John Harvey Milne

Some 36 or so years ago, a disparate group of six or so men in the Hawkesbury area got together. Their only common interest was a love of horses and a desire to savour the excitement of playing polo in the Hawkesbury district. It was not a wealthy group. It included a farrier and a senior dairy hand.

The late Robin Baker suggested the name of John Milne, at that time Vice-President of the Hawkesbury Show Society and also a Councillor of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW. John Milne was approached, and he agreed, to be the Group’s President. There could not have been a happier choice.

John was anything but a token President. Thanks to his good officers and his determination, the hawkesbury Agricultural College allowed the new Club to practice on one of its paddocks in its first year.

Thanks again to John, the President of the Royal Agricultural Society, Sir Philip Charley donated a handsome major trophy whilst John kindly donated the MK Milne trophy, named after his mother. Those two were the major trophies at the Club’s first annual tournament and every annual tournament since and in the future.

The name of John Milne on the letterhead of the fledgling club was largely instrumental in the board of the NSW Polo Association accepting Windsor as a fully fledged member. John was no token President, he threw himself wholeheartedly into the Club’s activities. His presence had much to do with the club attracting people of the calibre of three wonderful gentlemen, all now sadly passed on, John Appleton, Bert Fountain and Colin Fraser, known affectionately as “the geriatric brigade.” The efforts of those four people helped ensure the success of the Club’s activities and importantly, by way of sales of shares in a newly formed public company, the acquisition and development of 45 acres of land and polo facilities at Richmond.

His wife, Enid was a great supporter, much loved, and quietly made her presence felt - she, unfortunately died before John. To Charles, Elizabeth and Peter, on behalf of that little group of men all those years ago, in particular John Wayland and Graham McGregor, we want you to know how proud we are to have been in his company. John Milne enriched our lives.

He did more than that. His services in so many ways to the community are a lasting legacy.