Edward Bean ‘Ted’ LeCouteur
8 June, 1941 - 6 June, 2024
In the history of our Club there is no individual who has made a greater contribution to it.
Ted LeCouteur was closely involved with the Club from the time he arrived as a fresher in 1959 He was a player, Hon Secretary, on the Committee, the Vets, And Founder of The SUCC Foundation.
He was elected a Vice President in 1965, and a Life Member in the first batch in 1996.
Ted arrived from Gordon Cricket Club and North Sydney High having played CHS 1st XI and being regarded as a rising star. He had been Senior Prefect at the School in 1958, but also a cadet under officer, member of the First XV, and Captain of the First XI.
He was at St Paul’s College and enrolled in Arts Law.
He was Honorary Secretary of the Cricket Club for two seasons in 1963-64 and 1964-65, which was the Centenary Year.
Perusal of annual reports of Ted’s undergraduate time reveal a young man far from the conservative we later knew. There are numerous references to associated social activities, and while an obituary is not always the place to go into all the detail there are a few for the record.
Ted played Grade Cricket at Sydney University between 1960 and 1974.
He was awarded the John Morris Trophy for Most Valuable Clubman in 1989-90.
After playing grade cricket Ted moved to the Vets and played with a core of former SUCC players for many years as a Vet.
Ted was not only a fine cricketer but as an old friend from Lindfield Public and North Sydney High put it.
“ Ted was the complete all-rounder, a fine cricketer who excelled at school and after, and a very handy rugby player who commanded an important spot in the1st XV. There was a story about a training day for that 1958 team, when the Deputy Head Phil Carnegie, no doubt trying to recapture lost youth, decided to teach Ted how to tackle. He invited Ted to tackle him, and Ted obliged. Flattened him as I remember!”
The old friend was sports journalist Norm Tasker.
There are a few snippets that should show some of the character we may not have observed more recently.
A Match Report extract from SUCC v I Zingari. “Le Couteur, who spent most of his time at the crease either pirouetting or falling like lost virtue flat on his back, was finally dismissed for twenty….”
And from a match SUCC v St Paul’s College on 13 Sept 1964…
“The University side batted brightly at a rate exceeding one a minute, even on a wet wicket, and were 52 at lunch. Here however disaster struck as the side suffered the loss of their captain E. LeCouteur, bowled claret immediately after lunch. He failed to take any further part in the game.”
And a report from the Intervarsity match against Queensland at University Oval.
“On Wednesday night the bucks party was held in The Oval Tea Room. The arrival at 10.10pm of Tim Hooke and his ten P.A. nurses soon converted this function into the most amazing Bucks night this writer has witnessed.
It was on this occasion that Ted LeCouteur made the maximum use of a small brown paper bag as he gave an impromptu solo impression of a naked aboriginal corroboree.
And so it went on….
One of the Queensland Uni cricketers Dr Tony O’Loan sent a note a few days ago saying, “Ted was adventurous with a great sense of fun. He didn’t take life too seriously. Once he phoned me when in Brisbane having spent the night in one of the stands at The Gabba while “touring” Queensland. He said the walls were “challenging”. This was his modus operandi for the towns he visited if he didn’t get lucky.”
After University Ted went into the timber indenting business, importing from Asia. He was successful in this venture until he was bought out in the 1980’s.
Ted LeCouteur was the architect, founder and driving force behind the SUCC Foundation for quite a few years..
The Foundation commenced in 1989 with Ted as its first Chairman.
His passion, commitment, and drive were something to behold and his initiatives yielded great success. He saw an opportunity to leverage advertising in The University Gazette and was instrumental in securing significant SUCC sponsorship. His relentless pursuit of the membership categories has not been emulated and the success of the Foundation has been significantly due to his efforts.
At Blue and Gold Functions one of the auction fundraiser items was quite often a cruise for people on his boat,
Ted was called in by a number of other Australian University Cricket Clubs to provide knowledge as they sought to start up their own Foundations. The word had deservedly spread and a five Australian Universities now have their own Cricket Club Foundation.
John Rogers sent details of the Launch of the UWACC Foundation to which Ted was invited. It was a glittering affair of alumni in the Ballroom of The University of WA Club. Even Bob Hawke was there! Ted was surprised to learn he grandfather Pip LeCouteur had single handedly established the UWACC and still holds the 1st Grade bowling average. Their Best and Fairest Player medal is named The LeCouteur Medal. There was a collective gasp when Ted rose to speak. Not only did a LeCouteur exist but he was Chairman of the SUCC Foundation which this Club was trying to emulate. Needless to say, funds began to flow and the Foundation was off to a great start.
Ted’s interest in the Club performances never waned. He was the first person to seek each new Annual Report, and followed weekly game results despite difficulties in adjusting to data changes and scores not appearing in newspapers.
Ted played in a lot of other matches during his years on the field, evident via reports on inter faculty, inter College, Intervarsity, and other Club XI matches against visiting overseas teams, Old Blues, for John Morris XI, and invitation matches.
Ted LeCouteur loved the Club and the people who supported it. That affection for Ted was deservedly shared with many people in the University community.
The Club was an important part of his life on and off the field and we salute him for his longevity, his loyalty, and his contributions on so many fronts.
In the past few years. He was living just over the road from the PM’s residence in Kirribilli, but becoming a bit remote. Some health matters, and he largely withdrew socially, except for coffee at the Flying Squadron, and his beloved golf. He seemed to eat early and gave up alcohol. One would bump into him at The North Sydney Library, or at Coles North Sydney, doing his shopping at 6.15am.
He would claim his memory was going…
The news of his demise was however sudden, sad, and takes some adjustment for us all.
Think though, that Ted has had a fruitful, constructive and successful life and he leaves a gap that will be noticed.
Very well played Ted!
H.A
SUCC Statistics 1959-1974
Innings 208, N.O. 28 HS 128 Agg. 4349 Avge 24.57
1st Grade Inn 57, NO 7 HS 72, Runs 922, Avge 18.4
Bowling in 1st Grade 5 wickets @31.2
1st Grade Cap No.420