Robert Storr

Robert Walter Storr (17 September 1920 – 15 February 1992) was an Australian-born banker active in Southeast Asia and his country of birth. After his death he became notable as a philanthropist with bequests in medical science and music education.

Birth and education Storr was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, and was aged eight his family moved to a rural property between Forbes and Grenfell. His early education was in the multi-class schoolroom at Ooma Creek Public School

Banking career Realising that he was not suited to farm life, Storr joined the Commonwealth Bank in 1939. After war service he returned to the bank and worked in both Australia and Papua New Guinea. From 1958 until 1963, Storr lived in Kuala Lumpur and was the Assistant to the Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia. After his return to Australia he became the first Principal of the Commonwealth Bank Staff Training College (later known as Callaghan Staff College, but now disbanded). In 1971, Storr moved to Jakarta and became Principal of the Training College for Indonesian Bankers before re-establishing the Jakarta Stock Exchange in 1977. In 1982 he moved to Singapore to start an office for the Commonwealth Bank and after his retirement he remained there and consulted to Westpac as a financial advisor.

Golf During his time in Malaysia, Storr became the Captain of the Royal Selangor Golf Club. He was the first Captain of the Jagorawi Golf and Country Club in Indonesia. Robert Walter Storr Music Bursary was established in 1993 under an A$1 million legacy to Newington College. The Bursary is awarded to a boy of exceptional musical ability who is a resident of Indonesia, Malaysia or Singapore and who is eligible to enter Years 9, 10 or 11 (14–17 years of age) whose financial means would not otherwise enable them to study in Australia. The Storr Bursary covers all normal tuition and boarding fees at Newington, as well as music fees, Higher School Certificate or International Baccalaureate Diploma charges, health cover and a return airfare from the country of normal residency.