Phillip Arundell Wright, (20 July 1889 – 30 August 1970), Australian pastoralist and philanthropist, was the second
Chancellor
Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
of the
University of New England from 1960 until 1970.
Biography
Born on the property Wongwibinda, near
Armidale, New South Wales
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale had a population of 24,504 as of June 2018. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region. It ...
in 1889, Wright was the sixth child of Albert and May Wright (née Mackenzie).
His father died in 1890, and Phillip was raised by his mother, who carried on the running of the Wongwibinda station east of Armidale after her husband’s death and subsequently purchased Wallamumbi,
properties that formed the basis of the Wright family’s holdings for one hundred years. Wright was home-schooled by his sister, and then attended
Sydney Church of England Grammar School, and
Bedford School in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
.
For his entire life he carried an appreciation for the value of a formal education.
Wright was one of leading figures in the establishment of the New England University College in 1938, and was a donor to the college from the beginning. Wright served on the advisory council of the university from its establishment, serving as vice-chairman and later deputy chancellor from 1943 until 1960. Upon the retirement of
Sir Earle Page as the chancellor of the university in 1960, Wright was named as his successor.
Phillip Wright died in 1970 on his principal property of ''Wallamumbi'', near Armidale. He was succeeded as chancellor by
Sir Frank Kitto. A great philanthropist to the university, Wright donated property, resources, prizes and a mace over the years of his association with the institution. In return, the university named Wright College and later the Wright Village after him, as was the original fountain in the central courtyard of the university.
[
Wright was the father of the poet and conservationist ]Judith Wright
Judith Arundell Wright (31 May 191525 June 2000) was an Australian poet, environmentalist and campaigner for Aboriginal land rights. She was a recipient of the Christopher Brennan Award.
Biography
Judith Wright was born in Armidale, New So ...
.[
]
See also
* List of University of New England people
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Phillip
Australian pastoralists
Australian Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
People educated at Bedford School
1889 births
1970 deaths
Chancellors of the University of New England (Australia)
People educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School