Athol was born in 1927 to parents Raymond and Agnes Goss. He had a brother Clive and four sisters Molly, Marie, Phyllis and Keitha (all deceased).

His Primary Education was undertaken in Deloraine before the family moved to Hobart after his policeman father was given a transfer. Upon arrival attended St Virgil’s College at Barrack Street (1938-1944). In this new environment he quickly developed a competitive spirit which was to last the rest of his life.

At 14, whilst his siblings were on war service, Athol experienced the sudden death of his father. The Christian Brothers made available a scholarship which enabled him to successfully complete his Matriculation year. Elected a Prefect in 1944, (his Prefect’s cap is a display item in the Centenary History Centre), he captained the College in winning State Independent School Premierships in both Cricket and Football. In a game against The Friends School, he captured 13 wickets for just 8 runs! He was also a member of the Athletics team and held the Under 16 Shot Put record for 39 years - 12.50m.

In 1945 at the age of 17, he featured in a State Winning Premiership Team with the North Hobart Football Club. The following year he was ‘drafted’ by the Geelong Football Club in the VFL, but before taking up the offer, a tragic ACL knee injury brought an end to his football career.

The injury enabled him to complete an Accounting Degree while working with Commonwealth Bank before undertaking a share-farming venture in Mount Gambier, South Australia with his brother- in- law. At the same time he established the local Agricultural Show and acted as a Tax Agent for the farming community.

In 1953 Athol returned to Tasmania to resume a Commercial Accounting Career with BP Ltd. and The Cascade Brewery Co Ltd. In February 1955, Athol married Margaret Geason in St Mary's Cathedral. After the birth of their three daughters, Catherine, Louise and Libby, Margaret became closely involved with the development of the Austins Ferry Campus as Secretary to various Principals of the College ((1970-1987). Many former students from that period would have fond memories of ‘Mrs Goss in the Office’.

The three daughters attended Sacred Heart College in New Town and for many years Athol served as Chairman of the College’s Board. He also helped prepare the College’s Athletics teams.

In spite of three knee operations and a dramatic change to his lifestyle, he took up rowing represented the State in Kings Cup Rowing in 1954 and 1955, after which Squash and Golf replacement activities. He had the thrill of scoring a hole in one at Royal Hobart Golf Club at the grand old age of 86.

Athol’s passion for the Demons – North Hobart and the Melbourne Football Club – was well-known.

While North Hobart won many premierships over the years, including the one he played in, in 1945, there was a long drought between premierships for the Melbourne Football Club. So he was delighted to at last see them win the AFL premiership in 2021, their first since 1956.

In the 1980s when the North Hobart Club was doing well, Athol was an active supporter helping to negotiate sponsorships and organising the decoration of the North Hobart streetscape during finals week.

Margaret and Athol travelled extensively, including places of historic, workplace and religious significance. Religious places visited included the Vatican, Lourdes and Fatima. They were also privileged to witness the famous Passion Play at Oberammegau. On a trip to Ireland they were able to spend time with a legendary benefactor of the College – John Galvin, and whilst in New Zealand they visited former Principal Br James Hessian shorty before his death.

Athol completed an Advanced Management Course at the Australian Administrative Staff College, during his long career in Finance and Administration at The Cascade Brewery Company Limited. As Company Secretary at Cascade, he administered three hostile corporate takeovers of the Company during which Corporate Raiders sold off valuable Tasmanian assets built up over 160 years only to have such funds transferred overseas - a situation he regretted.

Between the 1960s and 1980s, the brewery owned a number of hotels mainly in southern Tasmania.

One of Athol’s responsibilities was to negotiate their lease renewals which were usually for three years. If a licensee was prepared to work hard and put in the hours, they could do very well for themselves financially as well as keep the brewery happy. Several well-known former footballers took up hotel licences over the years with varying degrees of success. What they dreaded was the time when they had to re-negotiate their leases because they had to negotiate with Dad.With his experience as an accountant and private tax agent, Dad had devised a very effective stocktaking method for the hotels. Dad would always make sure before the meeting with the licensee, that he had all the relevant financial operating figures in front of him. It was understood that if the hotel was going well, then the licence fee went up. It was sometimes known for a licensee to underestimate the turnover from the bar, restaurant, accommodation or bottleshop.

That was a mistake, as one former hotelier once related that Athol was known as “the shark” for his effect on some licensees who tried to put one over on him.

Upon his retirement Athol accepted a commission to write a history of this great brewing company entitled, no less, ”Cascade: A Taste of History.” The establishment of the Cascade Museum and Woodstock gardens and Reception Centre completed this assignment.

Athol was proud of his ancestry as a great, great grandson and great grandson of two convicts and had read avidly of the history of these times. Dad also found time to research his family tree, printing a reference book for the family. A memorial to the loving memory of his forebears is displayed in the Paupers Section at Cornelian Bay Cemetery.

Although retirement has been a continuum of major surgical operations, Athol, who turned 95 last November, still retained an alert mind and a keen interest in his Alma Mater put until his passing.

A requiem mass was held at St Mary’s Cathedral with long time family friend, Fr Brian Nichols as celebrant. Athol’s eldest daughter, Cathy, delivered the eulogy and her closing sentiments were thus:

If I can sum up some of Dad’s impressive attributes I would say: tough, determined, hard-working, loyal, modest, private and wily. Finally, but most importantly, Dad, coming from a strong Catholic background, maintained a profoundly strong religious faith his whole life. This was of great importance to him right to the end.

Athol will be sadly missed by Margaret his wife of 68 years, his three daughters and their children.

A life well lived!

OVAtions

The monthly e-newsletter of the Old Virgilians Association

March Edition | No.64 · 09 Mar 2023

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