STEWART, Hugh James Gordon (1922-2014)
Hugh Stewart was first enrolled at the College on 10 February, 1937 continuing as a boarder to December, 1939. Previously, he had attended Portland Higher Elementary School. A member of Warrinn House he had been a member of the 2nd Cricket XI, the 2nd Football XVIII, and the Cadet Corps Band. He had been born on 11 November, 1922, the elder son of Allan Gordon Stewart and Eileen Theresa nee Beggs who farmed at a property near Coleraine in Victoria’s south-west.
After leaving College, Hugh worked for Dalgetty & Co before enlisting (VX77514) on 10 March, 1942. He served as a private with 2/8th Armoured Regiment and 41st Landing Craft Company (after the Armoured Regiment was disbanded into the Landing Craft Company) in New Guinea from April 1943 to February, 1944 and again from May 1945 to December, 1945. He was demobilized on 28 June, 1946.
After the war, he returned to Dalgetty & Co as a wool valuer until the late 1950s, then left to run the family property ‘Bretton’. Hugh was a keen golfer and bowler and most recently was living at Stawell. The annual ‘Hugh Stewart Classic’ at Stawell Golf Bowling Club is named in his honour. At various times he had been President of the Stawell Graziers Association; Stawell Sheepbreeders Association and Stawell Golf Bowling Club.
Hugh died at St John of God Hospital, Ballarat, age 91, on 27 May, 2014 after a short illness. His brother, ‘Jim’ Stewart, OGC1940, and son, Robert Stewart, OGC 1969, were also educated at College.
Sources: ‘Jim’ Stewart; Herald Sun (Melb) 29 May, 2014. OGC 1937.