Myer Rosenblum
Encyclopedia
Myer E. Rosenblum OAM
(10 January 1907 – 18 April 2002) was an Australian sportsman and lawyer. He was born in South Africa to parents who had migrated from present-day Belarus
. His family moved to Sydney, Australia
in 1914, and he was educated at Fort Street High School
and Sydney University. He played four Test matches
for the Australian Rugby Union team
in 1928. He set up a law firm
, "M. Rosenblum and Co" in the 1930s; in 1959 he employed as an articled clerk John Howard
who later became an Australian prime minister
. In his later years he was an active philanthropist
. He died of a heart attack at the age of 95.
to South Africa, where he was born in 1907. The family moved to Australia in 1914, to the inner western Sydney
suburb of Marrickville. Myer and sister Sarah both won scholarship
s to the then non-co-educational Fort Street Boys and Girls Schools, and then to Sydney University.
in four games for the New South Wales Rugby union team against the All-Blacks in 1928. At the time, the New South Wales Rugby Union was the peak Australian representative body; these games were retrospectively granted full "test
" status by the Australian Rugby Union
in 1986.
He set an Australian record for the hammer throw
in 1935, and represented Australia in that event at the 1938
then "British Empire Games"
. In addition, he was an accomplished tennis
player and hurdler.
6 a week. Howard went on to become the 25th and second-longest serving Prime Minister of Australia
More than a decade before his ascent to Prime Ministership , Rosenblum – a lifelong supporter of the Australian Labor Party
– said Howard "would have made a wonderful Labor leader of the Ben Chifley type – you know, a thoroughly honest man of the people."
Howard described Rosenblum as "one of the great characters that I've met in my life... a terrific teacher."
on 29 September 2000. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours
of 26 January 2001.
and contra-bassoon player and won a scholarship to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
. He met New Zealander Lyla Grant at a party listening to classical music. They were married for 55 years until her death in 1992. Daughter Germaine and son Rupert Rosenblum
– later himself a Wallaby
– were born of their marriage. Myer's only grandchild, Stephen, Germaine's son, followed in his grandfather's footsteps and took up a career in law, as a barrister
.
In his later life, Rosenblum assisted Moriah College
, the Australian Jewish Welfare Society and other sporting and charitable organisations.
Rosenblum died of a heart attack on 18 April 2002.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(10 January 1907 – 18 April 2002) was an Australian sportsman and lawyer. He was born in South Africa to parents who had migrated from present-day Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. His family moved to Sydney, Australia
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1914, and he was educated at Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School is a co-educational, academically selective, public high school currently located at Petersham, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and Sydney University. He played four Test matches
Test match (rugby union)
Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport....
for the Australian Rugby Union team
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in 1928. He set up a law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
, "M. Rosenblum and Co" in the 1930s; in 1959 he employed as an articled clerk John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
who later became an Australian prime minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
. In his later years he was an active philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. He died of a heart attack at the age of 95.
Early life and education
Before his birth, Rosenblum's family emigrated from what is now Belarus but was then part of the Russian EmpireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
to South Africa, where he was born in 1907. The family moved to Australia in 1914, to the inner western Sydney
Inner West (Sydney)
The Inner West is a general term which is used to describe the metropolitan area directly to the west of the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia...
suburb of Marrickville. Myer and sister Sarah both won scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s to the then non-co-educational Fort Street Boys and Girls Schools, and then to Sydney University.
Sporting achievements
Rosenblum played at breakawayFlanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
in four games for the New South Wales Rugby union team against the All-Blacks in 1928. At the time, the New South Wales Rugby Union was the peak Australian representative body; these games were retrospectively granted full "test
Test match (rugby union)
Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport....
" status by the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
in 1986.
He set an Australian record for the hammer throw
Hammer throw
The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown...
in 1935, and represented Australia in that event at the 1938
1938 British Empire Games
The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the Commonwealth Games being the modern-day equivalent. Held in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from February 5–12, 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary...
then "British Empire Games"
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
. In addition, he was an accomplished tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player and hurdler.
As lawyer
Rosenblum's legal career has been reported as uneventful except his 1959 decision, as principal of "M Rosenblum & Co", to employ a 19-year-old called John Howard as an articled clerk at the pay of £Australian pound
The pound was the currency of Australia from 1910 until 13 February 1966, when it was replaced by the Australian dollar. It was subdivided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence.- Earlier Australian currencies :...
6 a week. Howard went on to become the 25th and second-longest serving Prime Minister of Australia
More than a decade before his ascent to Prime Ministership , Rosenblum – a lifelong supporter of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
– said Howard "would have made a wonderful Labor leader of the Ben Chifley type – you know, a thoroughly honest man of the people."
Howard described Rosenblum as "one of the great characters that I've met in my life... a terrific teacher."
Honours
Rosenblum was awarded Australian Sports MedalAustralian Sports Medal
The Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
on 29 September 2000. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
of 26 January 2001.
Personal life
Rosenblum was an accomplished bassoonBassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
and contra-bassoon player and won a scholarship to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is one of the oldest and most prestigious music schools in Australia...
. He met New Zealander Lyla Grant at a party listening to classical music. They were married for 55 years until her death in 1992. Daughter Germaine and son Rupert Rosenblum
Rupert Rosenblum
Rupert George Rosenblum is a former Australian Rugby Union player for the Australian Wallabies.-Career:Rosenblum played 3 test matches in 1969-1970; at that point in time, he and Myer Rosenblum were the first father and son to have represented Australia in Rugby union.-References:...
– later himself a Wallaby
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
– were born of their marriage. Myer's only grandchild, Stephen, Germaine's son, followed in his grandfather's footsteps and took up a career in law, as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
.
In his later life, Rosenblum assisted Moriah College
Moriah College
Moriah War Memorial College is an independent, Modern Orthodox Jewish, co-educational, day school in Queens Park, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, the Australian Jewish Welfare Society and other sporting and charitable organisations.
Rosenblum died of a heart attack on 18 April 2002.