George Norton
NORTON, George Sidney James, BE AMIEAust (1896-1963)
George was born at Caulfield, Victoria, on July 5, 1896. He was the younger son of the journalist Maurice Wilfred Herbert Norton and his wife Mary Ann Norton (nee Bevis). George’s father, Herbert, moved to Western Australia to work on the Coolgardie Miner in 1895. After being involved with a number of Goldfields newspapers Herbert became the Sporting Editor of the Sunday Times in August 1905.
George was educated at Perth Boys School, Perth Technical College and Perth Modern School. He won a Junior State Exhibition at Perth Boys School in 1911 and a Government Exhibition at Perth Modern School in 1915. George commenced an Engineering Degree at the University of Western Australia in 1915 and graduated in 1919.
During his university course he also raced motorcycles. He and his older brother Bert were state champions and were partners in a garage in Subiaco, established in 1920.
Following graduation he worked for the City of Perth Electricity and Gas Department as an Assistant Engineer.
In 1926, George moved to the Vacuum Oil Company Proprietary Limited as an Engineer. By 1933 he was Managing Construction Engineer. In 1935 he became WA Branch Engineer and in 1948 Operations Manager. He retired in 1958.
A pioneer in Western Australia of bulk fuel installations, he was also the Chairman of boards constructing the first diesel-electric rail cars for the Western Australian Government Railways that commenced in 1937. In 1941-42, he controlled the construction of four large aircraft fuel depots at Northam, Merredin, Narrogin and Kalgoorlie.
On September 15, 1923, he married Elizabeth Allison Robertson at the Claremont Presbyterian Church. They had two children, Allison Margaret (born 1925) and Robert George (born 1929).
In 1929, George became the first UWA Graduate to be elected to the UWA Senate. He remained on the Senate until 1941, being Warden of Convocation from 1930 to 1932.
George became a founding Junior Member of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, in 1919 becoming an Associate Member in 1922. He was WA Division Honorary Treasurer between 1926 to 1928, Vice Chairman in 1932 and Chairman in 1933.
George died on October 9, 1963, aged 67, on the Seaview Golf Course, Cottesloe. He was survived by his wife Helen and their two children.
References:
West Australian, 5.2.1913, p8
West Australian, 7.1.1915, p5
Sunday Times, 9.7.1916, p15
Sunday Times, 3.10.1920, p7
Sunday Times, 28.11.1926, p3
Sunday Times, 10.3.1929, p7
West Australian, 18.3.1941, p6
The Bulletin, Vol 79 No 4095, August 6, 1958, p15
Compiled by Chris Fitzhardinge, January 14, 2025.
