Royce Abbey

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Royce Abbey
Royce Abbey photo.png
Born
Albert Henry Royce Abbey

(1922-06-08)8 June 1922
Footscray, Victoria
Died20 February 2014(2014-02-20) (aged 91)
Melbourne, Victoria
NationalityAustralian
OccupationBusinessman
EmployerDural Leeds, Hunter Douglas
Known forPresident of Rotary International
Spouse(s)Jean Abbey (nee Jean Armstrong)
Websiteroyceabbey.com Edit this at Wikidata

Royce Abbey (8 June 1922 – 20 February 2014) was an Australian who was President of Rotary International in 1988-89.[1]

Career[]

Royce Abbey was educated at state primary and secondary schools in Footscray, Victoria. When he left school in his mid-teens he worked as a shoeshine boy and messenger at a shoe shop and then in a real estate agency. In 1941, he enlisted in the Australian Army and was deployed in New Guinea and New Britain during World War II. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) for bravery and leadership during fighting. He was later commissioned as a lieutenant.[1][2][3]

After the war, he joined his brother in a family-owned window shades manufacturing business, Dural Leeds, which was later taken over by the multinational company Hunter Douglas. After 5 years as marketing director for Hunter Douglas, he established his own business, Abbey Marketing.[1][2][3]

Community service[]

Royce Abbey joined the Rotary Club of Essendon in 1954, becoming Club President in 1963-64 and District 280 (9800) Governor in 1969-70. He was elected to the Rotary International Board in 1976-77 and served as Vice-President in 1977-78. He was inaugural Chairman of the Board of Australian Rotary Health from 1982-1988.[4] In 1988-89 he became President of Rotary International. His time as President included the continued development of the Polio Plus campaign for Poliomyelitis eradication and the re-establishment of Rotary Clubs in countries from the former Soviet Union.[1][2][3]

Royce Abbey was involved in a number of other community service activities, including:[1][2]

  • Councillor, City of Essendon, 1960-1963.
  • President, National Council of YMCAs of Australia, 1982-1986.
  • Life Governor, National Council of YMCAs of Australia.
  • Chairman and Trustee, Epworth Medical Foundation, 1990-2000.
  • Patron, Australians Against Child Abuse.
  • Board Member and Trustee, Centre for Molecular Biology and Medicine.
  • Member of the Board, Kidsafe Australia.

The Rotary District Governors of 1988/1989 decided to create the Royce & Jean Endowed Fund in recognition of Abbey's work within the organization. The fund finances agricultural and related scholarships in Asia-Pacific. Applicants spend three months in Australia with a $10K funding to undermine practical training.[5]

Honours[]

Royce Abbey received the following honours:[1][2][3]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Henningham, P. (2007). Royce Abbey: The Boy, the Soldier, the Businessman, the Rotarian Leader. Parramatta: RDU Books.
  2. ^ a b c d e Abbey, D. (2014). Rotary leader who put his life and soul into everything he did. Sydney Morning Herald, 14 March 2014 Parramatta: RDU Books.
  3. ^ a b c d Rotary Australia. "Remembering Royce Abbey". Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  4. ^ Henningham, P. (2011). With Health in Mind: The Story of Australian Rotary Health. Parramatta: Australian Rotary Health.
  5. ^ "The Royce and Jean Abbey Vocational Scholarship & Royce Abbey Award". Royceabbey.com. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  6. ^ International House. "Event Spaces". Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  7. ^ Royce Abbey Website. "The Royce and Jean Abbey Endowed Fund and the Vocational Scholarship". Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  8. ^ Australian Rotary Health. "Funding breakdown 2017". Retrieved 27 December 2017.

External links[]

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