A Century of Tradition
George Sydie
1930
Our seventh President elected to serve in 1930 was also a Dundee man. He came to Sao Paulo sometime in the 1920s representing one of the large jute machinery groups, and he was a great authority on this fibre and in the manufacture of textiles in general. A well-travelled man, he had lectured at the Dundee technical college, lived in Russia pre-First World War and, as well as Brazil, was well known in Argentina and other parts of South America, being responsible for placing many young Scots in jobs in mills in these different countries. A married man with no family, he was a very keen Freemason and was a Past Master of the Centenary Lodge in São Paulo. he first appears in the Society's records as being a member of the "Caledonia Octette" In 1928 and was elected to the Committee the following year. Thereafter, he became President in 1930, served in an ex-oficio capacity in 1931 and took on the Vice-Presidency in both 1935 and 1936. George was the Society's Demosthenes. He spoke ex-tempore, incisively and delighted his brother Scots at the Banquets with his biting and withering remarks about our traditional rivals.
The saddest moment of his life must therefore have been when it was deemed necessary as late as November 28th of the year, he was President to cancel the Banquet "in view of the disturbed conditions in the city". In his remarks to the AGM in 1931, George referred to this incident as " the Flodden of the year". He retired from Brazil prior to the last War but returned for a visit sometime in the late 40’s and spoke again then at one of our Banquets.