ACHIEVEMENTS OF PAST STUDENTS
FROM SLADE AND ST CATHARINE’S
(Can you add the dates they attended?)
TOM AHEARN – first past student to be elected to the Queensland Parliament in the first Nicklin Government later to be come for a short period Premier of Queensland
JOHN W. C. ARCHER – had the rare distinction of being registered as QX1 as a soldier in the Second World War
C.E.B. BARNES – One of the founders of the School, elected to the Federal Parliament – became Minister for External Affairs – also a very keen race horse owner – owned “Basha Felica”, winner of the Caulfield Cup, and second in the Melbourne Cup
SIR IAN D’OLIER BIDDULPH – Hereditary Knighthood
BILL BONTHRONE – awarded Medal of Australia (AM) for services to the United Graziers Association
MICHAEL BROWN – builder and developer of the Myer Centre in Brisbane
WALTER BUNNING – Prominent architect and designer of several buildings in Canberra, including the National Art Gallery
DAVID CARSTENS – a Surveyor and member of ANARE, He was awarded the Polar Medal for his work in the Antarctic
ADRIAN CHARLES – had the unique distinction of being School Captain 1944, and then joined the Staff of the School in 1945. He was subsequently to join the ministry, became a Bush Brother and served as Bishop for the West, Bishop to the Armed forces, and was Assistant Bishop of Brisbane. Awarded the Medal of Australia (AM)
PETER COLLAS – was taken prisoner of war by the Germans during World War 2, and with other Officers in Stalag XVII, made the Great Escape, and was not recaptured
BARRY DANCE– first Slade student to be selected to go to Duntroon Royal Military College
JOHN DESHON, AM– an Honours Graduate in Architecture from the Queensland University, John went on to become President of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, Queensland Division – awarded the Medal of Australia (AM)
RAMU (TED) DIRO – first Papuan New Guinean to attend the Officer Cadet School at Portsea, and at Independence being granted to PNG in 1975, he was the General Commanding the PNG Armed Forces – was to be elected to the Parliament of PNG and subsequently became Deputy Prime Minister
ERIC DONALDSON – on leaving Slade, he first graduated as a Psychiatrist, then graduated in Medicine from the University of Edinburgh; served as a medico in the Army Aviation; and, on leaving the Army, became the Chief Medical Officer for Qantas. In “retirement”, he is an Associate Professor at the Griffith University in Brisbane and is one of the world’s leading investigators into Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).
PETER ENRIGHT – World Series and Australian Test Cricket Umpire
JOHN FLOWER – awarded BEM for service to the newspaper industry
GORDON FRIEND– awarded MBE for Community Services
ARTHUR GILLESPIE – first past student to go into the Ministry, and was a member of the Bush Brotherhood of St Paul
TREVOR GRAY– Mayor Inglewood Shire Council
GEORGE HANNAFORD – Mayor of Cambooya Shire Council
STUART HAZELL – Professor and currently Dean of Faculty of Science at the University of South Queensland at Toowoomba
BERESFORD LOVETT – one of the originals on the Slade Roll – a Rat of Tobruk – achieved the rank of Lt Colonel – Master at Churchie and coached their 1st XV successfully for many years
BEVAN MEREDITH – a master of Slade: went to Papua New Guinea as a missionary: joined the ministry; and was to become Archbishop of Papua New Guinea and Bishop to the Islands.
ROY MUIR – an original on the Slade Roll – Chief Librarian for the Brisbane City Council – was the first President of the SSOBA
FRED MURRAY – Mayor of Maroochy Shire Council — awarded MBE
ED NUSSEY– was the only boy to get polio at the school during the polio epidemic in 1946. Ed was to complete several degrees and became Chief Librarian of the Queensland State Library.
CHARLIE OLSEN – a past student of Slade, he became a master and then subsequently Headmaster of Slade School – went on to become Headmaster of Toowoomba Grammar School and Headmaster of Ipswich Grammar School
PHILLIP PAGE – Australian Saloon Car Champion in the late 1960’s
ERIC ROBINSON – First past student to be elected to the federal Parliament – became the Minister for Finance in the Fraser government.
HUGH ROSE – Headmaster of Toowoomba Grammar School
SID SAKZEWSKI – President of the Australian Water Ski Association, Queensland Racing Drivers Club and builder of the Lakeside Motorway
JOHN SCHWENNESEN – while a 15 year old Slade student, he was the first to swim in the Australian Swimming Championships
Dr PHILLIP J (Jon) STEPHENSON – son of one of the founders of the School and helped survey the way across the Antarctic for the Commonwealth Expedition lead by Sir Vivian Fuchs during the International Geophysical Year 1958. Being a geologist, he literally crossed the Antarctic on skis. He was to become Assistant Professor of Geology at the James Cook University at Townsville.
JACK TOOHEY– Awarded OAM for service to Retired Servicemen and the Rats of Tobruk Association
FRANK UNWIN – Mayor of Caboolture Shire Council
GEOFF WILSON – was navigator on the first aircraft ( Canberra Bomber) to fly from England to Australia inside 24 hours in 1952
BARRY WOODWORTH – Professor of Education at the James Cook University, Townsville