Meet our Alumni

Norman Brookes

Sir Norman Everard Brookes OM 1895

Tennis Player and Businessman

Last updated: 2008

 

A Wimbledon and Davis Cup Champion, Sir Norman Brookes was also a successful businessman. Brookes won his first Wimbledon Singles title in 1905. Over the following decade he won two more Wimbledon Singles Championships and two Doubles Championships. He also won the US Open Doubles Championship in 1919. A long-serving Australian Davis Cup representative, he was involved in trophy-winning teams in 1908, 1909 and 1911.

During the First World War he was disqualified from active military service on medical grounds, but served as Commissioner for the Australian branch of the British Red Cross in Egypt and Mesopotamia. He was Assistant Director of Local Resources for the British Expeditionary Force in Mesopotamia, attaining the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Brookes later influenced the development of Australian tennis as an administrator.

He was President of the Lawn Tennis Association of Victoria for 12 years and President of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia for 28 years. He received a knighthood for his service to tennis in 1939.

Brookes also applied his sporting talent to golf, winning the Royal Melbourne Golf Club Singles Championship on three occasions. He was also Victorian Champion and twice Australian Champion in the Golf Foursomes.

In a successful business career Brookes was Chairman of Directors of the Australian Paper Mills Company and the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company. He was also a Director of the family pastoral firm William Brookes & Company.


Melbourne Grammar School marked its sesquicentenary in 2008. As part of the celebrations, a Talents Committed Exhibition was staged. This exhibition recognised 150 Old Melburnians who have made a difference to the City of Melbourne, the State of Victoria and the wider community in Australia and overseas.

The above profile was included in the Talents Committed Exhibition in 2008.