Sir Nicholas Shehadie: hundreds gather for funeral of former Sydney lord mayor
FORMER athletes, prime ministers and premiers were among hundreds of mourners who paid tribute to former Sydney lord mayor, Wallabies captain and husband of former NSW governor Dame Marie Bashir Sir Nicholas Shehadie at his state funeral.
NSW
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A WHO’S who of Australian leaders including three former prime ministers, eight NSW past and present premiers, governors, Lord Mayors and prominent citizens were among hundreds of mourners who paid tribute to former rugby great Sir Nicholas Shehadie at a state funeral yesterday.
Mr Shehadie, a former Sydney Lord Mayor in the early 1970s, Wallabies captain, SBS chairman and husband of former NSW governor Dame Marie Bashir, died last week aged 92.
Former PMs John Howard, Paul Keating and Bob Hawke attended the service alongside family and friends at the Anglican St James’ Church in the Sydney CBD, with extra outdoor seating set up to cater for the crowds.
Former political rivals and NSW premiers Mike Baird and Kristina Keneally arrived at the service together, and other ex premiers including Nick Greiner, John Fahey, Morris Iemma, Barry O’Farrell and Barry Unsworth also attended the two hour service, along with current Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
Other guests included NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley, Federal MP Linda Burney, Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove, NSW Governor David Hurley, former Governor-generals Quentin Bryce and Michael Jeffery, Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Police Commissioner Mick Fuller and former Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is overseas, was represented by defence minister Marise Payne.
Son Michael Shehadie said his father was a giant in both character and stature. “Congratulations Ms Shehadie, you’ve just delivered a baby elephant,” doctors told Sir Shehadie’s mother when he was born in 1925 weighing a whopping 6.4kg.
Mr Shehadie told the service his father, who grew up in Redfern, later told him there were never any garbage strikes in Sydney city when he was Lord Mayor because “all the garbos were his mates from school”.
“Our father was a man of great humility, ‘call me Nick’ was his mantra, he always taught us that humility is your greatest virtue,” Mr Shehadie said. “You should never, in his words, put on airs and graces.
“And to treat everyone, no matter what their station in life, with the greatest respect and dignity.”
The service heard Sir Shehadie joined the Randwick Rugby Club at Coogee Oval at the age of 15.
“Nick knew little about the game,” Mr Shehadie said. “They quickly discovered he was reasonably fast, had good hands and loved training. I imagine his size helped too and it wasn’t long before he was selected to play first grade.”
Sir Shehadie was a national representative rugby union captain and made thirty career Test appearances for Australia between 1947 and 1958.
Mr Shehadie said his father had kept a meticulous diary of the 1947 -1948 tour to the United Kingdom.
On the evening after his father passed on February 11, Mr Shehadie and his mother looked up the diary for same day, 60 years earlier.
“Let me share this entry with you. 11 February, 1948. We get to meet the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace. We all form a horseshoe-like circle. And Bill McLean led the King around ... followed by the Queen. He spoke a few words to us and shook our hands.”
Mr Shehadie said: “For a boy from Redfern, who grew up in the Depression, this would have been a magical moment.”
Later Sir Shehadie served as a trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground from 1978 to 2001 and was chairman from 1990—2001.
Former State Education Minister Rodney Cavalier said Sir Shehadie was a natural chairman and had a “presence which filled every space available”.
“He was loyal to all he served. Chairmanship was his natural role. Nick’s continuous presence ... raised the esprit de corps and maintained it.
“I saw the friendship and affection he built at every level. He seemed to know everyone.”
After the funeral, presided over by Sydney Archbishop Dr Glenn Davies, Bob Hawke hugged and comforted Dame Bashir.
The service was told Sir Shehadie met Dame Marie Bashir in 1953 when she was a medical student at Sydney University and they married in 1957.
He leaves behind three children and six grandchildren.