Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954)(about) |
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Saturday 14 May 1932
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BIOGRAPHIES IN BRIEF
No. 17
MR. W. B. DAWBARN
Since he wes 14 years old Mr. W.
B. Dawbarn has been connected
with the Rockhampton Jockey Club. For 13 year , as secretary and han-
dicappper, he has practically con trolled the destinies of the club the present high standing of which is sufficient testimony to his abil ity and foresight.
It is Mr. Danbarn's proud boast that the R.J.C is one of the most progres sive racing clubs outside the metropo-
litan cities in Australia.
Mr. Dawliarn is a Rockhampton na tive ; he was born here in I888. After having been educated at the Central Boys' School, he went in work in his
MR. W. B. DAWBARN.
father's office in 1902. Mr. R. R. Daw barn was one of Rockhamton best
known citizen. He was secretary of the Jockey Club, general Hospital, Cen tral Queensland Employers' Association, Central Queensland District Rifle Asso- ciation, and other public bodies. At one time he was secretary of the Rock hampton Agricultural Society and prior to coming to Rockhampton was secre- tary for the Queensland Turf Club from 1877 to 1880. He was a keen and cap- able organiser ; so that under such supervision there is little cause for won- der that his son became thoroughly efficient and that his splendid organi sation, during the busy Carnival period especially, causes visiting journalists to write in eulogistic vein.
lt was only by the merest chance that Mr. Dawharn is secretary of the R.J.C. In 1903 he and his brother, Mr S. E. (" Cookie ") Dawbarn, were in the office and they had been told to send out the race posters. Their father had gone to the hospital and they ar gued the point as to whose job it was to wrap up the posters and send them out. They failed to agree and the gay insouciance of youth they left the
office. The following morning, when
their father discovered that they had
fallen down on their job, he went off
the deep end and told them that one of them would have to look for an- other place- Each inserted an adver-
tisement in the " Bulletin " and S.E.
received the first answer. Had it been otherwise, the R.J.C. would have had another secretary and handicapper.
Always a keen student of form and
taking the greatest interest in the rac- ing game. Mr. W. B. Dawbarn was do ing the handicapping in 1910 for the
club, under the supervision of the com- mittee. In 1913 he was appointed offi cial handicapper and he has held that position ever since.
In 1919 his father passed away dur inp the influenza epidemic in which he,
also lost a sister and a brother-in-law. There was never any question of call- ing for applications for the position ;
the members of the committee were unanimous in agreeing that the son should succeed the father.
GROWTH OF R. J. C.
Mr. Dawbarn has seen the Rockhamp- ton Jocker Club grow to be the largest
club in Queensland outside the metro polis. In 1905 the added money for Carnival was £300, the big handicap be ing worth £100. For some years the added money has been £5000 and the
Rockhampton Cup is worth £ 1000. In- stead of racing a few days in the year the club now races anything up to 37. The added money for the year reached its peak in 1924 when £14.234 was raced for. Last year it dropped to
£8876.
Since 1899 the club has given away
, £139 990, has paid in totalisato tax
£31, 893 and spent in improvement a
£33.113. Of the latter amount £12.669
has been paid out since Mr. Dawbarn took over the secretarial reins.
During his recent visit to Brisbane, Mr. Dawbarn closely followed the meet-
ings there and noted a number of im provements which, no doubt, will be duly camed into effect here. He was greatly impressed by the new course at Doomben, where trmendous improve ments are being carried out.