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Eric Irving Macmillan

Commercial Rowing Club (QLD)

The following obituary appeared in the Brisbane Courier on Tuesday 4th November 1924.

Mr. Eric Irving Macmillan, a public school man of the finest spirit, died early on Saturday morning at Southport, where he had travelled to be present, at the regatta of his old school-the Southport School-which was to have been held on Saturday.

As already announced in the "Courier," the fixture was postponed as a mark of respect to the deceased.

The late Mr. Macmillan, who was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Macmillan, and a grandson of the late Colonel James Irving and Mrs. Irving, of Coorparoo, entered the Southport School in 1911, and left in 1914. When the war broke out he enlisted with many of his school fellows and served in France with the Motor Transport Corps. His name was now on that scroll of worshipped, which, the boy of every big school inscribes on his heart. Here are all the heroes of the school's tradition, on whose example the younger scholars shape their characters.

When he returned from the war, Mr. Macmillan joined the Queensland Secondary School's Association, and he was elected to represent the Old Southportonians' Association on the school council. He was well known as a rowing man - as so many old Southportonians are in after days - for he was an active member of the Commercial Rowing Club for many years.

He was only 26 years of age, but his death was a tragedy, not only because it took him away so early, but because it took him away on the eve of his marriage to Meg McLean, of Southport, for whom the greatest sympathy is felt.

The funeral took place yesterday to the Toowong Cemetery. The services at the house and at the graveside were conducted by the head master of deceased old school, the Rev. Canon Dixon, who was assisted by the Rev. Canon De Witt Batty, representing Dr. Sharp, Archbishop of Brisbane. The service was largely attended by relatives and friends of the deceased, by members of the Old Southportonians' Association, and the Commercial Rowing Club, and by representatives from many business firms in Brisbane. Six of deceased's old school mates acted as pall bearers.

Extracted by Andrew Guerin
October 2026

Source: THE LATE MR. E. L MACMILLAN. (1924, November 4). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 4. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22884727

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