Obituaries Australia

After a short illness, Mr Edward Lloyd Morgan Baillieu died yesterday in Melbourne, aged 79 years.

Mr Baillieu, who lived at Sorrento, was one of Australia's most successful figures in the field of commerce and industry, although his name was rarely given great publicity in the business world. He was better known to all patrons of the Turf as one of Australia's most successful owners of racehorses and as a part owner of the champion, Ajax. He was reputed to be one of Australia s wealthiest men.

Mr Baillieu, who was a bachelor, was one of six brothers whose remarkable success in business made their name widely known in London and Australian financial circles. The others are the late Mr W. L. Baillieu and Messrs Clive Norman and A. S. Baillieu.

Mr Baillicu was born at Queenscliff in 1868 and was educated at the Queenscliff State school. He was a member of the London Stock Exchange but not of the Stock Exchange of Melbourne.

He was a director of Freehold Assets Co Ltd, the Land Mortgage Bank of Victoria and Yarra Falls Ltd. He also had interests in numerous other private and public companies.

As a member of the Victoria Racing Club committee, however, he was better known to thousands of racing followers. Racing was practically his only recreation and over a period of many years he won numerous important events with horses which he owned in partnership with other men. He was part owner of Backwood which won the Melbourne Cup in 1924. In recent years his name has been coupled with Ajax, the ownership of which he shared with Mr Constable and Mr A. W. Thompson. Ajax, the most famous horse in Australia since Phar Lap, has won the Caulfield Guineas the V.A.T.C. Futurity Stakes, the Newmarket Handicap, the A.J.C. Sires Produce Stakes, the A.J.C. Champagne Stakes and numerous weight for age races.

Mr Baillieu's colours have been carried to the post successfully by many famous horses. In partnership with Mr P. H. Osborne he won the Caulfield Guineas with Beechwood. With his brothers he won three cups with Almusa — the Moonee Valley Cup, the Williamstown Cup and the Australian Cup-and three big races with Aleconner — the Williamstown Cup, the Epsom Handicap at Randwick and the Doncaster Handicap.

In partnership with Mr W. S. Robinson, Mr Baillieu owned also Dark Sky which was a victor in the A.J.C. Sires Produce Stakes. With Mr Constable as a partner he was the owner of Karuma, when it won the Doncaster Handicap.

In addition to his other racing interests Mr Baillieu imported from overseas a number of thoroughbreds including Medmenham, the dam of Ajax.

Mr Baillieu was a member of the Athenaeum Club, Melbourne, the Union Club, Sydney, and the Oriental Club, London. He was elected a member of the V.R.C. in 1895, and a member of its committee in 1915. He was elected the clubs honorary treasurer in 1918 and held the office until his death.

The remains will be cremated privately today. The funeral will arrive at the Springvale Crematorium at 11.30 am. Arrangements are in the hands of A. A. Sleight Pty Ltd.