D AV I D M A LC OL M
After attending David’s funeral, Guildford
Grammar School’s Headmaster, Stephen
Webber, identified how David embodied
the School’s purpose of “inspiring students
to achieve personal excellence and to be
outstanding citizens who work to create a
just, loving and peaceful society”. David was
a beacon of justice, and he was well-known
for an amazing capacity for disciplined hard
work. His story does set an excellent example
for our students about the importance
of persistence, as David’s path was not
effortless. As a young Bunbury student trying
to obtain a scholarship at Guildford, David
was first met with failure, not success, but he
dusted himself off and persisted.
While he did gain entrance to the School as
a boarder, it appeared likely that the School
would lose David to Hale School three years
after he began. David’s parents had moved
to Nedlands from Bunbury, and factors such
as the additional costs from the move had
put significant financial pressure on them.
It looked as though boarding at Guildford
would be too expensive to maintain, and
the geography of a new Nedlands home
meant it was untenable for David to become
a day boy. David’s parents agreed with the
Headmaster at the time, Peter Thwaites
(Staff 1950-1956), that it would be a shame
to uproot a boy that had settled in and
was doing so well, and in an effort to help
keep David at Guildford, David’s mother
took up work teaching at the kindergarten
of Christ Church Grammar School. It was
uncertain if she could continue to maintain
the pressures of this work and the running
of the family home, and the financial
pressure brought about the family’s decision
to withdraw David from Guildford Grammar
School at the end of 1952.
Peter Thwaites must have identified the
potential in David and he fought hard to
keep him as a student. David was a worthy
recipient of the F A Moss Sub-Leaving
Scholarship and this enabled him to remain
at the School. In fact, Peter Thwaites was
successful in encouraging David to remain
enrolled beyond matriculation to allow him
to gain further maturity before university.
It was a practice at the time to encourage
exceptional students to add an additional
year of schooling, and David was rewarded
with being made the Captain of School
House and Captain of School in 1955.
Without knowing the exceptional future of
this man in adulthood, the Headmaster’s
faith in David and attempts to keep him at
Guildford were rewarded with his significant
school boy success. His many school prizes
included Art (Miss Sanders’ Prize) in 1950,
English Essay (Geoffrey Greatorex Prize) in
Hundreds of mourners showed their respect at David’s funeral
at St George’s Cathedral. Photo courtesy of The West Australian.
1953, 1954 and 1955, Music (Miss Gardiner’s
Prize) in 1953, English (Mrs R A Cameron’s
Prize) in 1953, Archbishop’s Essay Prize in
1954 and 1955, Canon Hamilton Art Prize
in 1954, Divinity (The Headmaster’s Prize) in
1954 and 1955, Hobbs Imperial Essay Prize
in 1955, Special Merit Prize (English, History,
Economics and Geography) in 1955 and the
Headmaster’s Gift to the Captain of School
also awarded the Bulkeley-Evans University
Scholarship, starting from March 1956,
his first year of Law at the University of
Western Australia.
Prior to David’s funeral on 27 October, Old
Guildfordian and former Solicitor-General,
Robert Meadows QC (St 1954-1959), gave
further credence to David’s brilliant mind
and character. As a junior, Robert and others
of his era saw David as a hero and were in
awe of him. Robert’s path followed David
from the School, being partners at the
same law firm together, and serving on the
bench together. Even as Solicitor-General,
Robert was the conduit between David
and the judiciary, and the government.
There is a sense that, even during this
time as a seasoned professional, Robert
remained in awe of David’s astuteness and
professionalism, commenting that through
all those years, David remained one of the
most intelligent individuals he had ever
come across.
David is survived by his wife, Kaaren, and
daughter, Manisha.
in 1955. In the end, in addition to the F
A Moss Sub-Leaving Scholarship in 1953,
David’s considerable academic talent enabled
him to win the Commonwealth Scholarship
in 1954 and Clothworkers’ Company
Scholarship in 1955. Displaying a diversity
to his gifts, David was also a member of
the Choir and he displayed his leadership
potential as a cadet obtaining the ranks of
Sergeant in 1954, Cadet Under Officer and
then Company Sergeant Major in 1955.
In his final year at Guildford, David was
Was David Malcolm a great man? Horace
Mann is quoted as saying, “If any man seeks
for greatness, let him forget greatness and
ask for truth, and he will find both”. David’s
indelible search for truth certainly earned
him the respect of the legal fraternity, respect
that is not easily won. He was a remarkable
man with an exceptional mind, a champion
of justice and a leader of many. David, while
greatness may be subjective, your school
recognises your endless achievements and
hopes you now rest in peace; the greatest
rest of all for a great man.
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