Percy Colquhoun
Encyclopedia
Percy Brereton Colquhoun (28 September 1866 - 23 October 1936) was an Australian parliamentarian, lawyer and sportsman.
, the third son of the New South Wales
Crown Solicitor, George Colquhoun. He was privately tutored at home and then attended St Paul's School, Redfern
. Colquhoun entered Newington College
in 1881 and in 1885 was captain of the Rugby union
and cricket
teams. After leaving Newington he was articled to his father at Allen & Allen and was admitted as a solicitor in 1891. In that year he entered into partnership as Lee & Colquhoun of Orange
extending the firm to Blayney
in 1893. Colquhoun moved to Sydney in 1896 and opened a new head office.
tour of New Zealand
. He was the top points-scorer on tour and by 1887 he was rated as the outstanding three-quarter in Australia. His New South Wales representative career in intercolonial matches continued until 1896. Colquhoun was a first grade tennis player and played fifty-five games for New South Wales versus Victoria from 1889 until 1899. He last played in an inter-colonial match in 1909 and twice was the New South Wales men's doubles champion. In the mixed doubles of 1895 and 1896, Colquhoun played with Mabel Ann Shaw and he married her in 1897. In lawn bowls Colquhoun represented New South Wales against all the Australian States and New Zealand for over two decades. He defeated Harry Moses 32-22 to win the State singles title in 1916. In 1909 Colquhoun was president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australasia, and refereed Sydney's first Davis Cup
challenge round final. In 1911 and 1912 he was president of the New South Wales Lawn Tennis Association and he served as the first president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia in 1926.
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
as a Liberal-Nationalist. He was chairman of committees for two years and was a strong debater and an authority on issues of constitutional law.
and in 1918 and 1919 he was the president of the Old Newingtonians' Union
. Colquhoun died at home in Mosman and was survived by a son and a daughter.
Early life
Colquhoun was born at Maitland, New South WalesMaitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
, the third son of the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Crown Solicitor, George Colquhoun. He was privately tutored at home and then attended St Paul's School, Redfern
Redfern, New South Wales
Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
. Colquhoun entered Newington College
Newington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
in 1881 and in 1885 was captain of the Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
teams. After leaving Newington he was articled to his father at Allen & Allen and was admitted as a solicitor in 1891. In that year he entered into partnership as Lee & Colquhoun of Orange
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
extending the firm to Blayney
Blayney, New South Wales
Blayney is a farming town and administrative centre with a population of 2,745 in 2006, in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia...
in 1893. Colquhoun moved to Sydney in 1896 and opened a new head office.
Sporting career
Colquhoun was chosen in 1886 for the New South Wales Rugby UnionNew South Wales Rugby Union
The New South Wales Rugby Union is the organisation responsible for the sport of rugby union in most of the state of New South Wales, Australia...
tour of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He was the top points-scorer on tour and by 1887 he was rated as the outstanding three-quarter in Australia. His New South Wales representative career in intercolonial matches continued until 1896. Colquhoun was a first grade tennis player and played fifty-five games for New South Wales versus Victoria from 1889 until 1899. He last played in an inter-colonial match in 1909 and twice was the New South Wales men's doubles champion. In the mixed doubles of 1895 and 1896, Colquhoun played with Mabel Ann Shaw and he married her in 1897. In lawn bowls Colquhoun represented New South Wales against all the Australian States and New Zealand for over two decades. He defeated Harry Moses 32-22 to win the State singles title in 1916. In 1909 Colquhoun was president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australasia, and refereed Sydney's first Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
challenge round final. In 1911 and 1912 he was president of the New South Wales Lawn Tennis Association and he served as the first president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia in 1926.
Parliamentary career
From 1913 until 1920 Colquhoun represented MosmanMosman, New South Wales
Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman.-Localities:In February...
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
as a Liberal-Nationalist. He was chairman of committees for two years and was a strong debater and an authority on issues of constitutional law.
Later life
From 1912, Colquhoun was in legal partnership with George King and he retired in 1934. He served as a trustee of Taronga ZooTaronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo is the city zoo of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Officially opened on 7 October 1916, it is located on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman...
and in 1918 and 1919 he was the president of the Old Newingtonians' Union
Newington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. Colquhoun died at home in Mosman and was survived by a son and a daughter.