Ivor William Evans (24 July 1887 – 25 April 1960) was an Australian businessman. As a 14-year-old schoolboy, he was one of five winners of the

1901 Federal Flag Design Competition The 1901 Federal Flag Design Competition was an Australian government initiative announced by Prime Minister Edmund Barton to find a flag for the newly federated Commonwealth of Australia. In terms of its essential elements the winning entries ar ...

, held to design a national flag for Australia.

Biography

Evans was born on 24 July 1887 in

Carlton, Victoria Carlton is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melbourne local government area. Carlton recorded a population of 16,055 at the 2021 census. Im ...

, the third son of Sally Clara (née Russell) and Evan Evans. His father, an immigrant from Wales, was the founder of a firm that manufactured canvas goods. Evans attended Princes Hill State School before completing his education at the New College on a scholarship. He joined the

Commercial Bank of Australia The Commercial Bank of Australia Limited (CBA) was an Australian and New Zealand retail bank which operated from 1866 until being amalgamated with the Bank of New South Wales, that was established in 1817, to form the Westpac Banking Corporati ...

in 1904 and subsequently became manager of its Chillingollah branch. At the age of 17, he played a single game of senior Australian rules football with the St Kilda Football Club during the

1904 VFL season The 1904 VFL season was the eighth season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured eight clubs, ran from 7 May until 17 September, and comprised a 17 ...

Business career

In 1912, Evans left the Commercial Bank to join his father's company, becoming a partner in 1914. It was a significant supplier to the military during World War I, and in 1920 was incorporated as Evan Evans Pty Ltd. He became managing director in 1922 and oversaw further expansion, including the construction of a factory on

Bourke Street, Melbourne Bourke Street is one of the main streets in the Melbourne central business district and a core feature of the Hoddle Grid. It was traditionally the entertainment hub of inner-city Melbourne, and is now also a popular tourist destination and t ...

, and the opening a retail store in Carlton. In 1944, Evans was appointed as an honorary controller of canvas goods within the

Department of Supply The Department of Supply was an Australian government department that existed between March 1950 and June 1974. History Established in 1950, the Department of Supply headquarters transferred to Canberra in January 1968. In 1964 the ...

. During World War II the company supplied "flags, tents, haversacks, waterbags, troughs, baths, aprons, chairs, beds, sleeping-bags, hammocks, tarpaulins and stretchers". It had outlets in four other states, and by 1952 had over 100 employees. He retired as managing director in 1956.

Personal life

Evans married Stella Arthur in 1917, with whom he had three children. His son Thomas was killed in action with the

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

(RAAF) in 1945. He died at his home in

Beaumaris Beaumaris ( ; cy, Biwmares ) is a town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, of which it is the former county town of Anglesey. It is located at the eastern entrance to the Menai Strait, the tidal waterway separating Anglesey from th ...

on 25 April 1960, aged 72.

Flag design

In 1901, aged 13, Evans submitted a design to the Federal Flag Design Competition held by the Barton Government to choose a national flag for Australia. He shared the £200 prize with four others, including

Annie Dorrington Annie Dorrington (19 March 1866 – 21 April 1926) was an Australian artist who was known for her wildflower paintings and watercolours. She is also one of the designers of the Australian flag. Early life On 19 March 1866, Annie Whistler was bo ...

, as their designs were nearly identical. One of the five judges, John Evans, praised the technical accuracy of Evans' design in relation to his sizing of the stars of the Southern Cross based on their brightness. The winning entrants were invited to the

Royal Exhibition Building The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage-listed building in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, built in 1879–1880 as part of the international exhibition movement, which presented over 50 exhibitions between 1851 and 1915 around the glo ...

to watch the first unveiling of the new flag. In 1951, Evans wrote to Prime Minister Robert Menzies suggesting that each school should be presented with an Australian flag to mark the 50th anniversary of Federation, which resulted in over 10,000 flags being distributed. He continued to give interviews about the flag until a year prior to his death.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, IVor 1887 births 1960 deaths Australian manufacturing businesspeople Businesspeople from Melbourne Flag designers Australian bankers Australian people of Welsh descent Australian rules footballers from Melbourne St Kilda Football Club players People from Carlton, Victoria