Richard Penrose FRANKLIN

FRANKLIN, Richard Penrose

Service Numbers: Not yet discovered
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Not yet discovered
Last Unit: Field Artillery Brigades
Born: Surbiton, Surrey, England, 28 November 1884
Home Town: South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
Schooling: St Paul's School London; Pembroke College Cambridge
Occupation: Head Master
Died: Toorak, Vic, 12 October 1942, aged 57 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne
Renowden Chapel, Section B, Niche 103
Memorials: Northbridge (Shore) Sydney Church of England Grammar School Memorial Cricket Ground Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

30 Apr 1918: Involvement Field Artillery Brigades, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Port Darwin embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
30 Apr 1918: Embarked Field Artillery Brigades, SS Port Darwin, Sydney

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Biography contributed by Sharyn Roberts

R. P. FRANKLIN enlisted in March 1917 and embarked as 2nd Lieutenant in A.F.A. reinforcements in April 1918. He arrived in France
in December 1918 and was allotted to 5th Divisional Artillery. On 4th January 1919 he was appointed Education Officer, Australian Corps, Central School, and on 23rd January was promoted to Lieutenant, General List, Education Service.

He returned to Australia in May and his appointment was terminated on 30th May 1919

Former Head Masfer of Melbourne Grammar Mr. Richard Penrose Franklin died at his home in Selborne-road, Toorak, yesterday, at the age of 57 years.
The late Mr. Franklin, the son of Samuel Franklin, a London solicitor,
was born at Surbitori, a London suburb, in November, 1884, and was educated at Borlase School, Marlow, and at St. Paul's School, London, At St. Paul's he distinguished Himself both In the schoolroom and in the sports field. From 1903 to 1904, when he 
was 19 years of age; he was captain of the school and a member  of the school's cricket and football teams. From school he went to Pembroke College, Cambridge. Here he secured first-class honors in classical Tripos and his M. A. degree. He won a blue for long jumping.


In the lollowing year, when Mr. Franklin was 24, he came to Australia to join the staff of Dalgety and Co. Ltd., but turned his
thoughts to a scholastic career, and towards the end of 1910 he
Joined the staff of Geelong Grammar School. In the following year he joined the staff of Sydney Church of England Grammar School as senior house master and senior classlcnl master.

After four years at Sydney he was appointed head master of  Melbourne Church of England Grammar School in 1915, but in 1916 he enlisted in the A.I.F. artillery and went abroad. He was a
lieutenant before the war ended.

In 1919 he returned to Melbourne Grammar School as head master. In the post-war years he was active as president of the Head Masters' Association and the Head Masters' Confer ence of Australia. He was also vice-chairman of the Soldiers' Children's Education Board, and was a prominent member of the Victorian Council of
Public Education.


A man of commanding presence (he was well over 6 feet In height),  Mr. Franklin was a born athlete. In his school days he was good at all sports, and was particularly fond of Rugby. Some pupils who became famous in this branch of sport and passed through his hands were Donald Mc-Lardy, Jack Park, Alf. Watson and F. Woodhouse. 


About 1931 Mr. Franklin attended an educational conference In Canada, and in 1935 he visited Scotland on a similar mission. During the latter trip he contracted a severe chill and on his return to Melbourne he was granted six months' leave of absence. In June, 1936, acting on medical advice, he resigned the head mastership
of Melbourne Grammar School.


The funeral will take place toay at Spring Vale crematorium, leaving
the chapel of Melbourne Grammar School at 2 p.m. B. Matthews Pty.
Ltd. will have charge of the arrangements.

 

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