knox grammar school

Biographies

Alan Stewart Ogilvie (OKG30)

Knox's #23 Student 1924

Alan was the 23rd enrolled student at Knox. He attended the School from 1924 to 1928. Alan attended Knox as both a day boy of South House and boarder of School House.

Alan recalled coming to Knox by train and some of the activities of the boarders such as bushwalking, visiting day boy homes and playing table tennis and football. Alan lamented that the boarders could not play ball games on Sundays and remembers attending church services at St John’s.

Alan was awarded 3rd Place in Form II in his first year at Knox. Alan played for the 1st XI for four years and received Colours and a Batting Prize in 1928. He played for the School’s first 1st XV in 1924 and again in 1925. He remembered Knox playing annual matches against Jervis Bay Naval College.

After school, Alan went jackarooing. He subsequently became manager of a sheep property near Inglewood in Queensland. In the mid-1930s, he and Ceb Barnes (who subsequently became a Minister in the Menzies Government) went prospecting for gold and tin in Cape York Peninsula for two years during the Great Depression. He returned to the Inglewood property but left there to join the army’s Light Horse Regiment in September 1939. Because of his practical skills and experience, he was not initially posted overseas (contrary to his request) and became an instructor for incoming recruits. He was subsequently posted to Bougainville in 1942 with the rank of Lieutenant.

In 1941, he married Dorothy Mabel Millar with whom he had three children (Peter, Ian and Alan David). He was a talented cricketer and was selected to play for Queensland against Bradman’s South Australian team just when the Sheffield Shield was cancelled because of the war.

Alan left the army in 1946 with the rank of Captain. After that he applied his skills to a wide range of jobs. These included a small crops farm at Caboolture, vehicle maintenance at Kedron, sand and gravel company, haberdashery store, plus establishing and managing a cooperative hardware store in Southport, managing and then owning a trucking company, and managing a motel, both in Caloundra. He and his family finally settled in Brisbane, and his last paying job was as maintenance manager with the Ipswich City Council.

Two of his three brothers, John (OKG28) and Bruce (OKG33), and many great nephews and great grandnephews also attend the School. Alan’s father, Rev A M Ogilvie served on the School Council from 1923 to 1938.

Alan died on 5 December 2004 at the age of 91.