Sir William Ian Potter (25 August 190224 October 1994), known as Ian Potter, was an Australian stockbroker, businessman and

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

. Potter was

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

ed in 1962. The Ian Potter Foundation, which he established in 1964, has made grants to research institutes, charities, universities and arts organisations. Since 1993, the Ian Potter Cultural Trust has awarded grants to individuals in the arts.

Early life and education

Potter was the third child of James W. Potter and Maria Louisa Townsend McWhinnie, who was born in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

in June 1869. Potter's parents married in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, in June 1899, then returned to England in 1903 with their three children. Returning to Sydney, he attended

Mortdale Mortdale is a suburb located in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mortdale is located 20 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the St George area. Mortdale is situated in the ...

Public School before winning a scholarship to Cleveland Street Intermediate High School in Redfern. Potter served as a lieutenant with the

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...

's Citizens Military Forces (CMF) between 1920 and 1922. He studied economics 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 ...

, where he excelled and graduated at the top of his year.

Career

Upon graduation, Potter moved to Melbourne to take on a position as economist with stockbroker Edward Dyason, a successful mining entrepreneur and trained economist. In 1933, Potter began an eighteen-month period as a Treasury economist in Canberra providing him with an intimate knowledge of government finance. He also made many contacts in politics and the federal bureaucracy. Upon his return to Melbourne in 1935, Potter established his own stockbroking firm, W.I. Potter, and then from 1937, Ian Potter & Co.

World War II

Potter continued his business interests during the war while training for, and serving in, the Naval Auxiliary Patrol (NAP). Like many small motor vessel owners, Potter volunteered his own boat, the MV ''Nordecia'', to the NAP. ''Nordecia'' was later commissioned as HMAS ''Nordecia'', carrying the bow number 624. ''Nordecia'' was fitted with a machine gun and depth charges. Enlisting on 17 August 1942, Potter trained as a Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RANVR) cadet. He was commissioned as a Staff Skipper with substantive rank of Sub Lieutenant on 8 May 1944, and stationed at HMAS Lonsdale, Port Melbourne, until his discharge on 31 May 1946. Following the war, the members of the NAP established the Little Ship Club to maintain the skills acquired during their service. In 1949,

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

approved warrants for the award by the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

of the

Blue Ensign The Blue Ensign is a flag, one of several British ensigns, used by certain organisations or territories associated or formerly associated with the United Kingdom. It is used either plain or Defacement (flag), defaced with a Heraldic badge, ...

(Defaced) to the Little Ship Club, and to Potter's HMAS ''Nordecia'' as well as the ''San Vittoria'' and ''Mauranne'', for service during the war. This is the only award of the Blue Ensign (Defaced) to an Australian boat club for wartime service. The Blue Ensign (Defaced) included a light blue coloured circle representing the dawn, within which a five-pointed star represents the guiding star of their overnight patrols around Port Philip Bay.

Other roles

Potter was the

chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

of several boards, including the

Australian Ballet The Australian Ballet is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson's, J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English-born dancer, teache ...

, the Australian Opera and the

Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust The Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust is a theatre and performing arts company that was founded in September 1954, with the aim of establishing drama, opera and ballet companies nationally. Founding In 1954 the Australian Elizabethan Theatre T ...

. He was elected a

fellow of the Australian Academy of Science The Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Science is made up of about 500 Australian scientists. Scientists judged by their peers to have made an exceptional contribution to knowledge in their field may be elected to Fellowship of the Academy. ...

in 1978.

Honours and awards

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are the ...

(Imperial), 1962 *

War Medal 1939-45 War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular ...

* Australian Service Medal 1939-45 *

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (french: link=no, Médaille du couronnement de la Reine Élizabeth II) is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Award This medal was awarded a ...

, 1953 *

Royal Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim. The Order of the ...

(Sweden), 1983

* Honorary degree of doctor of laws by the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

, 1973 *Honorary fellow of the Australian Stock Exchange, 1991, *Honorary life member of the AETT, Australian Ballet Foundation, Australian Opera, and

National Gallery of Victoria The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest and most visited art museum. The NGV houses an encyclopedic art collection across two ...

Ian Potter Foundation and Cultural Trust

The Ian Potter Foundation was established by Potter in 1964, inspired by the

Myer Foundation The Myer Foundation is a major Australian philanthropic organisation. History The Sidney Myer Charitable Trust was established by the will of Sidney Myer, who died in 1934, leaving a portion of his estate for the benefit of the community. Myer's ...

, as he was friends with

Ken Myer Kenneth Baillieu Myer, (1 March 1921 – 30 July 1992) was an American-born Australian patron of the arts, humanities and sciences; diplomat, administrator, businessman and philanthropist. He was a member of the notable Melbourne retailing Myer ...

, eldest son of

Sidney Myer Sidney Myer (born Simcha Myer Baevski (); 8 February 18785 September 1934) was a Russian-born Jewish-Australian businessman and philanthropist, best known for founding Myer, Australia's largest chain of department stores. Early life Myer was ...

. That partnership also led to the establishment of the

Howard Florey Institute The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, more commonly known as the Florey Institute, is an Australian medical research institute that undertakes clinical and applied research into treatments for brain and mind disorders and the ...

at the

. Potter's vision was to support youth, and as of 2022 the foundation awards over A$20 million in grants annually, across a range of sectors. It adopted the

seahorse A seahorse (also written ''sea-horse'' and ''sea horse'') is any of 46 species of small marine fish in the genus ''Hippocampus''. "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek (), itself from () meaning "horse" and () meaning "sea monster" or " ...

as its logo. The Ian Potter Cultural Trust came about after the

was placed in liquidation in 1991. The foundation had previously been able to support individual artists by supporting this organisation, but its tax status prevented it from giving grants directly to individuals. In October 1992 the Ian Potter Cultural Trust was established, specifically to give grants to individual artists. The first grants were approved in June 1993.

Personal life

Potter married four times. On 5 April 1928 he wed Victoria Bernice Moorhead in

Mosman Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local governm ...

Presbyterian Church. He divorced his first wife in 1941 and on 2 July 1942 he married Gwenyth Winifred Izzard, an amateur actress, at the Cairns Memorial Presbyterian Church in

East Melbourne East Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melbourne local government area. East Melbourne recorded a population of 4,896 at the 2021 ...

. He divorced his second wife on the grounds of desertion. On 5 February 1955 he wed Patricia Ann Garvan (née Fitzgerald). This marriage also ended in divorce. On 27 March 1975 he married Primrose Catherine Dunlop (née Anderson Stuart) in the Chapel of St George the Martyr

HMAS Watson HMAS ''Watson'' is a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base on Sydney Harbour at South Head, near Watsons Bay in Sydney, Australia. Commissioned in 1945 (after three years operating as HMAS ''Radar''), the base served as the RAN's radar training sc ...

at South Head,

Vaucluse, New South Wales Vaucluse is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of Waverley Council and the Municipality of Woollahra. Vauclus ...

. On his death his fourth wife and a daughter from each of his first and second marriages survived him.Sir Ian Potter 1902–1994 Australian Dictionary of Biography
Retrieved 10 July 2022.

Legacy

Institutions named after Potter include: *

Ian Potter Centre The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia is an art gallery that houses the Australian part of the art collection of the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia is located at Federation Square in Melbourne, Victori ...

Federation Square Federation Square (colloquially Fed Square) is a venue for arts, culture and public events on the edge of the Melbourne central business district. It covers an area of at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets built above busy ra ...

(part of the

) *

Ian Potter Museum of Art The Ian Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia was established in 1972. It houses the art collection of the University of Melbourne. Current director, Kelly Gellatly, was appointed in 2013. It is not to be con ...

at the

* Ian Potter Children's Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne * Ian Potter Southbank Centre, Southbank, at the

* Ian Potter Gallery at the Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of SydneyLight & Darkness
Retrieved 11 July 2022. * Ian Potter Sculpture Court at the Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne *Ian Potter Centre for Performing Arts at Monash University

References

External links

The Ian Potter Foundation

The Ian Potter Centre, NGV Australia

The Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne
{{DEFAULTSORT:Potter, Ian 1902 births 1994 deaths Australian philanthropists Philanthropists from Melbourne Businesspeople from Melbourne Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science Australian Knights Bachelor 20th-century philanthropists