Garrick Agnew

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Sir Garrick Agnew

| image =

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| caption =

| fullname = Robert David Garrick Agnew

| nicknames =

| national_team = Australia

| strokes = Freestyle

| club =

| coach =

| collegeteam = Ohio State University

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1930|9|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Nedlands, Western Australia

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1987|8|3|1930|9|21|df=yes}}

| death_place = Crawley, Western Australia

| height =

| weight =

| medaltemplates =

}}

Sir Robert David Garrick Agnew {{post-nominals|country=AUS|CBE}} (21 September 1930 – 3 August 1987) was an Australian competition swimmer and businessman. As a swimmer Agnew represented Australia at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics, as well as the 1950 British Empire Games. After retiring from swimming he entered business, becoming involved in the resources industry in Western Australia.

Early life

Agnew was born 21 September 1930 in the Perth suburb of Nedlands to Robert and Jean Agnew (née Dorothy Jean McHarg Wilson).{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33340773 |title=Family Notices. |newspaper=The West Australian |date=23 September 1930 |access-date=24 September 2015 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}} As a boy he attended Perth Modern School.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19800406|title=Garrick wants to bank on success|last=Francis|first=Jeff|date=6 April 1980|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=8 August 2012}} After graduating he attended the University of Western Australia (UWA) from 1949 studying engineering. In 1950 received an offer to attend Yale University on an athletic scholarship where he would swim alongside his Australian rival John Marshall.{{cite web | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44915918 | title=Another Australian swimmer for U.S. | work=The Advertiser | date=20 July 1950 | access-date=4 August 2012}} He eventually chose to attend Ohio State University. His passage to America involved working in the engine room of a ship between Brisbane and Vancouver.{{cite news | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39108360 | title=Crawley to Columbus | work=Western Mail | date=30 November 1950 | access-date=30 August 2012}}{{cite news | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47887585 | title=Garrick Agnew's work in ship's engine room | work=The West Australian | date=20 September 1950 | access-date=3 August 2012}} He was a member of the Ohio State branch of Phi Beta Kappa Society.{{cite web | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75783088 | title=Agnew Stars – At His Uni. Studies | work=Mirror | date=17 May 1952 | access-date=4 August 2012}} He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1952. Two years later he finished a Master of Business Administration degree at Harvard University in 1954.{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography | id2=agnew-sir-robert-david-garrick-12122 | title=Sir Robert David Garrick Agnew (1930–1987) | year=2007 | volume=17 | access-date=31 July 2012}}{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pKAQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LJMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2720,1765541 | title=Confident Agnew Eager To Clash With Marshall | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=10 July 1950 | access-date=31 July 2012 | author=Tierney, Frank}}{{cite news | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22903124 | title=Garrick Agnew leaves for America | work=The Argus | date=2 August 1950 | access-date=3 August 2012 | author=Packer, Don}}

Swimming

As a 17-year-old Agnew went to the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, competing in the 400-metre and 1500 metre freestyle events though he did not make it past the heats.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ag/garrick-agnew-1.html |title=Garrick Agnew Biography and Olympic Results |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |work=sports-reference.com |access-date=8 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130154843/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ag/garrick-agnew-1.html |archive-date=30 January 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://swimming.org.au/assets/console/customitem/attachments/WEB%20CONTENT%20Olympic%20Games%20-%20Australian%20Swimming%20Representives%20and%20Medallists%20_3_.pdf |title=Olympic Games – Australian Swimming Representatives and Medallists |publisher=Swimming Australia |access-date=3 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801070714/http://swimming.org.au/assets/console/customitem/attachments/WEB%20CONTENT%20Olympic%20Games%20-%20Australian%20Swimming%20Representives%20and%20Medallists%20_3_.pdf |archive-date= 1 August 2012 }}

He was the men's 440 yards freestyle champion and was part of the 4×220 yards freestyle relay team that came second at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, New Zealand.{{cite web|url=http://www.commonwealthgames.org.au/templates/Games_Results_Swimming.htm |title=Results by sports – Swimming |publisher=Australian Commonwealth Games Association |access-date=3 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024203830/http://www.commonwealthgames.org.au/templates/Games_Results_Swimming.htm |archive-date=24 October 2012 }}

At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, he again competed in the 400 and 1500-metre events, again not advancing past the preliminary heats.

Agnew retired from swimming 1954, citing a desire to enter business.{{cite news | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69977931 | title=Garrick Agnew retires | work=The Advocate | date=25 June 1954 | access-date=3 August 2012}}

Business

Agnew spent time in 1954 working in Manila with Gus Trippe, an American he met at Harvard. On returning to Perth in 1955, Agnew was part of a partnership, including Trippe, that purchased a steam boat to ship live cattle from Anna Plains Station in northwest Western Australia to The Philippines. This was the first time cattle had been shipped live out of the state.{{cite web | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49874337 | title=A Shipload of Kimberley Bullocks Made History | work=The West Australian | date=16 August 1954 | access-date=3 August 2012 | author=Mitchell, W.}}{{cite news | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52958259 | title=L.S.T. Cattle Shipment: Loading Starts | work=The West Australian | date=31 July 1954 | access-date=4 August 2012}}

He soon extended his business interests to mining salt and iron ore. He formed a partnership with Harold Clough during the 1970s. In 1977 Mount Enid Mining Company, controlled by Agnew, sold its interests in the Robe River mining project for over A$21 million.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19800402&id=yfFUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7ZIDAAAAIBAJ|title=Tycoon is former champion|last=Bird|first=Frank|date=2 April 1980|work=The Age|access-date=3 August 2012}}{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tqApAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fOYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2756,6789112 | title=Agnew about to sign over Robe interest | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=21 June 1977 | access-date=4 August 2012}}

In 1980, Agnew led a group proposing the establishment of a new Australian trading bank.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110587321 | title=Businessman's Plan - New Trading bank being considered. | newspaper=The Canberra Times | date=2 April 1980 | access-date=23 August 2019 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}} This resulted in the opening of Australian Bank in early 1981, with Agnew as its first chairman.

Game fishing

Agnew was a keen fisherman. He regularly made a trip of over {{convert|4800|km}} from Perth to Cairns to catch large fish.{{cite journal|last=Wright |first=Peter B. |date=27 December 2001 |title=A Marlin to Remember |journal=Marlin |publisher=Bonnier Corporation |url=http://www.marlinmag.com/species/fish-species/marlin-remember |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130208115757/http://www.marlinmag.com/species/fish-species/marlin-remember |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 February 2013 }} In 1983 he set a Western Australian record when he caught a {{convert|319|kg|abbr=on}} Pacific blue marlin. He was inducted into the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame in 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.igfa.org/Museum/HALL-OF-FAME.aspx#ga |title=Hall of Fame Inductees – Sir Garrick Agnew |publisher=International Game Fishing Association |access-date=31 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325094152/http://www.igfa.org/Museum/HALL-OF-FAME.aspx |archive-date=25 March 2015 }}

Honours

Agnew became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1978. In 1982 Agnew was made a Knight Bachelor for "service to industry & commerce". A street, Agnew Way, in Subiaco is named in his honour.{{cite web | url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1064836 | title=AGNEW, Robert David Garrick – CBE | publisher=Australian Government | work=It's an Honour | access-date=31 July 2012}}{{cite web | url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1083664 | title=AGNEW, Robert David Garrick – Kt | publisher=Australian Government | work=It's an Honour | access-date=31 July 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.subiaco.wa.gov.au/fileuploads/Updated%20COS%20website%20doc%20w%20Jolimont%20origins%2023Sept09.pdf |title=CITY OF SUBIACO – STREET NAMES |publisher=City of Subiaco |access-date=31 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413032950/http://www.subiaco.wa.gov.au/fileuploads/Updated%20COS%20website%20doc%20w%20Jolimont%20origins%2023Sept09.pdf |archive-date=13 April 2013 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/49213/supplements/41/page.pdf | title=Knights Bachelor | work=London Gazette | date=30 December 1982 | access-date=3 August 2012}}

In 2009 Agnew was inducted into the Swimming Western Australia Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://wa.swimming.org.au/customdata/index.cfm?fuseaction=CustomItem&ItemID=34011 |title=Swimming WA Hall of Fame |publisher=Swimming Western Australia |access-date=3 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120731205422/http://wa.swimming.org.au/customdata/index.cfm?fuseaction=CustomItem&ItemID=34011 |archive-date=31 July 2012 }}

Death

Agnew died in 1987 of a heart attack after swimming at the UWA swimming pool. His ashes were interred at Karrakatta Cemetery.{{citation |publisher=Metropolitan Cemeteries Board |id=KC00088965 |title=Karrakatta Cemetery database - Lawn 5A, Sir T. Meagher Gardens, site 34 |url=https://www2.mcb.wa.gov.au/NameSearch/details.php?id=KC00088965 }}