William John Morrell MA (1868–1945) was a Chancellor of Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Early life

Morrell was born in Tiverton, Devon, England, in 1868, and educated at Blundell's School and

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the f ...

, where he held an open classical scholarship. In 1887, he gained a first class in Classical Moderations.

Teaching

He held various teaching positions in England including the Chief Classical Master at

Trent College Trent College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school located in Long Eaton, Derbyshire between Nottingham and Derby, Derbyshire, Derby. Founded in 1868 as a local ’middle class alternative’ to the more famous Public school ( ...

, Nottinghamshire, before migrating to New Zealand in 1897, to take up the position of Chief Classical and English Master at the

Auckland Grammar School Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about It ...

, where he rose to the position of First Assistant Master. In 1907 he was appointed Rector of Otago Boys' High School, Dunedin, and thus began a long association with the Morrell family and the city of Dunedin. A teaching block there is named after him. In 1908 Dunedin

public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...

was opened. Morrell was associated with its development for more than twenty years and served on the first Library Committee of the Dunedin City Council. He was also active in the establishment of the Hocken Collections, at Otago University. Morrell was appointed Chancellor of Otago University, in 1933, a position he held for 12 years.

Family

In 1897, he married Agnes Mary Tucker. Professor

William Parker Morrell William Parker Morrell, CBE (20 November 1899 – 27 April 1986) was a notable New Zealand historian and university professor. He was born in Auckland, New Zealand on 20 November 1899. His father was William John Morrell William John Morrel ...

was the eldest of their four children, and their only son. Their daughters Ethel and Katherine were local teachers and active with many local societies.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrell, William John People educated at Blundell's School Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford 1868 births 1945 deaths Heads of schools in New Zealand Chancellors of the University of Otago British emigrants to New Zealand