Obituaries Australia

George Armstrong, n.d.

from Pastoral Review and Graziers' Record, 19 April 1954

The death of Dr. George Armstrong at Sydney on 3rd March in his 86th year brought to an end a most useful and a distinguished career in both professional and commercial life. Dr. Armstrong reflected throughout his life those high principles of duty and service that characterise outstanding men.

A son of Alexander Armstrong, who came to this country from Scotland in 1852 and devoted his lifetime to pastoral affairs on his Warrambeen Station, near Shelford, Victoria (adjoining Golf Hill, overlooking which, incidentally, lies his grave in the family church yard), Dr. Armstrong was born at Warrambeen in 1868. He graduated in medicine at Ormond College, Melbourne, and in the early 1890's went to Sydney to practise his profession. In due course he became Medical Superintendent of Sydney Hospital, and attained to the highest honorary positions at this institution, as well as at the Royal Hospital for Women, and Crown Street Women's Hospital. In particular he built up a large country practise specialising in gynaecology.

Being a member of a successful pastoral family whose holdings embraced Lake Victoria, near Wentworth, N.S.W., he maintained a keen interest all his life in woolgrowing and raising stock, and became chairman of directors of Armstrong Bell Ltd., who owned Cuthero (in the Western Division), Kerarbury (near Darlington Point), Bredbo (on the Monaro), Killearnan (near Culcairn), and Moonbril (at Holbrook). He personally owned and in due course subdivided for closer settlement Cowabbie, near Coolamon, and Mahonga Station, in eastern Riverina. The latter property was sold and subdivided completely within the past year.

In 1937 the late Dr. George Armstrong purchased Winderradeen Station, at Collector, N.S.W., and retired there to spend the remainder of his lifetime breeding Corriedale sheep, a breed he fancied for all-round usefulness, as was evident in the high standard reached with his Mahonga stud flock. The world record price of 322d. per pound was paid for greasy comeback wool four years ago shorn from sheep bred consistently to Mahonga Corriedale rams.

Besides these important pastoral interests the deceased owned extensive real estate in the City of Sydney, including Temple Court. The long and active life he enjoyed was made happier by a very wide circle of loyal friends in many walks of life, whose sorrow at his passing can well be summed up in the masonic words "He lived respected, and died regretted."

The late Dr. Armstrong is survived by his widow, who is a daughter of James Ewan, of John Fraser and Son, who also possessed substantial pastoral and commercial interests, and a son and daughter. The latter is Mrs. B. M. Coppa, of Milan, Italy, and his son is the Hon. Alex. E. Armstrong, M.L.C., of N.S.W., who resides at Winderradeen.