NEW, David McNair (1930-2018)
Described as 'an eminent Australian book designer and production manager' by Frank Thompson in his case-study on Univesity Presses, David McNair New pursued an extensive career as a journalist, book designer and publisher.
By his own account, he attended Sydney University, became a cadet reporter at The Age (Melbourne), worked in England on the News Chronicle, returned to Australia as State Parliamentary Reporter with The Age, then joined the publisher, F W Cheshire (1956-1965). He then moved to Rigby Ltd, Adelaide before joining the Sydney University Press as Publisher, Design and Production in 1966. In 1980, he became a Director of Sydney University Press. He retired from The University of Sydney in 1990.
David New was enrolled as a boarder at Geelong College in two periods, firstly from 15 February 1940 to December 1940, and then from 7 February 1946 to December 1948. He boarded at Junior School in 1940, Warrinn in 1946, Lester Square in 1947, and Senior House in 1948. At College, he was a Corporal in the College Cadet Unit in 1947 and a Sergeant in 1948. He was also a member of the House of Guilds Council in 1948 and the 3rd VIII Rowing Crew.
In 1957, he was selected to write the History of Geelong College 1861-1961 but due to work committments was unable to pursue the project.
Ad Astra in 1980 reported:
'David New ('44)) has been appointed Director of Sydney University Press, the scholarly book publishing arm of the University of Sydney. He joined the Press fourteen years ago from commercial publishing in Adelaide and Melbourne. His early career was as a journalist with the Age and in Fleet St.'
Born on 25 November 1930, he had attended Yokohama School, Japan previous to his enrolment at Geelong College. His father, Rev. E. New was at Scots Church, Melbourne in 1946. David wrote to the College in 2005 and described his schooling as follows: 'The first school I went to was Cheefoo School in Cheefoo (now Yantai), Shantung Province. It was run by the China Inland Mission, and I was a boarder at the age of six, while my parents were in Korea, until the Japaneses launched a full-scale invasion of China in 1937 that came to the outskirts of the city. I can still recall the constant booming of the artillery fire. Cheefoo was a German Treaty Port trying to stay neutral.
My next school was the Yokohama International School. We went to Switzerland, then Britain, sailing for Australia just after the was was declared on Germany. I was sent to the College in 1940. The Scotch College I attended was in Perth at Swanbourne. I was a day-boy.'
His brothers; John Frederick New, and Geoffrey Knowlton New (1934-2010), were also educated at Geelong College.
David New died, age 87 years on 23 January 2018.
Sources: The University of Sydney News, 4 November 1980 p223, p225; Pegasus June 1957 p48; Pegasus December 1957 p55; Ad Astra December 1980 p4; Ad Astra December 1990 p10; Directory of Old Collegians of The Geelong College, 1996 p129; Correspondence David New 26 May 2005; 'Case-Study University Presses' by Frank Thompson in 'Paper Empires: A History of the Book in Australia 1946-2005' p334 edited by Craig Munro and Robyn Sheahan-Bright, UQP, 2006; The Age (Melbourne) 27 January 2018. OGC 1944.