Family background
Nicholas Michael Shehadie was born in Sydney on 15 November 1926. He was the son of the Reverend Michael Shehadie, the second Lebanese Orthodox Priest in Australasia. On 23 February 1957 he married Dr Marie Roslyn Bashir (b.1930), the first female Governor of NSW from 2001 to 2014. They had one son and two daughters. Nicholas Shehadie died on 12 February 2018.
Occupation & interests
Nicholas Shehadie was educated at Crown Street and Cleveland Street State Schools. From 1959 he was the managing director of Nicholas Shehadie Pty Ltd. He was also the director of Wormald International, Mercantile Credits, and Rothmans. He captained the Australian Rugby teams on tours of Great Britain, Canada, USA, South Africa and New Zealand. Shehadie was president of the Australian Rugby Union until 1986. He was a member of the British Barbarian Rugby Club and Tattersalls. The eastern stand at the Sydney Football Stadium is named the Nick Shehadie Stand in his honour.
Community activity
Shehadie was a trustee of the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust from 1978 and chairman from 1990 to June 2001 when he stepped down to assist his wife as Governor. He was also the Chairman of the NSW Migrant Employment and Qualifications Board and the Special Broadcasting Service.
Honours & awards
In 1971, Alderman Shehadie was awarded an OBE. In January 1976, the Honour of Knight Bachelor was conferred upon Sir Nicholas Shehadie.
Local government service
Nicholas Shehadie was Alderman for Northcott Ward, 1 December 1962 to 13 November 1967 when Sydney City Council was dismissed and replaced by a three-member Commission. Shehadie was appointed as one of the Commissioners who took over the management of the City. He was re-elected to Council as Alderman for Macquarie Ward, 27 September 1969 to 18 September 1977. He was a member of the Works Committee and the Health and Recreations Committee, 1963-67, the City Development Committee and the Works Committee, 1969-73, and the Finance Committee and the Community Services Committee, 1976-77. He was also a member of the Parking Advisory Committee, 1970-71. Shehadie was Deputy Lord Mayor from 1969 to1973 and Lord Mayor from 1973 to 1975. He was a member of the Civic Reform Association.
References
City of Sydney Archives: Aldermen’s Files: Photo: THC 88/341 and AF; NSCA CRS 871/61, City Engineers Photographs II, 1967-1973
Sydney Morning Herald, 22 June 2001
‘Sir Nicholas Shehadie: A Redfern boy with Sydney sport in his blood’, The Australian, 17 February 2018, https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/sir-nicholas-shehadie-a-redfern-boy-with-sydney-sport-in-his-blood/news-story/c56acccae2375f1a6798191274cc034a
Who’s Who in Australia 1992
Rosen, Sue, Interview with Nicholas Shehadie, for South Sydney Oral History Project (published as We Didn’t Have a Hot Bed of Crime), 30 September 1994
‘Sydneysiders’ interviews with residents of Sydney conducted by Richard Raxworthy, 1992, Interview with Sir Nicholas Shehadie, State Library of NSW, MLOH 250/6
The Lord Mayor, Film Australia, Sydney, 1975