Sir Jack Keith Murray, (8 February 1889 – 10 December 1979), often cited as J. K. Murray, was an Australian colonial administrator, army officer, and educator. He was Administrator of the Australian
Territory of Papua and New Guinea, and foundation Professor of Agriculture at the
Queensland Agricultural College
University of Queensland Gatton Campus is a heritage-listed university campus of the University of Queensland at Warrego Highway, Lawes, Gatton, Lockyer Valley Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1897 to 1960s. It is also known a ...
(now
University of Queensland
, mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work
, established =
, endowment = A$224.3 million
, budget = A$2.1 billion
, type = Public research university
, chancellor = Peter Varghese
, vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry
, city = B ...
, Gatton campus).
Early life
Jack Keith Murray was born on 8 February 1889 in Middle
Brighton
Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
, Melbourne, Victoria.
His parents' marriage ended when he was 2 and his mother moved to Sydney with him, working to find the fees to pay his attendance at
St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill in 1904.
Murray enrolled at the
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...
in 1908, and after serving two years as an agricultural cadet at
Cowra, he completed his
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
in Agriculture in 1914 and
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
in 1915. He enlisted in the
Australian Imperial Force in 1916 and was discharged a year later. He re-enlisted later that year and served with the
Australian Army Veterinary Corps
The Australian Army Veterinary Corps (AAVC) was a corps of the Australian Army which was formed in 1909 to replace the veterinary department of the Commonwealth Military Forces. Following the establishment of a number of permanent artillery batt ...
in France from 1918 to 1919. While in Europe, Murray took leave to study dairy science at an agricultural college in Scotland, and visited the United States before returning to Australia.
Career
Murray was appointed a lecturer in dairy bacteriology and technology at
Hawkesbury Agricultural College
Hawkesbury Agricultural College was the first agricultural college in New South Wales, Australia, based in Richmond. It operated from 1891 to 1989.
It was established on 10 March 1891, and formally opened by Minister for Mines and Agriculture ...
, before taking up a role as Principal of the Queensland Agricultural High School and College in Gatton, Queensland in 1923. He married Evelyn Andrews in 1924, a fellow University of Sydney graduate,
before being employed as the first Professor of Agriculture at the
Queensland Agricultural College
University of Queensland Gatton Campus is a heritage-listed university campus of the University of Queensland at Warrego Highway, Lawes, Gatton, Lockyer Valley Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1897 to 1960s. It is also known a ...
(now known as the University of Queensland
Gatton). He worked to improve the standard of education in agricultural science. Murray was Chairman of the Queensland Plant Breeding Committee. He became President of the
Royal Society of Queensland in 1936. He was also a member of the Queensland State Committee of
CSIR and the Australian National Research Council.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Murray enlisted in the
Second Australian Imperial Force and was made Commanding Officer of the
25th Battalion, Darling Downs Regiment in 1940, managed staff training for Northern Command, and rose to the rank of colonel in charge of AIF training depots. He became Chief Instructor of the Land Headquarters School of Civil Affairs at
Duntroon, helping to retrain ex-servicemen after the war. His wife, Evelyn, was also involved with teaching at Gatton.
Murray was appointed Administrator of the Australian Territories in Papua and New Guinea from 1945 to 1952, and was knighted in 1978, for his contribution to the development of PNG as it moved toward independence. He returned to the University in 1953, and worked steadily on the project that created
James Cook University
James Cook University (JCU) is a public university in North Queensland, Australia. The second oldest university in Queensland, JCU is a teaching and research institution. The university's main campuses are located in the tropical cities of Cairn ...
. He was also active on the University of Queensland's Buildings and Grounds Committee, was on the board of Cromwell College and was a member of the University Union House Committee which oversaw the Student Union.
He was appointed an
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
in 1959. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science in 1967, became Emeritus Professor in 1975, and was advanced to
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
in the
1978 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours 1978 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginn ...
. He was also active in the Scout Association of Australia.
Legacy
Murray died in Brisbane on 10 December 1979
and was survived by his wife.
In recognition of his commitment to Gatton and education, his name was given to the J.K. Murray Library at UQ Gatton. His papers are held at the University of Queensland Fryer Library.
References
Notes
Citations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Jack Keith
1889 births
1979 deaths
Administrators of Papua and New Guinea
Australian Army personnel of World War II
Australian Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Australian military personnel of World War I
Australian public servants
Members of the Legislative Council of Papua and New Guinea
University of Queensland faculty
Military personnel from Sydney
People educated at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill
University of Sydney alumni