Henry Robert PIGOTT - Sodium Bob, the Schoolmaster.

HENRY ROBERT PIGOTT

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My father was born in the Presbyterian Manse, in Church Street, Blayney, on 25 May 1899.

["Original" Birth Certificate, in Robbie's files. He obtained it in January 1927, perhaps as a precursor to him acquiring a driver's license? 

An earlier copy of the certificate, issued on 11 August 1916 by George PILE, was attached to his Duntroon Service file.]

A Birth Notice was published in the Sydney Morning Herald, 14 June 1899, on page 1 (as also in the Sydney Star, and the Sydney Mail, both of same date):

"PIGOTT. - May 25, at Blayney, the wife of H. R. U. (sic) PIGOTT, of a son."

[Image courtesy of Bill PIGOTT.]

He was the first of four children of Henry Robert Maguire (Harry) PIGOTT, then manager of the Blayney branch of the Australian Joint Stock Bank, and his wife Margaret Paton ADAM - they had been married in the same Manse on 23 March 1898.
See Harry's blog at this link:
http://pigott-gorrie.blogspot.com.au/2008/07/the-hon-member-for-calare-henry-robert.html

I do not know when Harry relinquished his residence in the Australian Joint Stock Bank premises, on the corner of Adelaide and Water Streets - it may have been from the day he and Maggie came back from their honey-moon - that event took place shortly before 21 April 1898, when a meeting in the Blayney church welcomed them back.

[Illustration of the Manse in his grandfather ADAM's Retirement Address, May 1900.]

For the family, the period of Robbie's gestation was somewhat tumultuous.

On 7 August 1898, his grandfather, Rev James ADAM sustained severe injuries, resulting from a fall from his horse.

On 4 March 1899, after slow improvement, he suffered a relapse, and it was feared he may not survive.

On 16 May 1899, his father was censured in a Board Meeting of the A.J.S. Bank, and cautioned as to his future behaviour. See below.

Shortly after his birth, the disruptions continued:

In July 1899, ADAM resigned his Blayney Charge, which was declared vacant on 3 August. He was allowed to stay on at the Manse until his successor was selected and installed.

On 4 May 1900, ADAM was presented with his Illustrated Address.

On 6 June 1900, his successor, Rev S.G. CRAWFORD arrived in Blayney, from Charter's Towers, in Queensland. Rev J. ADAM, with Mrs ADAM and Mrs PIGOTT, left Blayney on Wednesday 6 June "... for a trip to Wollongong, where he will stay about a month" [Blayney Advocate and Carcoar Herald, Saturday 23 April].

I presume that the ADAMs, after this time, went to live in "Iona" with the PIGOTT's (see below).

On 18 August 1900, Harry PIGOTT first advertised his new business, as a Stock and Station Agent, at the old mill premises in the Sale Yards; on 1 September 1900, his last notice as Bank Manager was published in the Blayney Advocate; and on 8 September 1900, Harry first advertised his new Office in a front room of the Club House Hotel, in Adelaide Street, Blayney. See below.

Robbie was just 16 months old.

[A family group, outside the Manse, in late 1899 or early 1900. His maternal grandfather, James ADAM, seated on the left, grandmother Bessie ADAM standing centre, nursing Robbie, and his proud parents on the right.]

Young Robbie's childhood continued in the substantial brick cottage named "Iona," at the end of Albion Lane (now Clarke Street), on the south edge of the town, and often, I imagine, at the knee of his venerable grandfather.

On one occasion, Robbie was well and truly ticked off by the "Apostle of the Saddle," as his grandfather was affectionately known in those parts, for playing with his Noah's Ark toys during the sacrosanct Sabbath - and even his rejoinder that the poor animals needed to be watered, whatever day it was, drew no compassion from the stern old warrior for Christ!

["Iona," at the end of Clarke Street, Blayney. Photo taken about 10 to 15 years ago.]

Shortly before Rev ADAM retired from the Ministry, his son-in-law Harry PIGOTT severed his connection with the bank, after the A.J.S. Bank Board had met on 18 April 1899, to consider the future of the Blayney Branch, and its closure, following a Branch Inspection in mid March. 

The Board met again on 16 May, and decided to close the Branch when the leasehold expired. The Blayney Advocate continued to list his address there, in its Business Directory on page 1, until the end of August 1900.

Harry set himself up in business in the Sale-yards at Blayney as an Auctioneer and a Stock and Station Agent. As mentioned earlier, he would soon after open an office in the front room of the Commercial Hotel, in the main street, a few hundred yards from the Presbyterian Church.

Young Robbie was not quite 5 years of age when his paternal grandfather, Rev Henry Robert PIGOTT, died at Faulconbridge, on 26 April  1904.

He was aged 12 when his venerable ADAM grandfather died, at Randwick, on 7 July 1911.

He was aged 2 years and 5 months when his brother Jim was born; and 7 years and 3 months when his sister Elsa arrived. 

His youngest brother, Frank, the "after-thought," was not born until May 1917, a few months after Robbie had left home, for the Royal Military College, Duntroon (see below).

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EARLY EDUCATION.

Robbie's formal education began at Wyoming School in Blayney, where he received report cards for July 1910 until December 1911, signed by the Principal, Mrs E. DANN.
Emma DANN (born in Lincolnshire, about 1861) was the wife of Edward James DANN, who managed the Blayney Electorate for the Liberals when Harry PIGOTT stood as a State Candidate for the seat of Blayney in 1910; his wife Emma was a qualified teacher with experience in a number of Quaker schools in England; after some years in Queensland, she took over Mrs NEWTONS' school, Wyoming Lodge, on the corner of Peel and Russell Streets, Bathurst, in 1903; the DANN family moved to Blayney about 1908, and Mrs DANN opened up a new Wyoming School in Adelaide Street; in 1911, she advertised Wyoming School as a Boarding School for girls. Her certificates were in "...the several sciences and higher mathematics (Cambridge)" - which appears to be where young Robert's talents still lay four years after he left for Bathurst.

From "Wyoming," in September 1912, Robbie went as a boarder to All Saints College in Bathurst, then one of the Greater Public Schools, under the Headmastership (1911-1919) of George Sydney STILES, M.A., Oxon (about 1883-1960).

[All Saints College, Bathurst.

A printed photo in Robbie's scrap book.]

Here, Robbie began slowly, but eventually did well - his academic results in the Junior Public Examination in 1915 may have disappointed the future schoolmaster in him, but they were creditable enough, with A's in Latin and Algebra, B's in History, Arithmetic and Geometry, and C's in English and Geography.

[Robbie, in the 1st XV Rugby team at All Saints College, 1915. For some unknown reason, the negative from which this print was made was reversed, and was overwritten with the year date.]

In his last year at All Saints, 1916, Robbie captained the First XV (Rugby - he had played in this team since 1913), played in the First XI (Cricket), was President of the Debating Society, sub-editor of the School Magazine, and a Corporal in the School Cadets (under Sergeant ROBERTS). Robbie was also the Senior Prefect.

STILES wrote on Robbie's final report:
"As captain of the school he has recognized the responsibilities of his office, exercised his powers with firmness and tact, and resolutely maintained the traditions of the school."
These qualities would serve him very well, into the future.

STILES, who had been Captain of The King's School in his final year, 1901, knew what he was talking about. He also played in their 1st XV and 1st XI. And he would return as a Master there in 1910, and then again in 1924, when he would share the Common Room with his former star pupil from Bathurst in 1916!

And further, when STILES was being mentioned in despatches at the Annual Distribution of Prizes, at The King's School in June 1901, one of the attendees in the audience was the school's Visiting Clergyman from St John's Anglican Church, the two-year-old Robbie's grandfather and name-sake, Rev Henry Robert PIGOTT the eldest, aged 63!

STILES had also written a letter, under All Saints College letter-head, dated 16 August 1916, in support of Robbie's application to sit for the rather demanding entrance examination for the Royal Military College of Australia, Federal Territory, and addressed to the then Military Commandant, District Headquarters, Victoria Barracks, Sydney, where the examination was due to be held [courtesy of his service file, R.M.C. of Australia, Duntroon].

STILES wrote:

"Dear Sir,

"I have much pleasure in certifying that Henry Robert PIGOTT, who is applying to attend the competitive examination for admission to the Royal Military College of Australia, has been a member of the above college since September 1912.

"In June 1915, he obtained a distinguished pass in the Junior Public Examination, and is now my senior prefect, and captain of the football XV and cricket XI.

"I cannot speak too highly of the estimation we have formed of his character. He has proved an excellent leader in every way, and his influence and popularity have been of the greatest service to his school."

[Image courtesy of The Royal Military College of Australia Archives.]

On his Attestation form, dated at Duntroon, February 1917, it was recorded that Robbie  had already served in His Majesty's Forces, in the Junior Cadets (7 months) and Senior Cadets (3 years and 6 months); this is further mentioned by James SLOAN, Lieutenant, Area Office, Bathurst, who certified that Corporal Henry Robert PIGOTT  "... is efficient for the years 1914-15-16."

In the "History of the Australian Army," on Wikipedia, is the following statement:

"In 1911, two significant changes followed a report by Lord KITCHENER - the Royal Military College, Duntroon, was established, and a system of universal national service began - boys aged 12 to 18 became cadets, and men aged 18 to 26 had to serve in the C.M.F."

Robbie turned 12 on 25 May 1911.

From the date information on his Attestation form, it looks like he did not join the Junior Cadets until January 1913. 

This 18 month delay is undoubtedly explained by the fact that boys were exempt from the provisions of the Act if they lived more than five miles away from the nearest training post. With his move from the family home in Blayney to boarding school in Bathurst in September 1912, he was evidently no longer exempt.

His elevation to the Senior Cadets, in about August 1913, occurred just a few months after he turned 14.

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TWO PARLIAMENTARY TRIPS.

While at All Saints, his father Harry was elected to represent the Federal Division of Calare, N.S.W., and duly sat in the House of Representatives, which in those days met in Melbourne.

Later in life, Robbie would recall a visit to see his father there, and being taken along to see Parliament in action; his father's contribution to the debate then in progress left an indelible impression on the young lad, but not for the subject matter - one of his father's Labor opponents was a big burly man who was a bit of firebrand, and during the cut-and-thrust of the debate, Robbie imagined, from the tone of the debate, that this man might just do his father some physical damage if he happened to meet him in a darkened corridor (or words to that effect). 

When father and son later left the chamber, the towering figure of his debating opponent loomed up in the corridor, and Robbie feared the worst - but instead the big man cracked a broad smile, put a friendly arm around Harry's shoulder, and declared what a jolly good debate that was! The name I had associated with this encounter was Eddie WARD, but it could not have been him, as he did not enter Parliament until the 1930s. Perhaps dad or I had confused him with another Eddie?
Robbie had learnt his first political lesson in the difference between the behaviour of the Australian man-in-the-street and his Parliamentary representative on the floor of the House.

On one visit, perhaps at the end of the same, his father, with three other Members of the House of Representatives, including Austin CHAPMAN, the Member for Eden-Monaro, arrived at Yass Junction on the overnight express, for a "whistle-stop" visit to the site of the future National Capital.

They were met by Commonwealth cars, driven to Yarralumla House for breakfast, had a picnic lunch at Cotter, and called in to the Royal Military College at Duntroon, before heading to Queanbeyan to catch the evening train on to Sydney. 

It appears that young Robbie, aged 15, was with his father, getting a quick look at the place he would call a temporary home, for four years, and in the very near future.

[June 1915 - The picnic, probably at COTTER, near Acton. Robbie is in the centre, just to the left of the portly gentleman with the white moustache and wearing a white hat.]

[Another view of the Cotter picnic, from about 150 degrees further clockwise.

Both photos in Robbie's Duntroon Album.]

And in January 1917, Robbie traveled with his father on another Parliamentary visit, this time to Norfolk Island, along with nine other Members and Senators.

[Norfolk Island, January 1917. Young Robbie is standing apart, just left of the tree, between the two groups of cricketers and spectators.]

On the return voyage, they stopped over for eight hours at Lord Howe Island:

[Landing at Lord Howe Island in late January 1917. None of these people are identifiable as Harry PIGOTT, or his son Robbie.]

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LIFE IN THE ARMY.

[I am deeply grateful for the assistance I have received from Chris APPLETON, of The Duntroon Society, in preparing the following part of this tribute.]

A month later, Henry Robert PIGOTT was enrolled on 15 February 1917 as an incoming Staff Cadet (number 239) at the Royal Military College of Australia, which had been established six years earlier at the CAMPBELL family's "Duntroon" Homestead, near the village of Acton, very near the site of the present City of Canberra.

He was still known as Robbie by his Army colleagues in his early years at Duntroon, and in some documents later at his time there, and immediately after his graduation, he styled himself Lieutenant Horace PIGOTT or just Horrie - perhaps derived from the initials of his given names.

The mature age Bob was for the future.

But they also nick-named him "Chinny," for his evidently prominent ADAM facial feature, as we find from a Brief Biography of some of the College's notables, published in the College Journal:
" 'Chin' - a lover of Nature, bird and beetle fancier, and general insect protector. Has a far-reaching voice."

His academic progress here, as at his earlier school, was slow to start; he was ranked 31st in a class of 32 on entry in 1917, with a score of 666 out of a maximum possible 1,100 in the entrance examination [The Age, 18 December 1916, "Officers in Embryo"]; but he graduated on 15 December 1920, as Cadet Number 239, having risen to 15th in a class which still numbered 32. It appears that these class numbers did not include students from abroad, specifically ten New Zealanders.

Of his early progress, we get a glimpse from a letter, under House of Representatives letter-head and dated at Commonwealth Offices, Sydney, 22 September 1917, from Austin CHAPMAN, to Robbie's father and fellow M.H.R., with the following report:

"Dear PIGOTT,

"... on our recent visit to Duntroon which was a very hurried one on a Sunday afternoon, as usual I made enquiries regarding your son.

"He did not happen to be handy so we could not see him - but heard very gratifying things regarding him, he appears to have won the good will and esteem of all hands there, from the Commandant down to the cook, and his athletic performances have endeared him to the youngsters specially.

"However, I feel sure he will make good and be a credit to that great College, although as I said of him and I think to Jim, if he makes good like his dad, he will do.

"Please convey my kindest regards to Mrs PIGOTT, and tell her she has every cause to be proud of her son's College conduct."

CHAPMAN was the inaugural Member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Eden Monaro (N.S.W.), and an ardent supporter of the establishment of the Capital in Canberra. The present suburb of Chapman was named in his honour. 

He had another particular interest in the Federal Territory - two of his  sons were enlisted as Staff Cadets at Duntroon in 1913, graduated "early" in June 1915, served with distinction in the 30th Battalion during the Great War, and went on to serve in the 2nd World War.

And the "cook," or one of them, was Edward Joseph Freeman ROGERS, who was a cook in civilian life, and had, at age 58, sought to enlist in the 1st A.I.F., claiming he was aged 44 - but he was rejected, as unfit for active service, due to his physique. But he was enrolled in 1917 for the electorate which covered the Federal Territory, under his full name, residing at Duntroon, occupation Soldier.

I know my father would not have known that his cook was a distant cousin with common Irish origins, in County Cork!

A clear and convenient case of CHAPMAN championing the cause of the Commandant, the Cadet, and the Cook, no less!

My father, a consummate but groan-worthy punner, would have been chuffed!

[A group of Staff Cadets in Summer Whites. Robbie is seated in the back row, on the left. 

The stripe on his right sleeve suggests that the year was either 1918 or 1919. 

From Robbie's Duntroon Album, with no annotation.]

But it was in sport that Robbie excelled, particularly Rugby.

In his second year, 1918, he played in the College's first XV, was selected in the Combined Services XV (with players from the Naval College), and was awarded an Honour Cap.

[The Combined Services 1st XV. Photo in Robbie's Duntroon Album, with no annotation.]

In the next year, 1919, Chinny was promoted to Lance-Corporal, Corps of Staff Cadets, as the "A" Company (Admin) N.C.O. - the senior member of the third year of that Company (there were two, A and B Companies, in the Corps). The N.C.O. was understudy to the Company Sergeant-Major, the senior cadet in their company, and to which role he would be promoted in his final year, all going well.

Curiously, information in his service file [courtesy of the Royal Military College of Australia Archives] appears to indicate that he was promoted to that rank twice - firstly on 9 February 1918, the day after he entered the 3rd Class, and again on 1 April 1919, 69 days after he had entered the 2nd Class. I am unsure quite what this was about.

And he kept up his Rugby achievements. The College Journal recorded some of the Characters of the First XV, including:
"PIGOTT - A very fine forward, with a big heart. Fast, and foot work excellent. Quick to take advantage of openings. Tackles well."

On 10 September 1919, Staff-Cadet PIGOTT of Duntroon took leave to attend, as Best Man to the groom, the marriage of Freddie THOROUGOOD to Robbie's first cousin, Beatrice Kathleen PIGOTT, aged 22, in a choral service at St James's Anglican Church, Sydney:

A dress rehearsal for 19 years later, when Robbie would serve as Best Man at the wedding in Narromine of his brother Jim to Eleanor WEBB.

In his fourth and final year, 1920, Robbie was promoted to Second Senior Company Sergeant-Major (he evidently had the voice for it), and appears to have been the "Senior Australian" Staff Cadet (the Battalion Sergeant-Major being a New Zealander).

It was a big year for the Cadet Guards of Honour.

The first, in April, was for a visit by General William BIRDWOOD, a British Officer who took command of Anzac Forces at Gallipoli, during the recent Great War. He unveiled a memorial on the grave of General W.T. BRIDGES, the inaugural Commandant of the College.

Willam Throsby BRIDGES (1861-1915), Commander of the 1st Division of the A.I.F., the first to land at Gallipoli at dawn on 25 April 1915, was shot by a sniper at Monash Valley, near Anzac Beach, on 15 May, and died on board the Hospital Ship Gascon, en route to Alexandria, from post-amputation gangrene, right leg. He was buried in Alexandria, but his remains were soon after exhumed, as he became the only Australian casualty to be returned to Australia for permanent burial. This took place after a memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, on 2 September 1915, followed by a procession through Melbourne City, for entrainment to Canberra.

The R.M.C. Journal of June 1920, at page 32, carried a report by Staff Cadet B.E. KLEIN (entered 1917, from W.A.), of "A" Company, under the heading "General BIRDWOOD's Visit":

"General BIRDWOOD arrived from Queanbeyan Station at about 8 a.m. on Thursday 15 (sic) April, and was met by a guard of honor outside the Commandant's quarters."

[A Guard of Honour to welcome General BIRDWOOD to Duntroon, about 8.15 in the morning of 16 April 1920. From Robbie's Album.]

[A detail from the parade photo. The Cadet to the fore, with the Crown stitched onto his sleeve, does bear more than just a passing resemblance to Company Sergeant Major PIGOTT.]

[The back of the photo is annotated, in pen, and by a hand strongly resembling Robbie's, "No 4. Guard of Honour. 'General Salute' 'Present-Arms'."]

KLEIN's report continued:

"The full battalion parade took place on the square at 10 o'clock, when the general inspected the corps and took the salute. After the march-past he addressed us for a few minutes, sympathising with us for being unable to get to the war and predicting opportunities in the future. He then inspected the returned soldiers on the College strength, and witnessed displays of 'pip tock' and mounted lance drill by the Cadets."

At the grave-side ceremony, in the afternoon, General BIRDWOOD delivered an impressive eulogy

At this ceremony, the blessing was made by the Very Reverend George LONG, the Anglican Bishop of Bathurst.

Bishop LONG was already acquainted with Staff Cadet Company Sergeant-Major H. R. PIGOTT from his days at All Saint's College (see above), and would, in a short time, be instrumental in landing Robbie his first teaching job at The King's School in 1923 (see below). LONG was also a keen Rugby supporter!

KLEIN concluded his report:

"In the afternoon the battalion paraded and marched to the grave of the late Major-General Sir W.T. BRIDGES, our first Commandant, where an impressive ceremony took place, General BIRDWOOD unveiling the memorial stone in the presence of quite a large crowd for Duntroon.

"The General dined in the Cadet's mess that evening, and afterwards visited the billiard and recreation rooms until we had to depart to our blocks for study.

"On Friday he watched the various classes at their work, the normal programme being strictly adhered to so as to give him an idea of our every-day life. The same day he motored out to the Cotter River to see the works executed there for the Canberra Water Supply.

"He departed for Mount Kosciusko on Saturday morning with his staff, leaving us filled with an intense admiration and a renewed interest in our work."

There was another shorter V.I.P. visit, in June 1920, by H.R.H. Edward, the Prince of Wales:

[The Prince of Wales inspects a guard of honour of Staff Cadets.]

[H.R.H. Edward, the Prince of Wales, meets Staff Cadets on the Barrack Square at the Royal Military College, 21 June 1920. The third cadet in line does bear a passing likeness to Robbie PIGOTT, who was the third senior Cadet.]

The R.M.C. Journal, December 1920 [Volume 7, Number 14, at page 8-9], under the heading "Narrative," recorded these details, by an unidentified contributor:

"His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, K.G., paid us a visit just before we proceeded on leave in June. He inspected the Corps, and the College generally, and before leaving came into the mess and said a few cheering words to us all. The only regrets caused by his visit were that it was all too short, only a couple of hours being spent by the party at the College. 

"Many of us, however, hied ourselves to Canberra in the afternoon, to witness the laying of the foundation stone of the Capital. Everyone voted the Prince a real good fellow when he obtained for us an extra day's holiday."

One report suggested that it was at this ceremony, the name Canberra was formally announced, although it came as no surprise - indeed, it appears that the name had already been announced at an earlier stone-laying ceremony, by Governor-General Lord  DENMAN, on 12 March 1913.

On the Rugby field, Robbie continued to excel in the College 1st XV, and he was selected to play for N.S.W. 2nd XV against the N.Z. All Blacks.

The Presentation of Prizes at the Royal Military College was reported in the Queanbeyan Age, Friday 17 December 1920, at which Prize Winners, in the First Class, included one for Infantry Drill - being "divided" between Battalion Sergeant-Major MAXWELL and Company Sergeant-Major PIGOTT.

The December 1920 edition of the Journal of the R.M.C. of A. [Volume 7, Number 14], at page 10, under the heading of "Narrative," attributed in the index to E.W.W., recorded the following:

"Staff Cadets of the First Class have been allotted to the various arms as under:

"Light Horse - B.S.M. MAXWELL, Sgt ROBERTS, Cpls WOODWARD, NUNN, DYCE, SHEEHAN, ELLISON ad HONE.

"Engineers - Cpls PATERSON and WHYTE.

"Signal Engineers - Sgt WIGGINS.

"Artillery (Field) - C.S.M. PITT, Cpls BLADIN, MURPHY, KLEIN and DUFF.

"Artillery (Garrison) - C.S.M. PIGOTT, Sgts PACKER, HILDITCH, Cpls WILSON, COFFEY and RAU.

Infantry - Sgts MacDONALD, WOLFENDEN, DYSON and CLACHAN, Cpls ELLIOTT, SCHOLES, McDONALD, GOOCH, LEGGE, BLACKBURN, EWEN, SISSON, SIMPSON, TRAVIS, McCASKILL, TOLSTRUP, GILLMAN and McGRATH."

The same Journal also published a somewhat tongue-in-cheek contribution from H.R.P., at page 26:

"Report of the State of Preparedness for War of the Royal Military College.

"I. Defensive Lines, - The outer defences consist of a chain of bungaloes (Indian pattern) heavily protected with shell-(not staff-ker- or frost-)proof cibrous fement. In the event of this outer line falling, the defenders will retire to the inner defences. These consist of a series of iron railings reinforced by a row of huge wattles, against which the enemy are not allowed to lean. The railings surround an area (not square) strewn with huge boulders, providing excellent cover for the troops which assemble there. On two sides - opposite the most probable lines of enemy approach, i.e., battalion offices and Maths headquarters - is a stone wall (not Jackson) upon which is painted a number of small figure targets. The idea of this scheme, worthy of either Heath Bonapart, or Napoleon Robinson, is as follows:- The enemy riflemen, whom we assume to have extensive peace training, will become so overcome at the sight of old acquaintances that their point of aim will be automatically magnetised by these targets and the defending troops, in addition to escaping hostile rifle fire, will also obtain fresh ammunition supplies.

"II. Cavalry. - The cavalry consists of a squadron of H. Eafy's Own, excellently trained in walking tactics, and well drilled in the difficult manouvre of proving.

"III. Artillery. - The artillery defence comprises several batteries of Skindaa's Fixed Armaments under the command of Lt.Col. P. Rawn. The supply of shrapnel bullets and other ammunition is maintained by the Mess Committee.

"IV. Engineers. - The dead-buriers consist of one Lt.Col.'s command, i.e.:- Personnel - 1 Lt.Col, 1 Lt.,  1 W.O., 1 Sgt., 1 Cpl, 1 Sapper, 2 Staff-kers. Material - 1 tray of tombstones (incomplete), 3 dozen graves - portable (also incomplete).

"V. Infantry. - This arm is nobly represented by a field coy of the Derkdugg-shire Regt. They have been well-trained in handling  the  .303 in How. and are supplied with adequate supplies of ammunition (in their boots).

"VI. Machine Guns. - Two platoons of Lickers and Dewers Mortars are available for co-operation with the Artillery.

"VII. Tanks. - It is on this magnificent detail that the main hopes of the defence rest, and the moral effect of these hairy monsters charging through everything amidst a veritable thunder of noise should strike terror into the hearts of even the 12th Lancers.

"VIII. Naval Co-operation. - Arrangements have been made for naval co-operation from Molonglo and Woolshed Rivers by the battle cruisers 'Tack' and 'Tut,' assisted by the Canberra Canoe Club.

"Non-combatant Services.

"I. Transport Supply. - This problem has been solved by the adoption of Buck-Eyes Numbers 1-X inclusive.

"II. The Medical Services. - These are given good practice prior to route matches and during the winter months.

"III. Chaplains. - These duties are ably carried out by Padre M. Ills, ably assisted by his adjutant.

"Previous War Service. - Many of the troops serving possess the Yarrolumla riband, with Brickfield, Taylor,Queanbeyan, and other clasps."

[The Barrack Square, Duntroon, the main parade ground. 

Date unknown. Photo in Robbie's Duntroon Album.]

The Commonwealth of Australia Gazette of Thursday 13 January 1921 carried this notice on page 73:

"AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES. - APPOINTMENTS.

"The Governor-General in Council has approved the following appointments being made to the Australian Staff Corps from the Royal Military College of Australia, with effect from 16 December 1920.

"To be Lieutenants - ... No 282. Company Sergeant Major Henry Robert PIGOTT...

"Granville RYRIE, for Minister of State for Defence."

This appointment was formally recorded on his illustrated Commission, dated 26 December 1920, signed by Baron FORSTER, Governor-General of Australia. This was duly recorded, on 5 February 1923, in the Register of Patents.

And it appears that he was assigned for future service in the Royal Australian Artillery (Garrison).

[Robbie after graduation, in the uniform, I am presuming, of a Lieutenant, Garrison Artillery.]

Prior to his departure for further military training abroad, Robbie was confirmed by Rev J.T. THORBURN, into full communion with St Paul's Presbyterian Church in Blayney (as recorded in THORBURN's later reference dated in Nowra, 10 July 1933). However, he was administered his first Communion, at the same Church, 5 January 1919, by Rev Charles CRANE, Retired Minister [inscription on a New Testament he was gifted].

While he was at Duntroon, his father Harry, as the sitting Member in the House of Representatives for the N.S.W. Division of Clare, visited the other old homestead in the district, known as "Yarralumla." This had become Federal property, and was used to accommodate as guests those Members of Parliament who were required, or chose, to make their own reconnaissance of the future site of the National Capital.
Robbie visited "Yarralumla" during his father's brief stay there.
The house is now, of course, the residence of the Governor-General.
I was quite chuffed to find out that father and grandfather had both beaten me to it - I had made a brief visit myself, in the late 1970s, to investigate a minor aspect of fire-safety egress provision from one of the upper suites, in my role as a Structural Engineer with the Commonwealth Department of Works.

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A TRIP ABROAD.

Robbie sailed from Sydney on 16 January 1921 aboard the S.S. Militiades, via Durban, Capetown, Canary Islands and Plymouth, arriving at Tilbury Docks on Saturday 2 April, for the purposes of military "...training and instruction in England."

[S.S. Militiades, Aberdeen White Star, 1903, Glasgow. Rebuilt, with extra funnel, 1922. Image courtesy of the ssmaritime.com web-site.]

Three of his fellow Duntroon graduates travelled with him on this voyage, all fellow rugby players, as reported in the Referee (Sydney), Wednesday 9 February, obviously citing an earlier report:

"DUNTROON CADETS FOR ENGLAND

"Yesterday, H.R. PIGOTT, D.E. WILSON, F.N. BLADEN and P.M. PITT, four of the ablest players in the Royal Military College fifteen, left for England.

"PIGOTT gave some brilliant forward displays in Sydney during the past 3 years, and was chosen in the N.S.W. 2nd team last winter."

He arrived at Louth Camp, Aldershot, on Monday 11 April, where the 12th Royal Field Artillery and the 5th Heavy Artillery Brigades had their Mess.
He also served on attachment with No 2 Royal Garrison Artillery Fire Command, at Dover (18 July) and with another Heavy and Coastal Artillery unit at Weymouth (30 Jul); a Coastal Artillery unit at Shoeburyness, near London (17 October and 11 November); also with the School of Artillery at Larkhill, Salisbury Plain (14 November and 23 December); and he observed Artillery construction at Woolwich Arsenal, and Anti-Aircraft Artillery training at Ludgershall, also at Salisbury Plain (2 and 27 January, 1922).

While Robbie was in Barracks at Aldershot, one of the Artillery Regiments was ordered to prepare for embarkation for duty in Ireland - he was keen to go with them, and probably would have, but the Australian Military attaché in London intervened - citing domestic political sensitivities. Having an Australian Officer, with Anglo-Irish heritage, serve in Ireland might not have been appreciated back home by Australian voters with Irish Catholic origins - or so I had imagined. But the Attache's stated reasons were much more practical, although rather chilling - as Robbie had been sent to England to obtain training in Artillery, he would be transferred out of Aldershot, as that Battalion was "... now being retrained in Musketry and the Baton Charge." 

The British military would make its final withdrawal from Dublin in January 1922, during which year the Irish Free State was separated from the six Northern Counties which to this day are still part of the United Kingdom.
And our Robbie may just have avoided being lumped in with the former soldiers sent to Ireland by the British Government who were known as the "Black-and-Tans" and much despised by the local Irish for their brutality.

His time in Aldershot was mentioned in the "News of Graduates" column on the R.M.C. Journal, of December 1921 [Volume 7, No 15], at page 52:

"The 1920 batch of Australian graduates left early in the year for the regulation tour of duty with various British Cavalry and Infantry regiments in India...

"The specialists of the same batch went to England... PIGOTT was also for a time attached to the artillery at Aldershot, and in a season, bowled a 'cunning ball' for the local team..."

Robbie had to settle instead for a brief stint attached to another British Artillery Regiment stationed with the Occupation Forces on the Rhine, probably somewhere near Köln (Cologne).

While in England, Robbie spent some time with his aunt Annie, his father's eldest sister, who lived in Wimbledon Park with her husband Frank LAURIE, a retired Proprietary Tea Planter in Ceylon, and their six daughters. The only son, Eric LAURIE, had been killed on the Western Front (and posthumously awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry), and Robbie was welcomed into the household, as it seemed to Robbie, to fill the void.

I recall him talking of riding an army motorcycle, across the Hog's Back, near Aldershot, on his way to London.

As Lieutenant Horace PIGOTT, Australian Staff Corps, he was presented by the Secretary of State for War at a Levée, at 11.30 a.m. on 8 February 1922, held at St James's Palace in London.

[From Robbie's scrap-book.]

It just so happened that at the same King's Levée, Mr Winston CHURCHILL, the then Secretary of State for the Colonies, presented Sir Joseph COOK, the sixth Australian Prime Minister (1913-14) and later a Minister in the HUGHES Nationalist Government, on the occasion of his appointment as the Australian High Commissioner in London - and he was summoned to an audience with the king on the following Monday. 

COOK had been Leader of the Federal Liberal Party, and the senior Parliamentary colleague of Robbie's father Harry PIGOTT - when counting began in the poll held on 5 May 1917, Harry had started badly, but clawed his way back, and among the telegrams of encouragement was one from COOK: 

"GLAD TO SEE YOUR NOSE IN FRONT. ALL GOOD LUCK. WAITING ANXIOUSLY FURTHER NEWS."

I suppose it is possible, even likely, that COOK had met Robbie in Melbourne when he visited his father there earlier in 1917. Indeed, this connection may have been the reason for him being invited to the Levée.

I have no recollection of my father talking about this Levée - he would have been "announced" to the King, but whether there was any conversation between them remains unrecorded. He had, of course, "met" his eldest son Edward at Duntroon in mid 1920. And he probably had very recently encountered his younger son, the Duke of Gloucester, or was about to!

And, of course, Robbie continued to play Rugby.

He arrived in England with a letter of introduction from the Secretary of the N.S.W. Rugby Union, and was advised to approach Blackheath Club. And for them he played with distinction, during the winter of 1920-21, in their First XV, scoring a try in his first outing, at Rectory Field, against Richmond Club, on 5 November, in which he was mentioned in dispatches - "... amongst the forwards, PIGOTT, CARBUTT and HASLETT distinguished themselves"; he backed up with another try in a drawn home game against Leicester on 10 December - "PIGOTT, who had played very well all afternoon, dashed in and gained touch", having in the meantime played in a home match against the Harlequins (26 November), and in a home game against Cardiff - "the thoroughness of H. PIGOTT was always observable"; he played in an away loss against Oxford, with a former T.K.S. (Parramatta) old boy, H.H. FORSYTH, in the opposing pack - "PIGOTT, BLAKISTON and BROWN put in some good work for the club"; and in a home draw against a combined services side - "BLAKE, HASLETT and PIGOTT were perhaps the best of a keen and hard-working set of forwards."
And he also represented Kent County, in their 1st XV, against Eastern Counties at Ilford, on 14 December - "both BACKHOUSE and PIGOTT confirmed the previous favourable impressions formed of them... the cleverness of the Kent forwards, for whom LOVELL, BACKHOUSE, PIGOTT and BROWN were especially good... (R.L. BROWN was the current Captain of the All England side) ...from his second try, PIGOTT kicked a splendid goal from near the touchline"; and there were even reports that he played against France on 24 December, but I have been unable to find any match reports.

It was probably at some point during this visit, that Robbie witnessed an interesting event, which he would talk about briefly, very much later, after the person-of-interest at the centre of the anecdote had died (that was in 1974, seven years before Bob's death). 

It took place in an Officers Mess, presumably somewhere in the south of England (perhaps in barracks at Aldershot), which "hosted" a visit by Henry, Duke of Gloucester, then aged about 21, some 10 months younger than my father. 

A younger son of King George V, Gloucester was evidently not a popular young Royal. 

It appears that the Officers with whom Robbie was billeted had decided to teach said Gloucester a lesson - as my father described it, the Duke was held down, while a number of the Officers put the boot into the said Royal derriére. Without, it would appear, there having been any ramifications! 

A case of what happens in the Mess stays in the Mess? 

My father did not specify what role he may have been asked to play, if any! Witnesses may have been pressured to contribute, if only to ensure their complicit "silence." 

I wondered what might have happened if the said Duke, during either of his later visits to Australia, had attended a Speech Day at a school where Bob was a teacher, and what might have passed between them if they had met face to face! But his first visit was in 1934, for Victoria's centenary celebrations, when dad was at The King's School (see below); and the second, as Governor-General of Australia (from 1945 to 1947), dad was then in Adelaide, at St Peter's College (see also below) - well out of the way on both occasions.

Henry was, of course, a younger brother of Edward, the Prince of Wales, whom

Robbie had "met" on the Barracks Square at Duntroon in mid 1920.

Robbie completed his tour of duty, and embarked on 18 March 1922 on the S.S. Orsova, bound for Sydney.

______________________________________________

BOB RETURNS TO NEW SOUTH WALES.

Bob arrived back in Sydney on 13 May, and was posted to the Royal Australian Garrison Artillery, 2nd Military District, at Middle Head, Sydney Harbour.
But he found the Department of Defence in very straitened circumstances, and as he saw that the prospects for future advancement of junior officers did not look promising, he took advantage of the retrenchment scheme which had been put in place. 

He resigned his Commission on 30 June 1922.

He received a letter, under Department of Defence letter-head, dated in Melbourne, 26 June 1922, from the Minister, Walter MASSEY-GREEN, M.H.R. for Richmond (N.S.W.):

"Lieut. H.R. PIGOTT,

"In a separate official communication from the Secretary of the Military Board, you are being acquainted with the decision to accept your resignation from the Staff Corps.

"I feel I am unable to allow the occasion to pass without telling you how deeply I feel the circumstances leading up to your resignation, and I wish to express to you my personal sense of appreciation of the services you have rendered to the Department."

The West Australian newspaper of 4 August 1922 recorded some details:

"DEFENCE FORCES. - Retrenchment Scheme. - The Retired Officers.

"Melbourne, 2 August.

"The following is a list of the officers who are to be retired under the retrenchment scheme proposed by the Minister for Defence (Mr MASSEY GREENE).
"Staff Corps... Transferred to the unattached list of the Citizens Military Forces... H. R. PIGOTT, ... July 1."

And he returned to the Rugby field, gaining selection, as a replacement for the injured Joe THORN, in the N.S.W. First XV in their match against the touring Maori side. It was this appearance that would later earn him ranking as an International, on the grounds that at the time, there was no Australian team, and the Waratahs were, in effect, the de-facto Australian team.

Bob was also mentioned in the December issue of the R.M.C. Journal [Volume 9, Number 16], under "News of Graduates," at page 45:

"The names of several graduates have appeared very prominently in the sporting account of both states. WARNE-SMITH is doing well at both Australian football and cricket, while 'Peter' PITT, 'Harry' PIGOTT, 'Bandy' MACDONALD, 'Dad' BLADIN and D.E.L. WILSON were playing in Sydney with G.P.S. Old Boys."

Bob went on a short trip to work as a Jackeroo with his brother Jim, probably on their father's property "Cadara" near Tottenham. But he was too "cultured" for the other roustabouts around the camp-fires, who mocked him for having pyjamas in his kit, and very neatly ironed by his mother, as well.

In his own words, as he recorded in his C.V., under "6. General," he wrote:

"... I have spent some time on the land. In this connection I consider that my most valuable experiences were six weeks in a woolshed and two months on the track as a cattle drover."

______________________________________________

A DAY AT THE BEACH.

There is some question about the identity of the two young men in the following two photographs, which are included in Robbie's small album of photos of his time at Duntroon.

However, and in wondering why they would be there if it wasn't him, or someone he knew well, I do note that he does have an "injury" to the bridge of his nose, exactly as I remember it in later years.

Further, the handwriting on the face of the second, in ink, does match that of Robbie in the scrap books he kept in the 1930s.

And if it is him, and I think it is, his companion was probably his brother Jim, two years his junior.

I am at a loss as to which beach this was, but it appears to have been served by surf life-savers, as indicated by the reel in the background.

My guess as to the date? Perhaps early to mid 1920s?

And it may have been near Eden - there was another photo of a tree lined estuary annotated as Eden in the album.

_____________________________________________

SCHOOLMASTERING BRINGS HIM TO PARRAMATTA.

On the recommendation of George LONG, the Bishop of Bathurst (father of the the Australian War Historian Gavin LONG), Bob joined the staff at The King's School, Parramatta, under the Headmastership of Rev Edward Morgan BAKER (1874-1940; Headmaster 1919-32), at the commencement of first term in 1923.
Although the intent was for him to prove a valuable asset on the sports fields, E.M. BAKER pointed out that he would have to teach class as well. Given his lack of experience in that area, BAKER gave him three succinct pieces of advice, which Bob never forgot:
1. Keep at least one text-book page ahead of the boys.
2. Never threaten any action in class that you are not prepared to follow through.
3. And keep winning at Rugby.
BAKER's motto was "work hard, pray hard, and play hard."

The School was located on the north bank of the Parramatta River, between Marsden and O'Connell Streets, but the premises were not large enough for all the boys to reside there. And as Bob had been appointed as a residential Master, he was required to reside at Thomas House, for younger boys, located across the western side of Parramatta Park in Westmead. And supervise their "prep" periods in the evenings. The Housemaster was Mr H.C. BLAXLAND (1933-34).

[Thomas House, Westmead, looking across Parramatta Park. From the School Magazine, Centenary Edition, February 1932, page 69.]

One of his early experiences in discipline involved him being given, during an evening prep, the clapping desks routine - while he was writing some texts on the chalk-board, a slow crescendo of slamming desk lids began, and built to a climax. But Bob did not demur - and finished his writing. When the noise died away, he slowly turned around; and then, using a carefully constructed mud-map in his mind, by which he intersected exactly where the first few starters were sitting, calmly named the three or four boys who had started it, and gave them a detention. I suspect he had some give-away embarrassments that confirmed his suspicions before he named them. But it worked - and he never had any further disciplinary problems with that particular form.

He was also sent on another disciplinary mission - two country boys had become quite home-sick, and eventually absconded from the school and scrounged their way back home by train. Bob was sent to fetch them. He wasn't quite sure how to keep them under his control if he fell asleep as he brought them back to Parramatta, and decided on the less than obvious, but very clever solution. He requested that they both take off their trousers, laid them out neatly on his seat, and promptly went to sleep on them (the trousers, that is).

Bob's paternal grandmother, Ellen PIGOTT (formerly GILES), died in Burwood, N.S.W., on 21 July 1925, aged 86. She was buried in South Head Cemetery, Vaucluse.

While he was teaching, Bob decided to improve his educational qualifications, and enrolled in the Arts Faculty at Sydney University, to complete a bachelor's degree in Arts, and thanks to his Duntroon studies being recognised, gaining the equivalent of one year's short cut. He studied part-time, and took advantage of evening lectures in order to keep teaching. He was awarded the English III Evening Student's Prize in 1926, and his B.A. in early 1927:

[A rather tattered degree survives in my late father's scrap-book. I include it here, as it is the very first University degree in my Anglo-Irish PIGOTT ancestry.]

In May 1926, Bob, who was staying with his maternal grandmother Bessie ADAM at Rushcutters Bay, and his sister Elsa went to see a performance in Sydney by the celebrated ballerina Madame Anna PAVLOVA. 

He was sufficiently impressed to write to his brother Jim about it, and was inspired into poetry, which he wrote at Ruchscutters Bay on 22 May - it was printed in the September 1926 issue of the King's School Magazine, under the pseudonym of "Laetus":

PAVLOVA.

Think of cygnet's down

Floating through light,

Moving with Venus' grace

Through the clear night.

Dream of a fairy flower

Blown by a breath,

Yielding a petal soft

Rising from death.

See now a falling flake

Of whitest snow,

Drifting and wondering

Where it will go.

There was a fourth verse in his manuscript version, which, it would appear, he chose not to publish:

Gather and weave

These spirits of light,

Into exquisite beauty

Soaring in flight.

The interruption to his metre may be why he left it out. He also offered two other alternatives, which I will omit for the present.

[Her Majesty's Theatre, Pitt Street, Sydney.

Photo by Sam HOOD, State Library of N.S.W, Hall Collection, 

"186-212 Pitt Street," Call Number -  Home and Away, 35052.

 Image courtesy of The Dictionary of Sydney web-site.]

The performance they saw was probably the Matinee on the afternoon of Wednesday 19 May, at Her Majesty's Theatre, when the programme included the ballets "Snowflakes" and "The Magic Flute," with the divertissements "Christmas," "Gavotte Pavlova," "Rondino" and others [Daily Telegraph, Wednesday 19 May 1926, "The Theatre," courtesy of Trove].

Bob clearly liked the first item, judging by his poem - and till his dying days, MOZART's opera "The Magic Flute" was a favourite, and he was thrilled, some 50 years later, to be able to don the tuxedo and escort a dolled up Betty to an evening performance of it, by The Australian Opera Company, in the Sydney Opera House! I have a strong memory of seeing them in Central Passage before the performance, some fifteen years before I joined that Company as a Stage "Mechanical."

However, back to The King's School.

Bob's younger brother Frank was enrolled at King's in 1929, and boarded at Prep, Junior, Thomas and Broughton Houses, until 1936 [T.K.S. Register]. He also joined one of Bob's classes, probably in Chemistry.

[Two brothers, probably in Parramatta, and perhaps heading for church or chapel. 

Photo taken in winter, about 1930-31?

Frank, the gangly teenager, is in his T.K.S. Mufti.

Image courtesy of Bill PIGOTT.]

In 1930, Bob returned to Sydney University as an evening student, in the faculty of Science; in the following year, 1931, he took leave from King's, and entered the faculty full-time; he specialised in Geology and Chemistry; and he also went into residence at St Andrew's College. In 1932, he was a Member of the Student's Representative Council (S.R.C.), and Honorary Treasurer of the Sydney University Undergraduates Association.

[An intact degree, his second, survives.]

Bob's maternal grandmother, Bessie ADAM (formerly SPENCE), died at his father's property, "Cadara," near Tottenham, N.S.W., on 21 June 1932, aged 96. She was buried in the Presbyterian Portion of Blayney Cemetery, in the grave clothes she carried with her. 

Bob, who had visited his family at "Iona," in Blayney, in early December 1931, may have had difficulty attending, due to pressure of university work.

In December 1932, E.M. BAKER retired from the Headmastership, and left Bob a testimonial in appreciation of his contribution to the school:

 

Bob continued back at King's in 1933, as Master-in-Charge of Chemistry, and as 2nd Master of School House.

The good exam results and the football scores continued as testament to his teaching and coaching skills, but he encountered a discipline problem that did not go away.

He had been moved from Thomas House to School House, as Assistant to E.M. BAKER, the Housemaster (as well as being the Headmaster); and following BAKER's retirement, at the end of 1932, the School House had been taken over by the new Headmaster, Charles Tasman PARKINSON (1886-1968, Headmaster 1933-39). 

During 1934, the House was divided into two, with Mr C.H. HARRISON taking charge of School House Baker, and Bob taking charge of School House Forrest.

Early in PARKINSON's relatively short term, in late 1933, Bob applied for the vacant Headmastership at Scots College, Bellevue Hill, Sydney, to take effect from 1 January 1935. Applications closed in August 1933, and a short list of four applicants was decided in November. 

In January 1934, the final two applicants including Bob PIGOTT, were the subject of a vote by the School Council. Bob received a letter, dated 21 February 1934, from the Presbyterian Church Offices, Assembly Hall Buildings, Jamieson and York Street, Sydney, thanking him for the courtesy of his application, and advising him that Mr A.K. ANDERSON, M.A., of St Andrew's College, Christchurch, N.Z., had been appointed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bob had sought testimonials, in support his application for this job, from three former senior Duntroon men:

1. J.G. LEGGE, from Weetangera, A.C.T., 22 August 1933:

"I have the greatest confidence in testifying to your suitability for the post. As former Commandant of the R.M.C. at Duntroon, at the time you graduated, I had the best opportunity for seeing your powers of command and maintenance of discipline. Your scholastic and athletic qualifications need no word from me. For the post of Headmaster I consider that character is all important, and the first aim of the training at Duntroon was the formation of character. That you were selected one of the three leaders of the R.M.C. Cadets speaks for itself."

James George LEGGE (1863-1947); arrived in New South Wales, aged 15; Boer War; Chief of General Staff, W.W.1, until relieved of his command in 1917 by General BIRDWOOD; Major-General, January 1920; Commandant, R.M.C., Duntroon, 1 June 1920; placed on unattached list, August 1922; retired list, January 1924; retired to a Soldier Settlement Scheme leasehold on 400 acres of Weetangara Farm, Australian Federal Territory, which he named "Cranleigh," after his old school in England.

2. Brigadier F.B. HERITAGE, from Melbourne, 20 April 1933:

"I knew of Mr PIGOTT when Commandant of the R.M.C., Duntroon, he having left the College shortly before I took command. He was thought very highly of there, both from a military and civilian point of view, and also for his prominence in Service sport. I met Mr PIGOTT afterwards on several occasions when he was a Master at The King's School, and notably when in charge of visiting teams of footballers from T.K.S. who were playing against the R.M.C. The good impression my predecessors had of this gentleman was confirmed by what I saw of him. I particularly liked his manner and the ease with which he maintained discipline amongst his team."

Francis Bede HERITAGE (1877-1934), was Commandant of the R.M.C., Duntroon, 1922-29, as Colonel, and again in 1931 and 1931-32, as Brigadier.

3. Major R.H. NIMMO, from Staff Corps Mess, Victoria Barracks, Melbourne, 10 May 1933:

"I have every confidence in recommending Mr H.R. PIGOTT for any situation in which he will be required to influence for good a number of boys or young men. He was one of the Senior Staff Cadets of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, during my period on the Staff there, and I saw him daily for the greater part of one year. His position was similar to that of a senior prefect at a public school, and one could not have found a young man more eminently fitted for such a position. Of sterling character, manly and straightforward, he was held in very high esteem by the Staff and members of the Corps alike."

Robert Harold NIMMO (1893-1966), was in the second intake of Cadets at the R.M.C., Duntroon, in March 1912, and his year was graduated early, in November 1914, for service in W.W.1; after returning to Australia, he joined the Staff at Duntroon in 1920, as an Instructor; later, he was based in Brisbane from 1946 until 1950, when Bob was Headmaster at B.G.S., and both of them attended social functions, with their wives, in 1948, one of which such events, the Annual Ball of the B.G.S. Old Boys Association in May 1948, would have been "presided" over by Sir John LAVARACK as Guest of Honour, until he withdrew due to the sudden illness of his wife.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bob gated a boarder in his House who had returned one evening intoxicated. After several repeat episodes, the same boy was sent home on suspension. When he returned, and repeated the offence, he was dismissed. But his father, a wealthy grazier, with great influence, appealed the decision, and the Headmaster re-instated the boy. 

Bob had had enough, and when he complained to the Head that it was either him or the boy, he made his point, and resigned.

PARKINSON also gave Bob a gracious Testimonial:

PARKINSON made an astute observation of one of Bob's qualities:

"He achieves perfect discipline by a reasonable and intelligent understanding of individual boys."

It would appear to have been a quality that Bob may not have seen in PARKINSON.

PARKINSON resigned in 1938, and was succeeded by Herbert Denys HAKE, a man with whom Bob would later feel a much greater affinity, and under whom he would serve as a Master, after he resigned from the Headmastership of Brisbane Grammar School in 1952 (see below). 

I was privileged to be there at HAKE's farewell at the end of 1964, with my hand on one of the two tug-of-war ropes tied to his bumber-bar, hauling him in from the Pennant Hills Road Gate to Futter Hall, when all it consisted of was the auditorium with a very narrow platform where the stage now stands.

______________________________________________

BOB GOES TO ADELAIDE.

Bob sailed to Adelaide on the ship "Manoora," in January 1936, to commence his stint as the head of the Chemistry Department at St Peter's Collegiate School.

In that year, he was enrolled for the Federal Division of Adelaide, residing at Trinity Street, St Peter's, Teacher.

He achieved good results in the classroom. In Chemistry, four of his Honours students topped the State during his time there; in 1946, the three top placings in the State on Honours Physiology were his students. He also took lessons in Maths, English and Physics.

Out of the classroom, Bob trained long-distance runners, and was time-keeper/organiser at a number of College Sports Days, winning high praise for his ability to keep events to time-table.

Shortly after his arrival there, Bob wrote to his brother Jim, 2 March 1936, concerning Jim's engagement to Eleanor WEBB, and mentioned his own plans, to do a Dip. Ed., to  "... help land the King's job." It is not clear which "job" this was, as the Headmaster, PARKINSON, did not resign until 1938.

Bob attended his brother's marriage, in the Narromine Presbyterian Church, 7 January 1937, as his Best Man.

In 1937, he studied and passed Zoology I at Adelaide University, so completing their requirements for entering first year in the Faculty of Medicine.

And he made occasional car trips to the Adelaide Hills, one of which included his future wife, Betty GORRIE, who had joined the College's domestic staff. He also took a holiday expedition into Central Australia, which, if my memory serves, had a financial connection to the Australian cricketer Donald BRADMAN.

In 1938, Bob made another attempt at a Headmastership. This time it was for the vacancy at Scots College in Warwick, Qld. He was again unsuccessful. He received a letter dated 17 October 1938, from the Board of Education of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland, thanking him for his offer of service, and advising that Mr J.A. DUNNING, M.A., M.Sc., of the John McGlashan College, Dunedin, had been appointed.

Bob was married, at Scot's Church, North Terrace, Adelaide, on 2 April 1938, to Elizabeth Nancy (Betty) GORRIE, who was also then on the staff of St Peter's College, as Assistant Superintendent of the Domestic Staff, which included supervision of the Dining Room.

The Adelaide Advertiser carried an item:

""QUIET WEDDING AT SCOTS CHURCH.

"At Scot's Church, North Terrace, at noon on Saturday, the marriage of Elizabeth N. GORRIE, elder daughter of Dr P. GORRIE, of Adelaide, and The late Mrs P. GORRIE, to Mr H. R. PIGOTT of St Peter's College, was celebrated quietly by the Rev G. ANDERSON.

"The bride, who was unattended, wore an autumn weight frock in a shade of cobalt blue, with a black felt hat turned back off the face, and black accessories."

Despite the description of her father as being "of Adelaide," he had left Australia for the last time in February 1936.

Bob was enrolled in Collegetown/College Park, St Peter's, at 7 Trinity Street (1937-38), and with Betty at 7 Pembroke Street (1940), at 41 Fifth Avenue (1941, 1943 and 1946), although the Adelaide Directory records him at 41 Marlborough Street (1941-45).

In April 1940, he was appointed as a member of the Chemistry Subject Committee of the Board of Public Examinations, South Australia, under the Chairmanship of Professor MACBETH of Adelaide University.

In 1943, the Headmaster, English clergyman Rev Arthur Godolphin Guy Carleton PENTREATH (1902-1985), M.A. Cantab, or Guy for short, resigned after a term of ten years.

In December 1944, Bob applied for the Headmastership of Geelong College, and received a generous testimonial from John Holroyd HILL, the then Acting Headmaster at St Peter's.

In July 1945, Bob was elected as a Councillor for the Hackney Ward of St Peter's Municipal Council, and became the Chairman of Works; he was re-elected as Councillor in April 1947.

In December 1947, on his appointment as Headmaster of Brisbane Grammar School, Mr W. F. SYMONS, the Town Clerk, wrote to convey the "... hearty congratulations of all members of the St Peter's Council."

He also received a personal note from the Mayor, Gil MELLOR, offering congratulations from him and his wife, and expressing "... A feeling of real regret that we are to lose you from St Peter's. Thank you for all you have done to help me..." 

He also worked, in a voluntary capacity, as an Electoral Officer at Hackney Polling Booth on election days, being somewhat taken aback by the vehemence of comments written on ballot papers left in the booths!

A new Headmaster, Colin Ernest Sutherland GORDON (1907-1960), M.A. Oxon, was appointed after he was discharged from the R.A.A.F. in November 1945, to commence in 1946.

He appointed Bob as Housemaster of Wyatt and Allen House in 1947, taking over from Rev Pat McLAREN, who had been there since 1934, having previously been Head of Allen House (1927-29), which was united with Wyatt House in 1932.

On his departure for Brisbane in late 1947, he was followed at Wyatt and Allen House by A.M. (Jock) BILLS, who had also been interviewed for the vacant Headmastership of Brisbane Grammar School.

In 1947, Bob was made an Honorary Life Member of the St Peter's Collegians' Association.

News of his appointment did not take long to get to England. On 15 December 1947, his old Headmaster, Guy PENTREATH, wrote from Wreckin College, Wellington, in Shropshire:

"My dear Pigott,

"I have heard this morning of your appointment...

"I am enormously thrilled; simply delighted for you all, and what an excellent Headmaster unit you will both make. Brisbane Grammar School are in luck. It will be a big blow to Saint's. 

"Of course, I think you are the perfect example of a man who keeps the level tenor of his way, and I am so glad his way now is to move on a level where his influence will be greater still.

"May God bless and guide you  and may you have great happiness in Brisbane, all of you."

____________________________________________

SCIENCE TALKS ON RADIO.

While in Adelaide, Bob commenced a series of Science talks on the local A.B.C. Radio Station, in 1938. Numbering up to 60 in all, they covered the following wide range of subjects, with a particular interest in the Chemistry of each subject, and extending to philosophy:

1. The Origin and Destiny of Lipstick (7 April 1938).

2. Cooking.

3. Bottled Sunshine (26 August 1940, 8.45 p.m.).

4. Modern Myths - Pluto and Plutonium.

5. The Metals Used in War (2 May 1943).

6. When the Petroleum Wells Dry Up (16 May 1944).

7. The Black Magic of Coal (23 May 1944).

8. This Marriage Business - Why do we have a Best Man? (24 October 1944).

9. Who Makes your Make-up, and How (16 February 1945, 8.45 p.m.).

10. Are Birds Really Wise? (5 March 1945).

11. What do we Really Eat for Breakfast?

12. SHAKESPEARE - A Bird Lover (23 April 1946).

13. Prophecies in Science - Roger and Francis BACON (parts 1 and 2).

14. Bridges of Understanding - Science [3] (17 May 1946).

15. From Fig Leaf to Nylon (26 February 1946).

16. Science for Seniors - The Seeming Possibilities of a Piece of Coal (29 May 1946).

17. Our World - Colour in the Home.

18. Drainage in the Home.

19. Blackboard Chalk.

20. Hidden Virtues.

21. Famous South Australian Scientists (13 July 1946).

22. Religious Forum - Chaired by Canon FINNIS (8 September 1946).

23. Our Little Foibles - On Being Curious (23 September 1946).

24. This Changing World - Science the Peacemaker (18 November 1946).

25. People Should Like to Meet and Why - The Boy Who Stopped the Leak in the Dyke (21 November 1946).

26. Luck in Scientific Discoveries (20 January 1947).

27. Speed and Its Fascination (27 January 1947).

28. The Lamps of Nature (3 June 1947).

29. Pluto Appears Again (7 June 1947).

30. The Other Fellow's Job (29 August 1947).

31. The Sound We Cannot Hear (4 October 1947).

32. Catalysts (22 October 1947).

33. Christmas Thinking - Where is  Science Going? (26 December 1947).

_____________________________________________

BOB GOES TO BRISBANE.

Bob was appointed as the sixth Headmaster of the Brisbane Grammar School, to commence duties on 1 January 1947.

He was successor to Mr George CARSON-COOLING (1896-1960), who had adopted his wife's maiden surname CARSON and attached it to his own; he joined the staff as Master in 1922, was appointed Headmaster in 1940, and had taken sick leave in late 1946, in disgrace, having left his wife, and been named as co-respondent in a divorce case.

Bob's appointment, in the previous October, was acknowledge by a congratulatory telegram from Sir John LAVARACK, the governor of Queensland, who had been one of his Instructors at Duntroon.

Bob flew to Sydney with his four sons, and was there when Betty arrived a few weeks later, with their new-born daughter. They spent Christmas with his parents at Fairlight, near Manly, before flying up to Brisbane.

They lived in the School House, in part of the middle level, with the boarder's dormitories and study areas above them, and the kitchens and dining rooms below.

Keith Greville WILLEY (1930-1984), Journalist and Author, and an Old Boy of B.G.S. (1944), in his book "The First Hundred Years. The Story of Brisbane Grammar School, 1868-1968" [Macmillan of Australia, Brisbane, 1968, chapter 13, at pages 149-160], wrote:

"Many years of neglect due to lack of money had left the school buildings in a poor state... The war had loosened discipline and the effect of this was still apparent, particularly among the senior boys. Both prestige and enrollments were at a low level.

"Mr Henry Robert PIGOTT, who took over in 1948, was a former officer and representative footballer, a sound disciplinarian who set out with the full backing of the trustees to remedy the school's ills. He made many changes, some of them unpopular. He reorganized the administration, calling on Old Boys for help where necessary. Still hampered by a shortage of funds, he actively sought donations, culminating in the gifts of the school's great benefactor, Mr Frank WALKER.

"Mr PIGOTT took a personal interest in the construction of the second main oval, ignoring controversy by organising gangs of 'detention' boys to help and, on occasion, wielding a pick and shovel himself. After five years he was forced to resign on medical grounds, leaving his successors the major task of rebuilding the school."

WILLEY also mentioned some of his achievements, and that his:

"... first move was to impose a firmer discipline. He abolished the Sixth Form Room and turned it into a classroom; and gave the Seniors tutorials in Science, Maths and English during their free periods, calling on Old Boys and university students to help when masters were not available. He posted prefects at the gates before and after school to check the boys' uniforms. The War Memorial Library was in a poor condition, and by 'a successful example of community effort' he had a classroom converted into a library, run by two masters and a committee of boys. The boys made shelves and carried out other improvements; and past-pupils and parents donated books.

"At the same time Mr PIGOTT  set out to beautify the grounds and improve sporting facilities. His most controversial move was to organise groups of boys to help. Some were volunteers, some - known colloquially as 'the chain gang' - were assigned to this work during detention. 'Instead of making them sit in a room and do essays, I put them on to helping the School in a practical way,' he said. Often Mr PIGOTT laboured beside them as an example.

"His boys planted shrubs on the frontage of the school facing Brisbane and along the drive, levelled part of the entrance road, and made gardens at the gate and around the boarding house. Mr PIGOTT's greatest 'outside' interest was the second main oval. Under his direction a start was made on filling part of 'no-mans-land' between the boys and girls schools to make a new playing field. The project was well advanced when he left.

"First Mr PIGOTT approached a firm of contractors who were working on the Exhibition Grounds, and persuaded them to dump filling in 'no-mans-land' at low cost. He had contacts with Army Engineers and with the help of that good friend of the School, Mr Hal GEHRMANN, he arranged for the military to carry out 'blasting exercises' on the new oval."

I have an early memory of this blasting 'exercise' - my father could not help himself, and made sure that he "witnessed" the operation, and at close quarters, so close that a small piece of flying debris hit him on his left wrist, smashing the glass on his wrist-watch. Or so I imagined from the later stories (see WILLEY's record of BELL's account below).

And, it would appear, one of the senior Military brass then in Brisbane, apart from Governor Sir John LAVARACK, was yet another his former instructors at the R.M.C., Duntroon, Robert Harold "Putt" NIMMO (1893-1966), who had provided Bob with a written reference in 1933.

WILLEY continued:

"Meanwhile the main football ground was extended to the full size of 130 yards by 75, space was provided for a regulation 440 yards running track, and a miniature rifle range was constructed."

Matters dear at heart to the former Staff Cadet of the Royal Military College of Australia.

WILLEY takes up his story, focussing on H.R.P's further achievements in the Academic sphere:

"Mr PIGOTT was intent on academic changes. In his report for 1948, he mentioned that I.E. CAREY had won the Lilley Gold Medal. 'Without in any way detracting from Gary's meritorious success,' he said, 'I feel obliged to state that J.A. LYON is actually this year's Dux. There have been other occasions in the past when the Dux has not qualified for this medal because he was not in Sixth Form Latin. Therefore we have decided, with the approval of the Lilley Medal Assignees, to alter the award so that in future the Gold Medal will goto the Dux of the SCHOOL, whether he takes Latin or not.

"He was concerned that the Queensland education system set only two years between the Scholarship and Junior examinations. 'There should certainly be three,' he said. 'This rush inevitably leads to cramming and superficial treatment, especially in the sciences, where a background of adequate practical work is necessary.' To ease the pressure on less academic boys he reduced the number of examination subjects from.nine to seven in various sub-junior and Junior forms...

"Repeatedly he urged that secondary education should begin a year earlier to allow three years in preparation for the Junior; also that 'more liberal and environmental courses' be provided for those not aiming at matriculation. 'For instance,' he said, 'There should be a farwider study of current affairs andtopicalproblems,and a more serious attempt to understand our Pacific neighbours. In that regard, I am particularly pleased to have in the school severalChinese andIndian boys. Their presence is a necessary living reminder that we have accomplished and dignified neighbours whose views should be respected."

I do remember my mother remarking on the culinary wants of those Chinese and Indian students, and the aromas of the various curries and spices that were a vital part their various cuisines.

One of his 1948 pupils was probably John QUINLAN, the Australian born son of Chinese parents, who, in January 1949 applied for a Teaching position in the State education system; he was offered a Teacher Fellowship in Arts, subject a medical examination, which he passed, and a satisfactory interview, during which his appearance led to him being asked questions about his parents, and his attitude to China, effectively pressuring him not to proceed with his application. A number of prominent members of the Brisbane Chinese community advised him to take legal action, and:

"The Brisbane Grammar School headmaster (Mr H.R. PIGOTT) gave him the highest of recommendations" [News (Adelaide), 21 February].

On 13 September 1948, the Brisbane Telegraph carried this item of news:

"A prophecy that another world war would mean the end of mankind was made by the Principal of the Brisbane Grammar School (Mr H.R. PIGOTT) today. During an address to the Rotary Club, Mr PIGOTT said scientists throughout the world were awake to the danger of a war in which atomic weapons were used.

Mr PIGOTT said that EINSTEIN had left no doubt as to what another war would mean when he was asked what weapons would be used. The great scientist replied: 'I don't know what they will use in the third world war. But I do know what they will use in the fourth - rocks'."

Further improvements were noted by WILLEY:

"Three new awards begun in 1948 were the Thatcher Memorial Prize for the writer of the best short story published in 'The School Window'; The Battle of Britain Challenge Cup for the best under 17 athlete in the school; and the Walter Hall Challenge Cup for the most improved boy in A grade school sport...

"In [1949] a group of Old Boys donated to the school aradiogramaphone to be used for the Music Club, educational broadcasts, and recordings of French conversations and Shakespearean and other speeches. This gift particularly pleased Mr PIGOTT, a pioneer of scientific and visual aids in teaching..."

WILLEY also recorded recollections of some of the teachers and boys:

"Mr PIGOTT's staff and pupils recall his term as one of rebuilding. Mr O.J. BELL said: 'I remember when he arranged for the Army to train some engineers by blasting rock on the new oval site. Mr PIGOTT was so proud he went down to see the first explosion. But the snappers miscalculated. Stones flew everywhere - all over the field - and one piece broke Mr PIGOTT's watch. He was a hard man and a disciplinarian, but his period marked the beginning of the school's revival.

"Mr Herbert ALLEN said: 'In Mr PIGOTT's time we used to go out with reaping hooks and cut the grass. He tried to improve the look of the place, and he used to conscript detention boys to work. He said that Mr NEWELL (another disciplinarian, and later headmaster) was his best recruiter.

"Mr DONOGHUE said: 'Much credit for the start of the renewal must be attributed to Mr PIGOTT.'

"Mr Glen SANDERSON, a pupil under both Mr CARSON-COOLING and Mr PIGOTT, said: 'He was a more obvious organizer than Marge, and probably had better management ability. He used the authority of the perfect even more than his predecessor did. He was always keen to see results.

"Among his other activities, Mr PIGOTT  brought religion more closely into the life of the school. He encouraged Church leaders to visit B.G.S. and talk to the boys. On Sunday mornings he ensured that the boarders went off to their own churches, each group with a senior boy in charge. On rainy days when they could not go to formal services, he would assemble them in a common room and give them religious instruction himself."

BELL was a master from 1935; ALLEN from 1916; and DONOGHUE from 1944.

[Speech day, 10 December 1948. Bob attends the Governor of Queensland, Sir John LAVARACK (an Old Boy), in a review of the Brisbane Grammar School Cadet Guard of Honour. 

Press clipping in Bob's scrap-book, the paper unidentified.]

On Foundation Day, 28 February 1949, a memorial honour board for Old-Boys was unveiled in the Great Hall, by the Governor, Sir John LAVARACK. Described as a "simple ceremony" [Brisbane Telegraph, 28 February], it appears to have made an impression on one of the boys who may have been present - the celebrated Australian author, David MALOUF, in his book "Johnno" [Penguin Books, 1976], had this to say about it's aftermath:

"And the world?

"The World, as the headmaster tells us severely at his weekly 'pep-talks', is what we are about to be tested against. He has come to us recently from the Royal Military College at Duntroon and is much impressed with the amount of gold lettering on our honour boards - a whole generation not forgotten: Baptism of Fire, Glory of Young Manhood, Corner of a Forgotten Field. The Korean War has recently burst upon us and shows no sign of abating before we will be old enough to go. The headmaster regards us tragically and sticks out his shaven jaw: Spirit of Anzac still alive among us, Everlasting Flame, Fine Old Tradition, Challenge of Battle - Not Forgetting the Wives and Mothers. Out into life with Courage and a Firm Tread, in two lines, and without talking..."

Many years later, in 1994, after reading his book, I wrote to David MALOUF, asking about his account, and received this delightful reply from him:

"It isn't in any way accurate - I don't think I ever heard your father give, quote, the lecture, but it is, I think, fairly accurate in feeling. Fiction is fiction of course, and I did not intend my headmaster to be in any way a portrait of your father - rather an indication of the style of headmasters in general at the time, though the military terms, in your father's case were quite strong; but then we were in a very military period, with the war not long finished and the Korean War still going on - a war, I might add, to which most of us, in my last year, were expecting to be involved, and quite quickly. On the whole, the prevailing style of Grammar at the time was anarchistic - a style reinforced by several of the masters, Mad MAC, for example, and Mosley MASTERS: it was the style, rightly or wrongly, with which I felt most sympathy. Your father's style was the opposite of that, and I think he had a hard time from many rebellious boys and some of the masters as well. I might say he was always very kind and helpful to me personally, and my parents were very grateful to him - enough, I remember, to send him a gift when I got my open scholarship."

In the Social Pages of the Courier Mail, 17 March 1949, this item appeared:

"CRADLE news... The headmaster of the Brisbane Grammar School (Mr. H.R. PIGOTT) and Mrs PIGOTT are calling their fifth son, born last Thursday, Christopher..."

Now who on earth could that have been!

Nearly four months later, Bob's father, Henry Robert Maguire PIGOTT, died in Manly, N.S.W., on 8 July 1949, aged 82. He was buried in the Presbyterian Portion of Blayney Cemetery. I would imagine that pressure of work, and domestic issues, may have prevented him from attending the funeral.

In July 1949, Bob argued for the lowering of the age of electoral enfranchisement to 18 years, in a debate broadcast on 27 July, on "The Nation's Forum of the Air."

Bob had continued his broadcasting interests, and was a member of the A.B.C.'s Queensland School and youth Broadcasts Advisory Committee in 1949-50, and 1952-53.

His further broadcasts included the following:

1. Heroes of Modern Science - The Curies.

2. The World We Live In.

3. Stars and Atoms (Parts 1 and 2).

4. Modern Myths - Prometheus.

5. Famous Scientists - Lord RUTHERFORD.

6. The Curriculum.

7. The Life and Work of Famous Scientists - Albert EINSTEIN - Gregory MENDEL - FLEMING and FLOREY.

8. Nursery Rhymes.

9. Science Survey - The Hydrogen Bomb - Sir Frederick BUNTING - Henri MOISSIN.

10. The Dark Unfathomed Caves of the Ocean - The energy of the Ocean (21 June 1950).

11. Plain Christianity.

12. What's in a Cigar?

13. Secondary English - General Reading - What do you Read? - Poems of Action.

14. Science Survey - The Uses of Radio-active Isotopes.

Bob announced his decision to resign at School Assembly on 7 October 1952, to take effect on 31 December. He offered to stay on until the end of first term in 1953, but was released by the School Council in December.

He had had a serious recurrence of his duodenal ulcer, and his doctor emphasised his need to reduce the stress arising from his work-load.

They were due to leave Brisbane on 12 December 1952, for Sydney, "... where he has been appointed to a less exacting position on the teaching Staff of a boy's school. Mrs PIGOTT was presented with flowers and a coffee percolator by Mrs A. CLAPPISON" [Sunday Mail, 16 November], at a Christmas party in the School House lounge on 12 November, held by seventy mother's who helped regularly at the tuck-shop of the Parents and Friends Association of B.G.S.

______________________________________________

BOB RETURNS TO PARRAMATTA.

Bob returned to King's, commencing in first term 1953.

He was appointed by H. Denys HAKE, who had succeeded PARKINSON in 1939, and whose tenure would see the relocation of the School to new premises up at Gowan Brae, on Pennant Hills Road, first classes commencing there in first term in 1962.

Bob had first  Denys HAKE at the eighth triennial meeting of the Headmasters Conference of the Independant Schools of Australia, which was held at Scot's College, Sydney, 21-25 May 1951. He had been asked to welcome HAKE back to Australia in January 1939, as his ship anchored in Port Adelaide on its way to Sydney, but was unable to do so due to it being the day on which his first son was born.

HAKE was keen to have Bob on his staff, and engaged him on "lightweight" duties in keeping with the dignity of a retired Headmaster - teaching Chemistry, Mathematics and some English.

Bob quickly found a good home, on "extensive" land (by suburban standards), on the north side of Alice Street, Harris Park, at the intersection with Good Street, and was in possession from late January 1953.

The title deed was transferred on 3 January from The Union Trustee Company of Australia, Ltd, and Frederick Stuart TODHUNTER; was mortgaged to the Bank of N.S.W. on 22 January 1953; and subsequently to the Council of The King's School on 13 January 1954, which second mortgage was discharged on 24 August 1962.

He appears to have availed himself of generous loan funds from the School Bursar, at more competitive interest rates than the Bank.

He also availed himself of another perquisite as a Master - his five sons all spent their time at T.K.S. free of tuition fees.

Shortly after his return, Bob was appointed Housemaster of the newly created second senior day-boy house, Dalmas. He relinquished that post at the end of Third Term in 1963, at the same time as did "Johnno" GRICE from his post at Macquarie House. They knew each from Bob's first stint at King's, and chemistry was their principal subject (GRICE was my Chemistry teacher).

One of the anecdotal accounts of Bob's second stint at King's was his uncanny gift of memory. He would tell a boy, do not do that - which drew, from the somewhat embarrassed boy, the response - how did you know I was going to do that - which, in turn, drew the inevitable reply - your father used to do the same.

I do not know whether it was the return of "sodium" Bob, otherwise "sode," or whether he acquired this moniker on this his second period at T.K.S.

He evidently welcomed new classes to his Chemistry Lab with an introduction to the dangers it held, that being most effectively illustated by the explosive effect of adding pure sodium to water.

Given that he probably did most of his Chemistry teaching in his first period, I suspect that is probably when it originated.

Nor do I know whether his colleagues addressed him as such in the Staff Common Room.

But the nick-name was used later, in an affectionate way, for some of his younger sons, and to his nephew and name-sake Bob junior!

And, when I posted my tribute to my father's colleague, Eric Sowerby DRAKE, my English teacher, one of my old class mates posted a comment, addressed to me as "Sode"!

[Publicity photo for the A.B.C. Radio Talks, taken at 32 Alice Street, Harris Park, staging household repairs at the north-eastern corner of the verandah.]

Bob carried on his programme of 15 minute talks on A.B.C. Radio. These continued on his earlier themes, some as a part of the Tasmanian Branch of the A.B.C.'s Youth Education Department in the Science for Schools program:

1. The Science of Domesticity - The Kitchen.

2. Ditto - The Laundry.

3. Ditto - Outside the House.

4. Oxygen, Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide (1953).

5. The Water Cycle.

6. Chemical Energy.

7. The Structure of Matter.

8. Light.

9. Air and it's Constituents.

10. Sound.

11. The Surface of the Earth (parts 1 and 2).

12. Microbes and their Nature.

13. Inheritance.

14. The Air we Breathe (1954).

15. Lazy Nitrogen.

16. The Water of Life.

17. The Food of Plants.

18. The Food of Animals.

19. Heat.

20. Fuels.

21. Magnets and Their Uses.

22. Matter and Energy.

23. Electrical Energy.

24. Atomic Energy (parts 1 and 2).

25. The Universe (1955).

26. The Changing Face of the Earth.

27. Soil.

28. Water in Relation to Life.

29. Air and Life.

30. Electricity.

31. Plants and Animals in Competition.

32. Food and Energy.

33. Keeping our Bodies Healthy and Active.

34. Water.

35. Air (1956).

36. Heat.

37. Light.

38. Power for Transport.

39. Animals Without Backbones.

40. Animals With Backbones.

He also re-connected with his old passion, Rugby. 

He was appointed as a member of the Combined Team Selection Committee of the G.P.S. Association; this culminated in the annual fixture, at the conclusion of the regular inter-school season, against a Combined High Schools team. 

And that involved him attending a range of 1st XV fixtures, on Saturday afternoons throughout the season, up until his retirement, and perhaps beyond.

[Bob, centre, and his youngest brother Frank, left, with H. Denys HAKE on the right. 

Date uncertain, probably in the 1960s, and prior to HAKE's retirement at the end of 1964.]

His mother, Maggie PIGOTT (formerly ADAM), spent some of her final years living with our family in Harris Park - she died in Parramatta Hospital on 17 March 1960, aged 85, and was buried in the Presbyterian Portion of Blayney Cemetery, with her husband, and next to her parents.

Bob "retired" at the end of 1967, just two years after this fifth and youngest son had completed his Leaving Certificate. 

His second valedictory was published in the School Magazine, December 1967, at page 11, the author being unidentified:

"H.R.P. is one of those who have taken two or three bites at the King's School cherry. As a young man he came to us from Duntroon and gave valuable assistance in the sciences as well as in football and athletics. This period of his life has been recorded in an earlier edition of the Magazine, when he left us to go to St. Peter's College, Adelaide.

"At St. Peter's he gained an added experience in education, and a wife. Both were a great help to him when he was appointed Headmaster of Brisbane Grammar School. Despite his ability and energy, and despite the wisdom, poise and graciousness of his lady, the demands of 'Grammar' proved too exacting for a man of his conscientious nature and lofty aims - a man for whom nothing but the best would do. After a period of ill-health, he retired and King's was again fortunate enough to win him back to its staff and, later, fortunate enough to keep him well after the normal retiring age. In this period he has done most valuable work as the first Housemaster of Dalmas and in teaching mathematics, although (perhaps because) his real loves were English and the Sciences.

"Outside the School's activities, he devoted much of his time to his greatest interest - football - and made a particularly valuable contribution to the G.P.S. Association as a member of the Combined Team Selection Committee in which he helped materially to maintain, indeed to raise, the high standard of sportsmanship demanded of its teams by the Association.

"In all these things he has given generously of himself, ever seeking to bring out all that was best in boy's characters and abilities. Many a boy has him to thank for a fuller realisation of his personality and many, too, have examination passes which they owe to his encouragement and lucid instruction.

"So now his time at the School is really up. We know that he will miss it and all that it has meant to him. But we know, too, that all of us - men and boys alike - will miss him for the companionship, the sympathy and the help that he has given so willingly to all those with whom he has come in contact. We all join on wishing him and Mrs PIGOTT a happy period of retirement, confident that their future will be well cared for medically and electronically by able Old Boy sons. We look forward also to those occasions in the School calendar when they will return and garden our hearts with their pleasant company.

"Vale, Roberte."

He reappeared now and then, relieving other Staff members, and his second and supposedly "final" farewell was published in the School Magazine in December 1970.

His brother Jim died in Sydney on 12 September 1971, aged 68.

And a final farewell was published in the School Magazine in November 1973, written by Jonothan PERSSE:

"Robert PIGOTT claims to have resigned or retired from the staff six times in his 40-odd year connection with the School. To put it another way, he has in recent years made several come-backs, and each time we have been truly delighted to have him with us again.

"This year he 'filled in' for Mr READ who had two terms away between his resignation in December from the staff and from the housemastership of Macarthur, and his rejoining the staff in as PIGOTT-style come-back this term.

"Bob PIGOTT is a very charming and kindly man, and any staff is fortunate if it contains a few such people. A touch of old-world graciousness, a gentle sense of humour, and much wisdom contrast somewhat with the more pragmatic and too often self-centred approach of some younger school masters. Bob has had a very good influence in the Common Room.

"Farewell Robert PIGOTT; dare we hope that we might be able to say that yet again?

"J.W. de B.P."

His only sister, Elsa Grace CUTTS, died in Canberra on 22 December 1976, aged 70. As far as I am aware - and I hope I am wrong - Bob did not attend the funeral.

Bob's name still lingers on at King's. 

His brother Frank endowed the H.R. PIGOTT Memorial Bursary, for "country boys of good character showing all round abilities academically and in sport." 

The first was awarded in 2003, to A.J.O. RUTHERFORD. Subsequent awards were made in 2006, 2008 and 2009 [T.K.S. Register].

But Bob did not "retire" completely, having spent a short time in The State School system, at Castle Hill High School. 

It was his first and only experience in co-education, and the ways of pubescent girls, and where discipline was not maintained by the students themselves - he found lunch-time playground duty particularly irksome.

He also resumed his association with his Alma Mater, Sydney University, serving as "Bulldog" in annual examinations for a few years, and during my time there (1966-69).

And he kept up his hobby interests, in particular his "landscaping."

At 32 Alice Street, he had spent many after-work hours top-dressing the back-fill in the hill to the north, which lead down to Coalcliff Creek.

And later, at Werona Street, Pennant Hills, he was free to indulge that, well into retirement:

Bob eventually fell victim to cancer of the prostate, a disease which had killed his father. Betty cared for him, right until the end, and assured him of his wish to die in his own bed. Six of his seven children were also around him, with one daughter-in-law, as his life slipped away, although several of us retired from his presence towards the end.

He died late in the afternoon of 21 July 1981, at the age of 82.

[A late photo, taken by me at Pennant Hills.]

After a service at the Beecroft Uniting Church, his remains were buried in the Presbyterian Lawn Section of Castle Hill Cemetery. Several former teaching colleagues attended, and two of the Senior boys represented the School at the service, along with a number of his relations.

A brief and belated Obituary notice was published in the Duntroon Society Newsletter, April 1987, at page 6:

"Since the last Newsletter we have been notified of the death of the following:

"28 (sic) July 1981, Lieutenant H.R. PIGOTT (1917) ..."

Bob had joined the Society shortly before his death.

__________________________________________

SOME PERSONAL IMPRESSIONS OF MY FATHER.

It was much later when I realised that my father, who turned 50 just two months after I was born, was old enough to have been my grandfather!

This was because he married late, and I was the sixth of his seven children.

But, in the end, I don't think that mattered.

An early memory I have of him was of his driving, which was at times a little erratic, he being inclined to drive on the left side of his lane, and would frequently forget to change up to third gear!

I recall the aftermath of a collision on his way to Church in Parramatta - I do not know who was at fault, but I do recall him telling the other driver that he did know where he was heading!

And on another occasion, driving in an off-street parking lot, a rather intoxicated pedestrian stepped out from between two already parked cars right into the side of our slowly moving Holden, and fell backwards to the pavement. Dad stopped, and went to check up on him, asking him whether he was all right? To which the rather soggy reply was - "How do you know I'm all right" - a phrase that entered the family lexicon!

I do remember his busying himself in Church business, having driven us to Sunday School an hour before the morning service, where he would attend as the Session Clerk, and on odd occasions, as the lay Preacher - although we were spared his sermons, as the younger children always left after half an hour, and we would make our way home by foot.

I don't remember who was the most peeved, he or I, when he would stand near me, jingling the small change in his trouser pocket, before telling me to go to my room and do my homework, after I had dallied in front of the television after dinner.

In September 1971, his beloved brother Jim died. After the news had been phoned in, I busied myself with the washing-up. Through the window over the kitchen sink, I saw my father, who had separated himself into the sanctuary of the car-port, wiping away his tears. It was the only time I ever saw him affected like that.

When I first went overseas, in 1974, I kept in contact with my parents by writing letters, one of which contained some "poems" I had written while staying with my maternal aunt Jan PAY in Guildford, Surrey.

Knowing that dad wrote poetry, I was somewhat apprehensive about how he might react.

One of them was a tribute to his Staff colleague and my English teacher, entitled "DRAKE's England."

My apprehension was unwarranted - on my return to Australia, he said I should send the poem to the man himself. 

And, despite thinking dad was going a bit dotty, I did - and got a very heart-warming reply from E.S.D. 

Which I comprehended that dad instinctively knew would happen.

But he did get a bit dotty, towards the end. 

On one visit from Canberra to Werona Street, Pennant Hills, mum mentioned, in despair, that he had been at it again - landscaping parts of the un-kerbed nature strip outside neighbouring houses!

I did not stay beside the death bed until his last breath. 

I felt a primal scream developing, and instinctively withdrew, so that it would not overpower those that were still on the watch. 

I need not have bothered - one brother was already out on the front veranda, and another retired shortly before me, out to the day-room past the kitchen, so all that was left for me to hide in was the bathroom, by the front door, the echoiest room in the house. 

The primal scream duly arrived, and I suspect the whole street heard it!

Vale, father.

Thank you for bringing me into this world.