William Stewart Harris (13 December 1922 – 6 December 1994) was a senior research fellow in anthropology in the Research School of Pacific Studies at the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies and ...

. He was known as a journalist and Aboriginal rights advocate who also published on a range of other subjects, including Palestinian self-determination and the defence of the Builders' Labourers' Federation who had come under attack for its militant industrial actions and its campaigns on environmental and social issues. He was an outspoken opponent of

Apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

and was arrested and charged with hindering police during demonstrations against the 1971 Springbok South African rugby union tour of Australia.

Early life

William Stewart Harris was born on 13 December 1922 at

Woking Woking ( ) is a town and borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in northwest Surrey, England, around from central London. It appears in Domesday Book as ''Wochinges'' and its name probably derives from that of a Anglo-Saxon settlement o ...

, Surrey, England. His parents were Henry Harris, retired banker, and his Victorian-born wife Katie (née Hay). He was educated at

Marlborough College Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Founded in 1843 for the sons of Church ...

and then

Clare College, Cambridge Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. It was refounded ...

(BA, 1944; MA, 1948). After service with the

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

during World War II he undertook study at the

London School of Journalism The London School of Journalism (LSJ) is an independent journalism school based in London, England, which offers qualifications in journalism, freelance journalism and creative writing. The LSJ provides both on-site and distance learning to it ...

Personal life

On 8 October 1955 Harris married Burmese-born Mary Orr Deas, daughter of a Scottish company director, at St Paul's Church of England, Knightsbridge. The couple had four children: Nick, Karina, Alastair and Iona.

Later life

Harris died of bacterial meningitis on 6 December 1994 in Woden Valley Hospital,

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, William Stewart 1922 births 1994 deaths Academic staff of the Australian National University Australian anthropologists British emigrants to Australia Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge Alumni of the London School of Journalism