Alex Ross (rower)

Sir Alexander Ross (2 September 1907 – 10 April 1994) was a New Zealand-born banker and rower who competed at the 1930 British Empire Games. He was a rowing selector for New Zealand's Olympic and Commonwealth teams, New Zealand team manager for the Vancouver Commonwealth Games and chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation from 1968 to 1982.[2]

Sir Alex Ross
Personal information
Birth nameAlexander Ross
Born(1907-09-02)2 September 1907
Herekino, North Auckland, New Zealand
Died10 April 1994(1994-04-10) (aged 86)
Tweed Heads West, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationBanker
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Weight79 kg (175 lb)[1]
Spouse(s)
Nora Burgess
​
​
(m. 1933; died 1974)​
    Cynthia Barton
    ​
    (m. 1975)​
    Sport
    CountryNew Zealand
    SportRowing
    ClubAuckland Rowing Club[1]
    Medal record
    Men's rowing
    Representing  New Zealand
    British Empire Games
    Bronze medal – third place 1930 HamiltonCoxless Fours

    Rowing

    In 1930 he was a member of the men's Coxless fours team that won the bronze medal at the British Empire Games in Hamilton Ontario.[3]

    Banking career

    His banking career began with The National Bank of New Zealand. He transferred with his colleagues to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand when it was formed in 1934. He had risen to deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank[4] when he was invited by a visitor to New Zealand, John Gibson Jarvie,[5] to join Jarvie's banking group in London, United Dominions Trust Limited where Ross rose to be appointed chairman in 1963.[2]

    Ross was also a director, and later, chairman from 1970 to 1975 of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group then headquartered in London. Other posts included deputy chairman of Eagle Star Insurance and director of Whitbread Investment Trust.[2] Ross served as chairman of the East European Trade Council, and in the 1971 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Knight Bachelor, for services to export.[6]

    Family

    Sir Alexander Ross, eldest son of William Alexander Ross and Kathleen née Marks,[7] was born at Herekino, North Auckland, 2 September 1907.[8] He married twice, first Nora Burgess who died in 1974 and they had 2 sons and 2 daughters. In 1975 he married Cynthia Barton. He died in retirement in his 87th year at Tweed Heads West in New South Wales, 10 April 1994.[2]

    References
    1. "For Empire Games: the oarsmen to get their big opportunity". NZ Truth. 10 April 1930. p. 17. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
    2. R C Wheeler-Bennett, Obituary: Sir Alexander Ross, The Independent, London, Wednesday, 20 April 1994
    3. Profile at the New Zealand Olympic Committee website
    4. Otago Daily Times 5 November 1948 Page 6
    5. Obituary, J Gibson Jarvie, New York Times page 21, 30 December 1964 accessed 7 February 2019
    6. "No. 45262". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1970. p. 2.
    7. Birth registration 1907/19964, marriage 1906/6022
    8. Te Ara accessed 7 February 2019
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