Obituaries Australia

George Agnew, 1925

State Library of Queensland, 186604

The death occurred yesterday morning at Sandgate, at the age of 81, of Mr. George Agnew, formerly member for Nundah in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland as a supporter of Sir Thomas McIlwraith. He was pre-deceased by his wife. They came from Manchester, England, in 1880, on their honeymoon to Australia. By profession the late Mr. Agnew was an engineer, and, finding business prospects good, he remained in the country, and established the Queensland railway carriage works at Nundah. In the early thirties he entered Parliament, and represented Nundah for eight years. With his brother, the late Mr. Hugh Agnew, he was instrumental in the formation of several successful banking and trustee companies, including Queensland Trustees, Ltd., and the Federal Deposit Bank. The late Mr. Agnew took a keen interest in music, and as a boy was a member of the choir of the Manchester Catholic Cathedral, where he became associated with the late George Barrett, afterwards known as Leslie Stuart, the composer of Floradora and other well-known musical comedies, and whose kinswoman he subsequently married.

The late Mr. Agnew is survived by his sister Miss Mary Agnew, of Wynnum, an English trained teacher who was principal of girls' schools in Brisbane; and also by his sons, Herbert (Suva), Cyril (Pittsworth), Virgil and Paul (Sandgate), and daughters Mesdames J. A. Clancy, and W. F. Webb (wife of Mr. Justice Webb). Two daughters predeceased him.