Sadly, many of our Old Sydneians have passed away in recent times, and the School sends condolences to family and friends.
Here below are some prominent old boys, whose obituaries could not be included in time for the The Sydneian 2022 edition.
Peter Charles William Howard (OS 1963) died 20 November 2021
Coming to Australia from Fiji in 1955, Peter attended Sydney Grammar School from 1958-63. He represented the Rugby First XV in 1963 and excelled as a swimmer, winning nine senior events with two records at the School Swimming Carnival. He was also a Prefect and a Cadet Petty Officer of the RANR Cadets.
In 1968 he graduated with a BA from UNSW where he was a valuable member of the Rugby Club. After graduating with an LLB from UNSW in 1977, Peter returned to Fiji where he held senior positions in Government before setting up his own law firm.
He returned to Sydney in 2012 where he lived until his passing. He is fondly remembered as a great friend, a wonderful sportsman, and a quiet achiever with a generous disposition.
(Thanks to George Conomos for helping with this information.)
John Digby (Digby) Cooke (OS 1946) died 30 November 2021
Australian racing driver and former Bathurst class winner Digby Cooke has passed away on the Gold Coast after suffering a recent stroke.
Cooke, 93 in October, began his career in open-wheel cars in 1949 and eventually found himself working for the legendary Tom Sulman at his garage in Surry Hills in Sydney.
Sulman was a member of the “Kangaroo Gang” sports car team whose members included Jack Brabham and Tony Gaze and, on Sulman’s return from the UK, Cooke left the Surry Hills operation and set his own shop and tuning business up in Lane Cove. Cooke’s focus shifted towards tin tops and Bathurst in the early 1960’s. He was a relief driver for Ron Hodgson and the pair drove a Morris Major at the Bathurst 6 Hour event in 1962. Cooke competed in long distance races at Bathurst from 1962 to 1972 and had to wait until his final appearance in a Ford Escort with Geoff Leeds to claim his first-class victory.
Cooke went on to build a very successful insurance broking business and was based on the Gold Coast where he had an impressive personal car collection which included a replica Jaguar XJ13 racer, a 550 Ferrari Barchetta, a Porsche 996 GT3 911 and Robnell Cobra which was personally tuned by Bo and Glenn Seton.
Digby is survived by his wife Gwen and children Rowan and Adam.
Paul Anthony Cockburn (OS 1965) died November 2021
Paul Cockburn studied at the Ealing School of Art, London, and formed Design Field in London in 1969. He returned to Australia in the 1970’s and the Design Field consultancy grew over the next 20 years to undertake projects for clients including Apple Computer, AWA and Black and Decker. The group’s most recognised project was the redesign of the Eveready Dolphin lantern in 1972 and again in 1989.
Paul also worked as an automotive writer for Wheels and later Motor Magazine. He was well-known in motoring fields as was his cherished E-type Jaguar.
Sadly, Paul died last year after a long battle with cancer.
David Emanuel (OS 1951) died 25 February 2022
David Maurice Emanuel was born in Dover Heights on 23 June 1934. He was a fifth-generation Australian and very proud of that heritage.
In David’s final school year (1951), he was selected in the School’s First XV, with solid performances also seeing him chosen in the GPS Third XV. Outside of rugby, he was an all-round athlete, captaining the school swimming team to a GPS championship in the same year. He was also a proud member of the Bondi Surf Club as a lifesaver while at the same time training and boxing with his father by his side.
David continued his rugby journey with Eastern Suburbs and, in his third year with the club, he represented NSW. In 1957, he made his Test debut for Australia in the second Test against New Zealand in Brisbane. All up, David played nine Tests for Australia in a two-year international career. He was and forever will be, Wallaby #425. Once he retired from rugby, he began to coach at Easts and helped set up Easts’ junior team ‘the Wallaroos’. He was also asked to coach the Maccabi Rugby Club when it was established and, until this day, the boys in those teams have kept in contact.
David started his business career helping his father sell his artwork before moving on to work with his uncle Stanley and his jewellery business. He then ventured out on his own into clothing manufacturing and eventually a homewares business. Being a well-known sportsman, many doors opened for him.
David will be remembered fondly by his school friends whom he still met for lunch, rugby teammates at reunions and surf club pals when walking and swimming at Bondi Beach.
He was a generous man who often quietly helped those in need without any hesitation or recognition. He gave his time to volunteer driving for the Burger Centre and supported many charities.
David is survived by his sister Janese, daughters Lisa and Fiona, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Lindsay Newton (Edgecliff Preparatory School Master 1955–1984) died 24 February 2022
Lindsay was a loyal teacher at Edgecliff for 29 years until he retired in 1984. He was Deputy Headmaster and Acting Headmaster at times when Reg Billing was on leave. He enjoyed coaching the School’s cricket, football and tennis teams.
His memoirs state, ‘The whole of my teaching career was very fulfilling, though at times not easy. Standards were high and I wanted to do the job well. The staff were always friendly and ambitious and the boys generally hard working.’
He was an active church member throughout his life, being Sunday School Superintendent and Churchwarden at various churches. During his retirement he was a volunteer mini-bus driver for twelve years, serving elderly people in the Eastwood area. Lindsay was a keen gardener, tennis player, a sailor, a woodworker and a golfer. He took delight in sharing these interests with his children, grandsons and seven great grandsons.
He was proud to claim that he was retired for more years than he had worked. He was a gentle man, who lived a life of humble service. He was 97 years old when he passed away.