Peter John Kennewell, Nudgee College 1966-1970

Peter John Kennewell was born on the 24th October 1953 and died on 22nd December 1980 — just twenty-seven years of age. Short years — but years in which Peter accomplished so much. Peter came to Nudgee from our Junior School and spent five years here.

During this time, he was just an ordinary ‘Nudgee boy’ involved in all that goes to make up life here. He took part in sport, but was no champion and eventually, in Senior, represented the College in GPS Athletics; he also played representative football. While Peter’s sporting ability may have been ‘ordinary’, his academic gifts were really extraordinary. Without any hesitation, I can say Peter is the brightest boy I have ever had the privilege to teach. His academic record at Nudgee and at University is outstanding . . . the following is a brief summary of it: Junior 1968: Peter topped the State in the Grade Ten Public Examinations (i.e. in all schools State and Private) Senior 1970: Peter won the Lilley Medal for the highest pass in the State (with a 7 Rating in English, French, German, Chemistry, Maths I, Maths II and Physics) . — He also won the B.H.P. Medal for the highest individual mark in the State in Maths I, Maths II, Physics and Chemistry) . National University, Canberra: At the end of his Course in 1974, Peter won the University Medal with First Class Honours in Applied Mathematics. In 1975, he was named RHODES SCHOLAR for Queensland. In 1976, Awarded the Master of Science Degree, University of Oxford, England. In 1978, after further studies, he was awarded the Bachelor of Arts Degree Honours) in Modern Languages (German) at the University of Oxford. For all of his brilliance, Peter was a delightful character — generous, helpful, friendly, sincere, earnest; certainly, a worthy example for any Nudgee student to follow. Cancer ook its toll in 1980 and Nudgee lost one of its most distinguished Old Boys. We rejoice that the Park opposite Nudgee Junior has been named by the Brisbane City Council in his honour.