One of Tasmania’s, and St Virgil’s College favourite sporting sons, Ashton Shirley, died at the Fairway Rise nursing home, Hobart, on July 21, aged 90 years.
One of Tasmania’s, and St Virgil’s College favourite sporting sons, Ashton Shirley, died at the Fairway Rise nursing home, Hobart, on July 21, aged 90 years.
He attended St Virgil’s College from 1936 to 1946.
Born Cyril Ashton Shirley on June 8, 1927, he was the proud son of Cyril Corr and Eileen Pearl Shirley and admired brother of Joan, Marie and Ursula Shirley.
Ashton became Tasmania’s premier athlete in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s firstly as a schoolboy sprinter and footballer at St Virgil’s College, and then as a Tasmanian amateur and professional sprint champion and Tasmanian representative footballer.
Ashton was recognised as the first Tasmanian sprinter to break ‘even time’ for the 100 yards of 9.9 seconds in 1947.
He turned professional, and won the famous Burnie Gift at his first attempt in 1949 coached by another remembered Hobart sprinter, Ray Patmore; in those days Tasmania’s premier sporting achievement.
Ashton almost won it again in 1951 running off the back mark when he was narrowly beaten by Launceston’s Wally Lewis.
Ashton is uniquely one of four members of the one family to win the famous Burnie Gift.
HIs first cousin Ray Geary won in 1945, with Ashton’s second cousin and Ray Geary’s nephew and former SVC old boy, Gerard Thompson, winning in 1975, and another second cousin to Ashton and Ray Geary’s son, Michael Geary, winning in 1982
Earlier, in his final year as a schoolboy at St Virgil’s College, Ashton won and set records in winning the 100, 220 and 440 yards as well as the hop, step and jump (triple jump). He also captained the school football and athletics teams in 1945 and 46.
He was similarly successful on the football field.
He played with OVA and the North Hobart Football Club when he was named on the club’s honour role as a senior player in 1950, the highlight of his football career was representing Tasmania at the national carnival in Adelaide in 1953; he also received approaches from Essendon in the VFL, but declined.
He listed his greatest achievement, however, marrying Irene Joan Kingston on December 22, 1951, and they were to share 61 years together before Irene’s passing in January 2013.
They became the loving parents of nine children, 24 grand children and eight great grand children. Irene pre-deceased Ashton in 2013.
Ashton Shirley worked in the Tasmanian Public Service for his entire working life, starting out in the Department of Agriculture and rising to become one of the State’s senior public servants.
His career spanned more than 40 years.
There were many achievements, but the one that pleased him the most was the work he did to help secure the location of Australia’s Antarctic Division to Hobart.
The division was headed for Victoria because there was a ‘perception’ that Tasmania lacked the skills and expertise to manage the Division in Hobart.
He obtained the necessary information and, working with local and internationally recognised experts, produced the necessary information and documentation that persuaded the Commonwealth to review its previous decision. The rest is history.
Ashton Shirley’s other great passions were his Roman Catholicism and his alma mater, St Virgil’s College.
He had a long association as president and committee member of the Old Virgilians Association, serving on the committee for about 20 years, nine of them as president. He was made a member of the SVC Heritage Roll of Honour in 2006.
In his retirement he became closely involved with the administration of Catholicare, where his financial and organisational skills were invaluable.
He was fortunate to have a very full life as a husband, father, brother, highly respected senior State public servant, sportsman, and contributor to the wider Tasmanian community.
His son, Christopher Shirley summed up his father in his eulogy: “Dad was principled, resolute, dedicated, driven and passionate to a cause. He was also compassionate, living and caring, and we have very fond memories of our dad ad we are very proud of him.”
Ashton was farewelled at a requiem mass at St Mary’s Cathedral on Friday July 28. He is survived by his children Christopher; Anne and Dennis Morrison; Stephen and Anne; Clement and Amina Tahtovic; Gerard and Loretta; Felicity and Robert Sly; Martin and Sharon; Philippa; Damian and Traci, and sisters Marie and Ursula.
