UQ's golden couple

Bruce and Nina Green on their wedding day in 1959.

'It' man Bruce Green's legacy forever remembered thanks to widow's generous gift to Fryer Library

According to Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin in their 1985 song, Sisters are doin’ it for themselves, “behind every great man, there had to be a great woman”.

And for the late Mr HB (Bruce) Green, former senior administrator and ‘go-to’ man who worked at UQ for more than 50 years and whose grotesque features in the Great Court at St Lucia, this was certainly the case.

Known as the man ‘who got jobs done’, he publicly acknowledged that without the “tremendous help, loyalty and cooperation” of his wife, Nina, he would never have kept up.

They met in the mid-1950s when she became his secretary and head of the UQ Examinations section typing pool – of which he was in charge – and married in 1959 at UQ's Emmanuel College chapel.

The pair went on to become one of Brisbane’s golden couples, regularly featuring in the social columns as they attended one glittering event after another – whether meeting the Queen or the Governor, the Premier or the Prime Minister, or even just going to the ballet. In fact, their first date – to see the Don Cossack Chorus and Dancers perform at City Hall – became a photo story in the local Courier-Mail newspaper.

Nina and Bruce were photographed by the *Courier-Mail* on their first date to see the Don Cossack Chorus and Dancers perform at City Hall.

Nina and Bruce were photographed by the *Courier-Mail* on their first date to see the Don Cossack Chorus and Dancers perform at City Hall.

While Bruce enjoyed stellar career success at UQ, Nina was no slouch herself, becoming the 1976 Secretary of Secretaries and Queensland Secretary of the Year, when working as company director Sir William Gunn’s executive assistant.

Having initially trained at State Commercial High School while completing her Senior at night, her typing and shorthand skills had already stood her in good stead to find work as a junior stenographer, then typist, and then secretary for a range of companies – including UQ.

Nina Green receiving an award for her work as executive assistant to Sir William Gunn.

“The perfect secretary has to be an extension of the boss,” she said at the time, “that extra pair of hands… a gem of many facets.

“A good secretary’s job should be to improve the lines of communication between boss and staff.”

However, now aged 90, it’s not her career and social success Nina remembers most fondly, but her husband.

“Bruce was ‘it’ at the University; he was a beautiful man,” she smiled.

And a dogged and determined one.

Nina Green receiving an award for her work as executive assistant to Sir William Gunn.

Bruce Green (far right) at the age of 13, standing outside the UQ building at George Street, with colleagues.

Bruce Green receiving his Bachelor of Arts, honoris causa, from Chancellor Sir Alan Mansfield, April 1970.

Bruce Green (far right) at the age of 13, standing outside the UQ building at George Street, with colleagues.

Joining 'the Varsity' in 1929 as a 13-year-old messenger boy – riding his bicycle from George Street in the city out to the farms at Pinjarra Hills and St Lucia to collect the weekly rent – Bruce Green BA, JP retired in 1980 at the age of 65 as Assistant Registrar (Administration), having moved through the ranks as Records Clerk, Examinations and Student Records Clerk, and Officer-in-Charge of Examinations, Enrolments and Ceremonies. His only ‘time out’ was during World War 2, when he served with the RAAF and later with the Small Ships section of the Allied Transport Service.

He was also an active community worker, holding positions such as State President of a leading children's charity, Vice-President of the Recovery rehabilitation association, selector for the Rhodes Scholarship, and officer in the RAAF Reserves.

Bruce Green had an interesting career, managing ‘scandals’ such as the suggestion that marijuana seeds would be placed in the 1976 orientation kits [“certainly a publicity stunt by students supporting less harsh controls on marijuana”], hosting VIP visits, and representing the University at numerous functions and ceremonies.

Bruce Green receiving his Bachelor of Arts, honoris causa, from Chancellor Sir Alan Mansfield, April 1970.

He also mediated traffic fine disputes, quelled student demonstrations, and organised examinations and graduation ceremonies – all of which ran like clockwork except for one year when a prankster released confetti on stage in City Hall.

According to his secretary, Kay Durrington, in 1974, “his telephone was never silent”.

Indeed, it was for his brilliant organisation and management skills that UQ awarded him an honorary Bachelor of Arts in 1970.

Nina Green and University Sculptor Dr Rhyl Hinwood AM in the Great Court at UQ St Lucia, and the grotesque of the late Mr Bruce Green, UQ Assistant Registrar.

Nina Green and University Sculptor Dr Rhyl Hinwood AM in the Great Court at UQ St Lucia, and the grotesque of the late Mr Bruce Green, UQ Assistant Registrar.

And then in 1983, his likeness was chosen to be represented in grotesque form for UQ's Great Court, where he is depicted riding his trusty bicycle.

Said University Sculptor Dr Rhyl Hinwood OAM, who carved it, “I did appreciate hearing Nina say that she could hear Bruce speak when she learned of his response to my portrait of him so long ago: ‘I loved that bike!’

“Bruce played many roles at UQ – including organising University examinations and ceremonies, and editing the Manual of Public Examinations, an important reference for secondary schools when UQ used to supervise Junior and Senior public examinations.

“His work ethic was well renowned.”

A fact Bruce confirmed in The Telegraph upon his retirement: “When I started, I decided I would work really hard to get somewhere,” he said.

And as the University’s longest serving staff member with a record 51 years and 9 months career, he certainly lived up to his promise.

Bruce Green in his office shortly before his retirement in December 1980.

Bruce Green in his office shortly before his retirement in December 1980.

“I’ve tried to be a guide and philosopher, fair and reasonable.”

“I’ve always had a soft spot for students, despite the radical unrest of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They made us sit up and realise the role of universities. And their great benefit was that they brought the community closer together.”

Bruce Green enjoyed his time at UQ and now, thanks to widow Nina’s recent gift of several photo albums of newspaper clippings and photographs to Fryer Library, this enjoyment can be shared, and Bruce’s contribution to the University remembered now and into the future.

Nina Green presenting Fryer Librarian Simon Farley with several photo albums of Bruce Green memorabilia

Nina Green presenting Fryer Librarian Simon Farley with several photo albums of Bruce Green memorabilia

Words: Suzanne Parker
Images mostly supplied by Mrs Nina Green

View the image gallery below to see a selection of photos donated to the Fryer Library from Nina Green

Click on each photo to reveal the full image

Bruce Green at The University of Queensland, George Street in the city. He is pictured in the late 1930s/early 1940s with colleagues.

Bruce Green saw many changes at The University of Queensland, starting at George Street in the city (pictured here in the late 1930s/early 1940s with colleagues).