When John Colvin came across a photo of his father, Dr Clifford Stirling Colvin, pictured at the University of Sydney’s tennis pavilion in 1924, it brought back memories. It also inspired a heartfelt donation.
John Colvin AM (BEc(Hons) ’73) had been searching for a way to honour his late father. A champion tennis player and internationally recognised eye surgeon, Dr Clifford Stirling Colvin MBE (MB, ChM ’26, DOMS, FRCS, FRACS) studied ophthalmology at Birmingham Hospital in England and worked with leading surgeons in Vienna, pioneering new treatments and operations.
He served as a major in the army during most of World War II, in the Middle East, Crete and New Guinea. He also raised his three children after his wife, Jean, passed away. “As I got older, I realised what a wonderful person and father he was,” John says. “And I don’t think I really thanked him enough.” Clifford was the captain and president of the Sydney University Lawn Tennis Club from 1922 to 1926, and a committee member for nine years.
He played in the winning NSW Linton Cup team, and at the Australian Open in 1925 and 1928, then at Wimbledon in 1929, making it through to the second round. He also won the Northern Ireland singles competition that year.
Clifford Stirling Colvin (back left) and his team, after winning the 1924 Niall Cup. Photo: University of Sydney Lawn Tennis Club
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LinkAn enduring impact
In recent years, John had found a photo of his late father from 1924. Clifford and his team were pictured outside the University’s lawn tennis pavilion, after having won the Intervarsity Niall Cup.
Later, while visiting his engineering student son, Alistair, on campus one day, John walked past the tennis courts and went to take a look at the pavilion.
Built in the 1920s, the University’s tennis courts are located in a heritage-protected area of the Camperdown campus. The club has been one of the cornerstones of the University’s sporting culture and excellence since 1885. However, the pavilion had become rundown and was unsuitable for players’ use and guest events.
When John saw the place where his father had spent so much time in its heyday, he suddenly knew how he wanted to create a lasting tribute to him.
The Colvin family’s donation has allowed for the complete refurbishment of the pavilion’s kitchen and clubhouse, including restoring its floor to its original beauty. Completed over two years, the renewed tennis pavilion was opened as the ‘Clifford Colvin Room’ in April. It’s now a vibrant hub for players – including those in our Elite Athletes Program for tennis – for connection and community.
A tennis tradition
Following in his father’s footsteps, John also studied at the University of Sydney and played tennis in the Wesley College Rawson Cup team for four years. While studying law at the University of Oxford, he also competed in that university’s Blues tennis team. On returning to Australia, he forged an illustrious career as one of Australia’s leading industrial and employment lawyers, later becoming the managing director of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He was also an Adjunct Professor in the Executive MBA at the University’s Business School between 2015 and 2020.
The family’s love for tennis continues in the younger generation, including through John’s daughter Emily and son Alistair, who now represents Wesley College himself in the Rawson Cup tennis team – and is part of our Elite Athletes Program for soccer. John’s wife, Dr Robyn Smiles (MBBS ’89) also studied medicine at the University of Sydney.
“University life is about more than academics,” John says. “And being involved in sport really enriches student life and creates a sense of being part of the University community.”
For John, the revitalised pavilion is not only a ‘living’ tribute to his father, but also a place where future generations can gather, learn, play tennis and enjoy themselves.
“It's important for people to know that when they come to the University of Sydney, they're part of a history which is really precious,” he notes. “Clifford Colvin is a great example of that history and of the alumni that come through this university and go on to achieve incredible things.
“Clifford has always been a role model for me – and hopefully his story, and this place, will be a role model for others.”
Banner photo: Clifford Colvin in action – White City, ca 1930. Courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales Ref 7784.