Leslie Alfred Redgrave (1882 – 15 May 1956), was an Australian writer, grazier and headmaster.AusLit Retrieved 22 April 2014. He was often published as L A Redgrave and as an educator was known as L Alfred Redgrave, B.A. Redgrave was best known for his 1913 novel Gwen: a romance of Australian station life.National Library of Australia Retrieved 22 April 2014
Birth and education Redgrave was born in Newtown in Sydney, the son of Charles Alfred Hurst Redgrave and Mary Jane (née Bellingham). He attended Newington College (1899–1902) as a day-boy while his parents resided in Paddington. In 1900, and again in 1901, he passed the Junior Examination and in 1902 he was appointed as a Prefect at Newington.Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 164 In March 1902 he passed the Matriculation Examination and went up to the University of Sydney.University of Sydney Calendar 1902 Retrieved 30 April 2014. Redgrave graduated as a Bachelor of Arts three years later in 1905.Alumni Sidneiensis – Leslie Alfred Redgrave BA 1905 Retrieved 22 April 2014.
Highfield College From 1907 until 1915, Redgrave was the proprietor and headmaster of Highfield College at Turramurra. The school was at 51 Ku-ring-gai Avenue and his brother, Wilfred Harold Redgrave, ran the junior school. Advertising for the school said:(a) An ideal home for young boys, with a mother's care, and best of food, and every comfort.(b) Primary and secondary education, with the individual attention of graduate masters.(c) Specially equipped classrooms, dormitories, and playing fields, in a fine healthy climate. On its closure in 1915 the building was demolished and redeveloped with a new home in 1917.The Historian Vol. 31 No 1, March 2002 by Jennifer Harvey and Lois McEvoy About No 51 Retrieved 30 April 2014
Marriage and children In 1911 he married Ruby Ella Bird at St Leonards.New South Wales Births, Deaths & Marriages Retrieved 22 April 2014. The union produced two sons, Geoffrey Alfred (born 1912) and Ronald Leslie (born 1913). Retrieved 22 April 2014.
Later life From 1923 until 1943 Redgrave lived at Bellingara, 109 Copeland Road Beecroft.Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust – 109 Copeland Road Retrieved 22 April 2014. He then moved to Oura via Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, and he died in Wagga in 1956.NSW Government – State Records Retrieved 22 April 2014.
Publications Gwen: a romance of Australian Station life (1913) Feathered favourites: a booklet of bird verse (1932) Scatch Cock: a booklet of the bright birds of our bushland pictured in colour and rhyme for children (1933) Little bungalows: a practical handbook for the homemaker (1937)State Library of NSW – Catalogue Retrieved 22 April 2014.
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