Mountjoy, Stanley Allin, LVSc 1912
STANLEY ALLIN MOUNTJOY, L.V.Sc.
Stanley Mountjoy died in Warrnambool on Tuesday 8 May, 1973, aged 84 years.
He was born in Lorne at Erskine House in 1889, a member of the pioneering Mountjoy family, whose interests included grazing properties and the operation of a coaching service from Colac to Lorne.
Stan graduated from Melbourne University with L.V.Sc. in November, 1911, and practised in Kerang in northern Victoria until he enlisted in the first AIF in November, 1914. No doubt his early association with horses stood him in good stead as in February, 1915, Major Mountjoy left Australia as Veterinary Officer of the 8th Light Horse and later Veterinary Officer to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, with which he served until the end of World War I in Palestine, Syria and Egypt. He was mentioned in Dispatches by General Allenby in April, 1918.
On his return from active service, he resumed veterinary practice in Kerang and, in 1926, he was appointed Veterinary Officer in the Department of Agriculture, Victoria. After two years in Melbourne, he was appointed the first District Veterinary Officer for the Western District, stationed in Warrnambool.
Stan Mountjoy was an outstanding District Veterinary Officer. As well as maintaining his life-long interest in horses, he was responsible for investigating many interesting cases of stock mortality in the Western District of Victoria. Many veterinarians who commenced their career as Veterinary Officers in the Department of Agriculture look back with affection and gratitude to that part of their training period spent with Stanley Mountjoy. He so enjoyed his work in the country that he refused promotion which would have meant transferring back to Melbourne. He retired from the Service in 1954.
Stan was a keen golfer. He won the championship in Kerang in 1914 and in 1920 was made a Life Member of the Kerang Golf Club. He was also a member of the Commonwealth Club during his residence in Melbourne. He joined the Warrnambool Golf Club in 1928 and won the Club Championship in 1930, and was a member of the Corangamite Country Week team when they won the shield in 1929.
Stan Mountjoy was a great supporter of the profession. He was a man of charm and courtesy, who was always first to pay his respects to a new member of the profession.
To his wife Rene and his two daughters Moira and Joy and his son Bill go deepest sympathy in their bereavement.