong Grammar where he taught Maths and was head of department 1984-92, then a housemaster until 2001 when he moved back to Sydney.

Always lean and fit he was a talented rower and competed as a member of the University and College crews. In 1968 he was elected secretary of the Sydney Rowing Club and a decade later was elected Secretary of the Adelaide Rowing Club. His interest in maritime pursuits saw him as a volunteer crew member aboard Our Svanen in the First Fleet Re-enactment Voyage as part of the 1988 Australian Bicentenary. Living in Bondi Selwyn was a member of Bondi Icebergs Club and even as a swimmer in his 70s was a regular top swimmer in club events.

His memorial service will be held in the Chapel at 2pm on Friday 23 February.

Pictured below:

Selwyn in 1967; Selwyn presents a sterling silver stirrup jug to Tiffany Kwong who was the first applicant accepted to Graduate House and the first Woman Pauline (2019); Selwyn with Pat Hall and Warden Ivan Head discussing the Pauline (2017); Selwyn (right) at a meeting of members of the Union Committee (2017); Featured image above: Selwyn presents the new Warden with one of his College mementos (2020).