Alan Chamberlain (Fr 1959)
1941-2025

The Principal, Council and St Andrew’s College community honour the life of Associate Professor Dr Alan Lawrence Chamberlain (Fr 1959), who passed away peacefully at Martyn Claver Residential Care in Leura, Blue Mountains on 11 September 2025, aged 84.

Born in Quandialla, in the Central West region of New South Wales, Alan attended Albury Grammar School, where he was Co-captain of the school. He was an active and keen sportsman and represented the school in tennis and rugby.

Alan joined the St Andrew’s community in Lent Term 1959, enrolled in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Sydney. Alan gained his second-class honours degree in 1962 and remained in college in 1963 while he completed his Diploma of Education. During his years at St Andrew’s, Alan was a member of the Buffet Committee from 1960 to 1963, including two years as Buffet Manager. He was also a year representative on the Students’ Club in 1963. On the sporting field, Alan made his mark in Australian Rules Football, playing Intervarsity and serving as Secretary of the University Club. He was also remembered as a great lover of all forms of music and a great entertainer, with a quick wit and relaxed approach to life.

Alan was at St Andrews on a teacher's scholarship and, after his mandatory two years, looked further afield for a career in language teaching. Although Icelandic languages were his special interest, it was France that offered him the opportunity to find his `special niche'. Alan taught conversational English in a school in Paris and was then accepted by the Sorbonne to do his Doctorate in French Literature. 

On completion of his Doctorate, Alan joined the French Department at UNSW in 1973.  He was the editor of `Babel' for many years and was a firm believer in LOTE. He actively promoted the teaching of French songs and cinema to be part of the French curriculum and studied for the HSC. He also headed up the TESOL department at UNSW and for UNISEARCH supervised and executed an English Language Program in Beijing which was an Australian/ Chinese Government partnership. This revolutionised the teaching of English in Beijing, requiring a lot of travel to and from Beijing over a period of nine years. 

Alan's creative skills as a writer were actively employed in the writing of `Tapis Volant' together with Jane Zemiro. They were the most successful writers for their publishers, first 'Thomas Nelson' and then 'Cengage'. `Tapis Volant' is still used in most French teaching programs in Australian schools.

Alan took leave of UNSW in 1994 and took up a post as Director of English Education and Teaching in Brunei Darussalam, where he spent 14 years enjoying the teaching of teachers, making a real difference and running on the HASH. He spoke Malay when he could and believed most schools in Australia should pursue Indonesian rather than French as he felt it an easier language to learn and in the best interests of Australians.

In his spare time, he wrote poetry, which of all his interests gave him the most pleasure outside of music. The pursuit of running through the jungle and getting hot and sweaty and sharing `down downs' with his mates were his happiest times. He competed in the yearly Triathlon and the Half Marathon in 2009 and had time in his life to become exceedingly fit. He found that while living and working in Brunei, he had more time to spend with his children and gave them the experience of living in another culture.

Alan retired to the small hamlet of O'Connell near Bathurst where he had an olive farm and grew his organic vegetables and had many rescue sheep and other animals. This happy retirement was interrupted by the onset of Alzheimer's which meant returning to the Blue Mountains to be closer to family and finally total care in a retirement home in Leura where he died with his family around him.

He lived a big life, and despite the last five years, he enjoyed it to the maximum. When asked what his occupation was, he always replied, `teacher,' and that reply defined him as a human being. 

Alan is survived by his wife Kate and children Edward, Jessica, Benjamin, and Annie, his grandchildren Bohdi and Orson, and his younger brother Maxwell and his family.

The Chamberlain family is held warmly in our thoughts, and our deepest sympathy is extended to all who knew Alan.

1959 Whole College Photo 

1960 Whole College Photo