STEWART Gordon 

Compiled by Gordon Freegard based on research by
Merilyn Stewart

Gordon Thomas Stewart was born at Gnowangerup on 4 January 1920, the son of Private Samuel Walker (Sam) Stewart (1885–1972) and Dorothy Hall Stewart (1896–1972).
He grew up with brothers Athol (1924-2000), Norman Samuel Stewart (1921–1984) and Bruce Barr Stewart (1927–2006).
As a child he attended Gnowangerup State School and appears in the 1930 school group photograph with Norman.
The family farm was named Teddington, named for the English village from which his mother Dorothy and her sister Winnie had come.
 His father Sam Stewart purchased a timber shop originally established by George Parry. Sam and George became partners - Sam took over when George retired.
The business remained a family enterprise: Athol and Gordon later ran the hardware shop while Norman and Bruce ran the family farm.

       
 
GORDON THOMAS STEWART              #1

       GORDON SREWART      #2
 

Gordon enlisted for service in World War II at Perth; his service is recorded on the Gnowangerup honour board as STEWART 29444 Gordon Thomas. In the war he served in the same unit as Kent Thomas. His father Sam had earlier served in World War I.
Over the years in sport Gordon played tennis and football, served as patron of the golf club and was Club Captain of the Gnowangerup Bowling Club.
In younger days Gordon was amongst Gnowangerup’s local pool of talent: his brother Norm Stewart, Edsel Hinkley, Ron Wise, Murray Cuneo, Ian Simpson, Doug Smith, Brian and Peter Harris, Rebel Williams and the Williams boys.

After WW2 Gordon married Audrey (née Black). They had three children: Kaye, Barbara and Ronald.
The family enjoyed holidays holidays together in the South West. Bunbury was a favoured location.
Gordon worked in the family business until shortly before 1986, when Stewart & Sons marked forty years; he retired just prior to the anniversary and left full ownership to Athol and his family.
Gordon’s public life in Gnowangerup combined civic duty, emergency service and sport. He had a long association with the Gnowangerup ambulance service, serving for 30 years and spending 25 of those years as Transport Officer; he received life membership for that service.

GNOWANGERUP STATE SCHOOL 1930                  #3
ROW 5 L-R: 1. Clarence Bell 2. Bill Davis 3. Arthur Napier 4. Bert Venning 5. Terry Fennell 6. Hector McDonald? 7. Bernie Smith 8. Jim Grocock 9. Bill/George Hodgins 10. Arthur Wood 11. Ray McDonald 12. Clem Davis 13. Jean Napier 14. Janet Mather 15. Hazel Garnett 16. Phyllis Skett 17. Ruby Bell 18. Hec McDonald? 19, Jack McLean ROW 4 L-R: 1.     ?    2. ? Robeson 3. Enid Pratt 4. Lorna Hams 5. Gladys Crisp 6. Nancy Davis 7. Grace Bell 8. Gracie Woods 9. Joan Foster 10. Joe Robeson 11. Percy Walker 12. Walter Knox 13. Georgie Bevan 14. Gordon Allardyce 15. Horace Beeck 16. Bill Griffiths 17. Harold Black 18. Marion Walker 19. Dorothy Scott Row 3 L-R:  1.  ?  Bell 2.   ?   3.    ?   4.Bob Napier 5 Felix Grocock 6. Gordon Williams 7. Des Irwin 8. Glen Garnett 9.  ?  Richards 10. Jack Clancy 11. George Woods 12. Olive Woods 13 Phyllis McPherson 14. Edna Robeson 15. Peggy Know 16. Kathy Know or Beatrice Walker 17. Nita Gunther 18. Elsie Crisp 19. Amy Garnett 20.  ?  21.  ?  22.  ?  23.  ?   ROW 4 L-R:  1. Bessie Pratt 2. Audrey Foster/Irene Skett 3. Julia Creedon 4. Thelma Robeson/?Know 5. Cathy Know 6. Leila Smith 7. Dulcie Bell 8. Kevin McDonald 9. Jim Skett 10. Gordon Stewart  15, Max Davis 16. Cliff Harris 17. Jim Woods 18. Alec Bennett 19.  ?     FRONT ROW L-R:  1. obscured 2. Rosie Richards 3. Daphene Neal 4. Marjorie Aylmore 5. Audrey Foster 6. Phyllis Bell 7. Phyllis Porteous 8. Norman Stewart 9. Arthur Gunther?/?Woods 10. Jack Creedon 11. Pat Smith 12.  ?  Woods 13.   ?  14. Frank Searle 15.   ?   16.  ?  Bennett 17, obscured

NORMAN, ATHOL & GORDON             #4
 

He was an officer in the Gnowangerup Sub Centre of the St John Ambulance.
For many years he made voluntary attendances at sport events such as local football games and pony club events.
Gordon was a member of the Association for 16 years and later continued as Transport Officer. for his service he was awarded the Medal of a Serving Brother in the Order of St. John, a medal granted by Queen Elizabeth II and presented locally by Bill Wray, President of the Sub Centre, at a Sub Centre dinner. Accounts of early Flying Doctor operations in Gnowangerup recall ambulance officers placing runway lights using 9 volt lanterns and white discs, a task in which Gordon took part.
Gordon was active in the Returned and Services League and regularly delivered ANZAC Day commemorative speeches. He served as a Justice of the Peace, sitting on local traffic court matters and officiating in both the District and Children’s Courts.

     GORDON, NORMAN & ATHOL          #5
 

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