Recollections – Joe Farran (TC 1923)

Egbert 'Joe' Farran, Trinity College, 1923

'Joe' Farran, 1923

It is now 40 years since I left Trinity College. I went there as a freshman in March 1923 - a steam train brought me to Spencer Street Railway Station and I and my luggage went on to Trinity in a four-wheel horse-drawn cab.
Egbert 'Joe' Farran (TC 1923)

Egbert Armytage Cuninghame Farran (1903-1990) - known as 'Bertie' within the family, or 'Joe' from his schooldays onwards - entered Trinity in 1923, from Geelong Grammar School. Studying medicine, he played for the University Blacks and was an enthusiastic tennis player. Following general practice in Albury during the war years, serving both the town and military camps at Bonegilla and Bandiana, Joe later specialised in radiotherapy at Royal Melbourne and Alfred Hospitals, and was a founding member of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, being Chairman of the Victorian faculty between 1964-66. He was in residence with many collegians who, like himself, would go on to leave their mark on Australian society. His own son, Andrew (TC 1957), would follow him in to Trinity and continues to generously support the college.

On Sydney Road and crossing the cable tram tracks we entered the drive of Trinity College. It was a fairly long drive in those days and passed to the right of the chapel, curved round the Bulpadock, and was lined by plane trees.

The cable tram used to take us all the way up to Flinders Street for 2d.

I was amongst the 20 freshmen who entered College that year to bring its total numbers up to the full capacity of 83 men - most of us went into the New Wing, a temporary wooden structure at the rear of Clarke's. I was told that it was called "temporary" to allow a wooden structure to be erected in a "brick" area, but that was the only sense in which it was temporary; and, indeed, more than 30 years later it provided accommodation for my son in his first year at College. It was clean, neat and had a central corridor with about 10 bed sitting rooms on each side, and toilet and lavatory facilities at one end.

A resident tutor - Mr. D.G. Taylor LLM, called "Squizzy" after his infamous name sake of the underworld, had the unenviable task of sleeping in the wing to act as a deterrent to unseemly behaviour.

His main function seemed to be to levy a fine of 5/- for failing to turn off the lights. The Council had just relieved the Social Club of the expense of paying for gas, electricity and toilet paper used by the students, so that strict economies were being enforced and no waste was allowed.

Man of distinction

Looking back after more than 40 years, we were an undistinguished lot of freshers for although there were in the College in that year men who were to reach positions of eminence and distinction, our year either because they left too soon, died too young or developed arterial disease, was noted by the production of but one man of distinction - a bishop: Allen Winter, having in later years obtained an MA degree from Trinity and some association with Christ Church in South Yarra, two very helpful ingredients in the making of a bishop, became the Bishop of St Arnaud.

As freshmen we were told that for the moment we were merely being tolerated in the College. In the meantime we had to respect and support College activities especially the coming intercollegiate cricket match, which was due to start soon on the University Oval.

The infamous 'Wooden Wing', a temporary building erected in 1920 as a stop-gap to meet the demands of returned servicemen. It lasted until 1962. Trinity College Archives, MM 000167

Initiation

Trinity defeated Newman in the first round and then Ormond in the final after a long tense struggle lasting for four days. This was the first win for some years and had to be properly celebrated at dinner on the night of the victory.

It was during the period between these cricket matches that we had the initiation ceremony.

Each freshmen had some specific task to perform. I remember that mine was to buy one weetie, get a receipt for it and to deliver a dissertation on farinaceous foods.

Others had their own tasks. An impromptu play was not very well received, but the day was saved by one of our number, Phil Freyer (TC 1920), chanting a song on the College cricket team to the tune of Three Blind Mice. The next night was the Freshers Dinner when we were formally admitted as full members of the College - but mind you, we were still very much "freshmen" and had to do as we were told.

Dinner was a formal meal in College, a gown had to be worn and we were all expected to be punctual. There were nine tables of about 10 places each with the table president at the head end and freshers at the other. The tutors and Warden when present sat at a high table at the top end of the dining room. Beer was obtainable from the Buttery - including Cascade, usually reserved for occasions like celebration dinners.

Extra-curricular activities

We freshmen assiduously attended our lectures as most of us had scholarships and were expected to pass the year with one first or two second-class honours to retain them and we were all a bit worried. The next two sporting events were rowing and athletics and in this the College did not make a very good impression despite our unstinted support. In addition we had Commencement, Easter and M.U.R. camp to fit into this first term of the year.

It was not an idle one.

The second term was notable for the intercollegiate football but Trinity failed to survive the first round, and our extracurricular activities were then centered within the College. The Dialectic Society run by Bruce Hunt (TC 1921) - a medical student who finally became a physician in Perth - provide much food for debate; and such episodes as when Percy White (TC 1916), another medical man who settled in the West, and Russell Keon Cohen (TC 1920) roused some husky freshmen one night to help them place a tombstone in Ormond College. The incident is reported as follows:-

'At that hour of night when the graves give up their dead a number of freshmen were led by the intrepid Percy, in his bowler hat and Russell, in the remnants of his to the yard of a neighbouring monumental mason. There they selected a large tombstone, and placed it, suitably inscribed, in the hall of another college.'

On the way over an inquisitive policeman stopped the party. The story is that Russell, who had been to a wedding, but still retained his presence of mind, said that the tombstone wrapped in a gown was an inebriated friend being taken home; but they were being followed by a gentleman on a bicycle, whom he pointed out. The policeman (who had evidently been to a wedding also) believed him and went off after the cyclist. There were some slight repercussions to this episode as the stone was inscribed as a memorial to the master of Ormond.

In addition the College play, which was to become an annual feature replacing the Glee Club, took place in this term.

Spring, fun, games - and exams!

Third term came on with the prospect of exams at the end of it, and for some the sprouting of leaves on the oak tree was a warning that spring was here and serious work should begin.

Early in the term the College dance was held in the St Kilda Town Hall and was closely followed by the intercollegiate tennis, which Trinity again won for about the fifth successive year.

The captain of the team was Clive H. Fitts (TC 1919) who had played in all five of the winning teams. He is now Sir Clive Fitts and became a leading Melbourne physician. The final events were the rowing known as the Elliot Fours and the annual College mixed doubles tennis tournament.

It seemed that all was now ready for a last run at the work when a police strike broke out in Melbourne, and caused further interruption as a number of the freshmen became special constables for a week or so until the emergency died down.

The College organisation then was much the same as it is now, but no wireless except an occasional crystal set, and of course TV was undreamed of. Still, we had our sing-songs around the piano, played by B. T. Keon Cohen (Bryan Tobyn, TC 1922).

Ormond College dining hall, State Library of Victoria

Victor Cobb, 'The Dining Hall, Ormond College', etching, 1923. Scene of the Trinity 'raid' in which a tombstone as a memorial to the college's Master was placed. State Library of Victoria, H41874

Victor Cobb, 'The Dining Hall, Ormond College', etching, 1923. Scene of the Trinity 'raid' in which a tombstone as a memorial to the college's Master was placed. State Library of Victoria, H41874874

Victor Cobb, 'The Dining Hall, Ormond College', etching, 1923. Scene of the Trinity 'raid' in which a tombstone as a memorial to the college's Master was placed. State Library of Victoria, H41874

'Special Constable' armband belonging to Edmund Herring (TC 1911) from the 1923 Police Strike, Melbourne. Herring would later become the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Museum Victoria, ST 43705

City of Melbourne Heritage Collection, 1923 Police Strike

Special Constables lined up near the Melbourne Town Hall, during the 1923 police strike. City of Melbourne Heritage Collections, ref. no. 19429.

1923 Police Strike, National Library of Australia

Special Constables line up in front of boarded shopfronts in Collins Street, Melbourne, during the 1923 police strike. A number of Trinity students joined their ranks. National Library of Australia, PIC/7993

Eminent men

There were in College that year some men who have attained eminent positions - Reg Sholl (TC 1920) who became a Rhodes Scholar in 1924 and went on to become a judge and a knight of the realm.

John Bloomfield who repeatedly won the shot put, and was in the M.U. Athletics Team for this event and has been the Victorian Minister for Education for many years.

Tom Smith was sub-editor of the Fleur de Lys and is now a Judge of the Supreme Court, and in addition we had a number of hard doers and brilliant students.

I suppose our 83 members would represent an average College year, and included several who played in the various University teams. In cricket we had Bill Irvine, now a QC and a Crown Prosecutor for Victoria.

F. C. Langlands (TC 1916) and Jack Hasker (TC 1919) - two medicos. Jack went down in the H.M.A.S. Sydney. They all played in the intervarsity match that year.

While Robin Orr (TC 1921), now an eye specialist, got his blue for rowing, and John Bloomfield and Russell Keon Cohen got theirs for athletics.

John Bloomfield "Put the Shot" while Russell who became a lawyer and a school master ran in the 880.

Reg Sholl amongst many distinctions that came his way in that year got his blue for football; and Clive Fitts and his fellow medico Bunny Hallowes (TC 1919) played in the intervarsity tennis.

The year was also notable because the Warden J.C.V. Behan (TC 1903) was awarded his Doctor of Laws for a very learned thesis.

Looking back after more than 40 years I can say that the life in College was very enjoyable, and during that time we associated with a number of men anyone of whom we were always pleased to meet in later years.

Remembrances of Egbert 'Joe' Farran (TC 1923), provided back to Trinity College in 1967.

Trinity students lounging on the grass under the Oak, in front of Bishops' Building, c. 1923. Trinity College Archives, MM 003090