Scotch College

Bruce has something to crow about

Bruce Crow (’38) read with interest the article by Frank Wood (’46 ) about his brother Murray (’45), in the December edition of Great Scot and was keen to expand on the article concerning the various members of the Crow Family, while at the same time correcting some inaccuracies.

There have been nineteen members of the extended Crow Family who have attended Scotch. These included Archie Crow (’38) the former School Chaplain, Tom Crow (’50) former School Captain and Champion Sportsman.

Geoff Crow (’70) was a former school Vice-Captain and later became school Assistant Chaplain and Russell Crow (’74) was a former Editor of the Collegian and Satura.

Bruce was the last Managing Director and Chairman of the company then known as Crow Industries Pty Ltd. He is understandably very proud of the fact that ARP & Sons did not go into voluntary liquidation.

He commented that following the purchase of the manufacturing company ‘Unique Engineering’, cash flow problems were experienced, causing a period of official management, during which the problems were overcome. The company was ultimately sold to a large British Fire Protection Company.

Bruce speaks with great enthusiasm on the wide variety of business carried out by the company in relation to conventional buildings. These included schools, factories, Churches, University, Hospitals and Offices.

ARP Crow, the father and grandfather of all these Crows, arrived from Scotland around 1885 and then came to Victoria, probably in 1886.

The business also carried on a very large specialized operation of furnace construction, and worked for the Steel, Aluminium & Power Industries. It also built Brick, Pipe and Tile Furnaces, Hospital & Factory Boilers, and naturally included all maintenance repairs.

This division operated in all States of Australia and New Zealand, and as Bruce wryly noted, it did so 365 days of the year.

It was a work ethic with which all the Crow Family could identify.