From the Archives - Noel Dempsey
Class of 1929 Old Boy Noel Dempsey was our first British Empire Games Athlete (later to become the Commonwealth Games). He was also the first Queenslander to represent Australia in Track and Field.
Noel Dempsey was born in Rockhampton where his father worked on the railways. When his father died suddenly, his mother moved to Brisbane with Noel and his older brother, Charles and opened a café in Woolloongabba. The family lived in Cordelia Street, a short walk for the boys to the College.
So what was St Laurence’s College like in the 1920s? The older boys played marbles, cricket and football while the younger boys played tiggy and hide ‘n’ seek. There was a shift to study Australian History and in English they studied Australian Poetry - The Man from Snowy River was a favourite.
Celebrations included Anzac Day and Empire Day, but St Patrick’s Day was the day everyone looked forward to, especially if you were picked for the athletics team. The day started with a procession of all the Christian Brothers Schools followed by a sports day at the Exhibition Grounds.
In 1931, Noel won the State titles in the 100 yards in just over 10 seconds on a very heavy track and in the 440 yards running events. His selection for the national championships that year began his rise to national prominence.
In 1934, Noel became Australian Sprint Champion and was selected to represent Australia at the British Empire Games in London. The 1934 Games were the second of what is now known as the Commonwealth Games and was held in England from 4–11 August. Australia sent a small team of athletes, cyclists, swimmers, divers, wrestlers and a boxer with two managers. Noel was placed 4th in the 100 yards, 4th in the 220 yards with a time of 22 seconds and 4th in the 4 x 110 yards relay team. Noel’s fare to England had been paid through a fundraising appeal of the Brisbane Telegraph newspaper and dances.
Seventeen countries competed in the 1934 games with British Hong Kong, India, Irish Free State, Jamaica, Northern Island, Southern Rhodesia and Trinidad and Tobago competing for the first time.
In 1935, the Queensland Amateur Athletic Association staged time trials over metric distances at Lang Park. Noel, who was State and Australian Sprint Champion, broke the Olympic standing figure in 200 metres and equalled it in 100 metres. In 1936, he won silver in the 200 metres at the Australian Nationals.
Noel did not compete at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin but believed Australian athletes were severely handicapped by the ‘tyranny of distance’ – it was a six week trip by ship to Europe.
Noel left school after Junior for a position as an office boy at the State Tax Office. It was here that he studied at night to achieve his accountancy qualification and became an Income Tax Assessor, moving to private practice with F P Kennedy and Co Taxation Accountants. The outbreak of World War II transformed Brisbane and Noel was recruited as an accountant for the American Armed Forces. He worked from offices in Fortitude Valley for the duration of the war before returning to private practice.
In 1950, Treasurer Sir Arthur Fadden had created the Taxation Board of Review No 3 in Brisbane to assess a broad range of business and personal tax claims for the now Commonwealth Tax Office. Noel was appointed to this panel of three after his mentor, Harry Antcliff, retired. Noel retained his position on the panel until his own retirement in 1978. His public service was recognised with the award of the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Medal for Public Service in 1977.
Noel Dempsey died in on the 25 March 1995 leaving his wife Ellen and three children, Patrick, Clare and Paula.