Robert Coningsby GORDON

1921 - 2013  (91 years)

• Name	Robert Coningsby GORDON
  Born	29 Oct 1921	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Education	Education : * Maury College in 1939 * Robert majored in music at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He obtained a PhD in English literature at Harvard University.
  General event	Achievements : * Classical pianist - he considered becoming a concert pianist before the war * Church choir * Loved opera * Church - First Congregational Church of Old Lyme * His wife, Jean was a notable artist, a child prodigy (ref : her obituary) - her paintings selling for $3k or $4k * Internationally recognised scholar of Sir Walter Scott and Fulbright grant to study in Edinburgh for 2 years. He wrote 'Under Which King? A Study of the Scottish Waverley Novels'. The Waverley novels were written by Walter Scott. * In later years he campaigned for gun control. He wrote 'Arms and the Imagination' in 2010 * ref : The Day, Connecticut, 28th July 2013
  General event	Health : Failing eyesight in later years.
  General event	Military : * WW2 war service * Officer's training * Lieut JG on USS Helena * Ship was torpedoed sunk in Solomon Islands, he swam to an enemy island, rescued and returned to US. * After marrying he then served on USS Quincy * Gunnery officer on D-Day bombardment of German defences at Omaha Beach * Then Mediterranean campaign * Then Pacific. * Was in flotilla present at the Japanese surrender. * (ref : The Day, Connecticut, 28th July 2013)
  General event	Obituary : The Day, Connecticut, 7th May 2013 and 28th July 2013
  Notes for biography	Robert died a few months after Jean.
  Occupation	Occupation : * Teacher at University of Oregon * Humanities Dept at San Jose State University in 1957 * Retired in 1987
  Residence	Residence : (ref : The Day, Connecticut, 28th July 2013) : * Cambridge, Mass in 1945 (after war) * Eugene, Oregon in early 1950s * Los Gatos, California in 1957 * Two years in Edinburgh, Scotland * Old Lyme, Connecticut in 1987 * Summer house in Mill Pound, East Boothbay, Maine
  Died	17 Jul 2013	Old Lyme, Connecticut, USA
  Person ID	I411	Alexander & Jessie
  Last Modified	24 Apr 2018

  
  

  Father	Coningsby Matheson GORDON,   b. 16 Jan 1876, Alma Plains, SA, Australia ,   d. 29 Jul 1957  (Age 81 years)
  Mother	Jean CRAIGIE,   b. 1888, Melbourne, Victoria ,   d. 1967  (Age 79 years)
  Married	2 Mar 1910	Carleton, Melbourne, Vic   [2]
  Family ID	F142	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Jean SWAN,   b. 22 Feb 1922, Brooklyn, NY, USA ,   d. 26 Apr 2013, Old Lyme, Connecticut, USA  (Age 91 years)
  Married	2 Dec 1943
  Children	+ 1. JE G + 2. JC G + 3. AS G
  Last Modified	9 Apr 2014
  Family ID	F167	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  W - Robert Coningsby Gordon - in 1939 Photo the Maury High School year book for 1939, p51

  
  

  Documents

  Robert Coningsby Gordon - orbituary July 2013

  
  

• Sources

  [S67] 'The Gordons' by Nathalie Semmler & Colin Semmler, 1997, page 11. [S84] Colin Semmler, Email on 10th Sept 2018.