Captain
F.E. de Groot
Harold
Cazneaux, 1932
gelatin silver print, 19.0 x 27.0 cm
Captain
de Groot 1888 - 1969
Member of the New Guard who cut the ribbon at the opening of the Sydney Harbour
Bridge as a protest against Premier Jack Lang.
Born
in Ireland, de Groot served in the British army, becoming a captain during World
War 1. He migrated to Australia in 1920 and established an antique business and
later a furniture manufacturing business. He was a staunch monarchist, militarist
and passionate anti-communist. He joined the right-wing New Guard movement formed
in Sydney in 1931.
The
New Guard was particularly opposed to NSW Labor Premier Jack Lang, and had various
plans to prevent him opening the Harbour Bridge - the event of the year in 1932.
At the official opening de Groot rode up on horseback and cut the ribbon with
a sword before the Premier could do so. The ribbon was later retied and cut by
Lang.
De
Groot was charged and fined for offensive behaviour. He was for a time a celebrity,
and signed photographs of himself, on horseback, with the date of the opening
- 19 March 1932. The New Guard faded with the defeat of the Lang government and
by 1935 it had virtually ceased to exist. De Groot retired to Ireland in 1950,
living in Dublin until his death.
