The University Archives turns 70 on 3 May this year. To celebrate this milestone, check the blog at the end of each week for the week’s special stories from our collections.
4 March 2024
The Omnipresent Arnotts Biscuits
Gordon Bradley Lowe graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and a Master of Surgery in 1915 and promptly enlisted as a Major in the Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC) on 6 September 1915. He left Australia on 11 October 1915 on the SS Nestor and went on to reinforce the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF) in Gallipoli and serve in the 3rd Australian General Hospital (AGH) and 5th Australian Field Ambulance (AFA) in Egypt, Greece and France. Although wounded in the neck in the Noreuil Valley in France on 13 April 1917, he remained on duty and returned to Australia aboard the SS Runic on 6 January 1922. Lowe noted in his University of Sydney War Service Record that, “Prior to going overseas, I was mobilised with The S.U. Scouts on Guard duty at La Perouse Cable Station and then at The Fortress, South Head. Subsequently I did an Infantry (the 18th) School of Instruction at The Warren, Marrickville”.
This image is just one of approximately 470 photographs taken by or given to Lowe during World War I (WWI), most with handwritten captions that give us a unique insight into life during WWI in the countries Lowe was stationed at, such as, “I. Promenade des Anglais Nice 23.2.18 It was on my first morning that this was snapped. The weather was rather dull & sky near east. There seems to be some slight mustache about my face. GBL.”, “II. Promenade des Anglais Nice 30.2.18 With a bit of a rough Canadian who was no exception to the rule, Katie Bi[?] Although she is perhaps not an “oil painting” she would nevertheless make an excellent holiday companion. My last morning in Ang[lais] after a visit to the flower market. GBL.”, “Rod-el-Farag, Cairo. Grain market like our Sussex St.”, “On the left Heliopolis House with Tower. White screen where pictures are shown and one sits on the terrace of the House imbibing coffee alcoholics etc” [Ref 6], and “Day room kitchen 3rd AGH, Lemnos The omnipresent Arnotts Biscuits”.
Gordon Bradley Lowe and Peter Graham Seated in Hut at Lemnos, Greece (03/02/1916), [REF-00003083]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 04/03/2024, https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/40168
5 March 2024
A Glass and a Half of Professor Julius Sumner Miller
On 2 August 1961, Professor of Physics at the El Camino College in California, Julius Sumner Miller wrote to Professor of Physics at the University, Harry Messel that, “Professor Hans Freeman in your School of Chemistry has mentioned your work in teacher-education. My own special interest is demonstrations in physics…I have a sabbatical for the spring semester of this year…and I am now exploring some interests. Your work with teachers invites my interest and I should like to know more about it. Our high school teachers know pitifully little about demonstrations and I view demonstrations as absolutely necessary in the teaching of first courses in physics…I would be delighted to have an exchange of notes with you”. Professor Messel replied on 9 August 1961, “Thank you for…your interest in our Summer Schools…Most of the lectures were also televised and created a large amount of healthy interest among the general public…Already all our plans for January 1962 are complete…Thus, as you can see, 1962 plans are too far advanced for us to avail ourselves of your kind offer of perhaps spending part of your Sabbatical with us”.
Professor Miller sent more letters expressing his interest in the Summer Schools, noting in one, “There is really no need for me to annoy you with more writing”, but the regular communication paid off as Professor Miller was invited as one of the Summer School guest lecturers in 1963. The appearance was a tremendous success. “An Australian schoolgirl, Marylin East” wrote to Professor Miller on 11 January 1963 that, “I also hope that you have invented many new problems that will make people “struggle from the neck up”…I was one of the 150 pupils at the summer science school…where you lectured. I was touched by the “beauty and drama” of your simple experiments and problems. I would like to thank you for showing not only me, but others, these seemingly simple but quite catchy things…I would never have realized and would never even have thought, that all spheres roll faster than all cylinders which roll faster than all hoops”. An unknown sender wrote to Professor Miller on 27 February 1963 that, “…I did have that holiday and this took me to Melbourne and Adelaide…and wherever I went I felt the impact of Julius Sumner Miller! All the households had been looking in on our Summer School lectures and the series you did with Bob Sanders. My friends in Melbourne said that they had previously deplored the fact that their son…had not evinced any interest in science until your lectures came on the screen. He had then risen at 7 a.m. each morning so that he wouldn’t miss any of them!”. Professor Messel too wrote expressing his gratitude to Professor Miller on 7 March 1963, “I have never seen a series of four lectures make such an impact before. You set out to make people think and this you accomplished. You have thousands of people thinking and asking questions, but what a rogue you are – no answers! – and who in the hell do you think has to answer the questions? Me!…For instance I went into a chemist shop the other day and a very pretty female assistant wanted me to answer your problem in regard to manhole covers. Of course you can imagine this put me in a strong bargaining position! All joking aside…I would like to sound you out at this stage about the possibility of bringing you out to Australia, say in 1965 (preferably) or 1966”.
Professor Miller’s popularity resulted in an invitation to appear in a series of Cadbury advertisements in the 1980s. He wrote to “My Dear Messel” on 25 September 1984, “…I had your good letter some time ago bearing on my being with you at the coming Summer School – and since then word from Cadbury tells me that they will bring me and Alice over for that…this is good for all of us!…I do not yet know whether Cadbury will have me again for a commercial – or several – in early March 1985 – as they have had me in 1980-81-82-83 – and in 1984 when I left Sydney soon after getting there…I hope they will have me again”. His influence as the face of Cadbury in Australia, as well as his other work, ultimately resulted in the Cadbury-Julius Sumner Miller Scholarships for Academic Excellence, awarded to undergraduate students studying physics at the University by, “Cadbury-Schweppes, the company for which the late Professor Julius Sumner Miller recorded many television advertisements…decided to honour his memory”. In the above 25 September 1984 letter, Professor Miller continued, “This lecture at Northrop will be Number 1450 – this outside the classroom and outside of the TV programmes I have done around the world…How many TV programs?…some 2000…How many lectures in the classroom…This I calculated. It came out over twenty thousand!!! My God – have I done that?”.
Professor Julius Sumner Miller (1987), [REF-00012880]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 05/03/2024, https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/31340.
6 March 2024
She Now Faces North
On 4 February 1952, Senate, “…accepted with gratitude the following gifts and donations :- (i) Estate of the late G.C. Dwyer – two statues from the top of the buildings numbered 861-865 Broadway”. These bronze statues, reproductions of Giovanni Bologna sculptures, were Fortuna and Mercury and were installed in the Vice-Chancellor’s Garden in February 1953.
Allan Gamble’s reminisces were recorded in the 28 August 1997 Uni News, “…referring, for example, to the Vice-Chancellor’s garden in the Main Quad as the “Vice Squad”. The Staff Club rocked with laughter as Mr Gamble regaled follow members with anecdotes. The garden’s two statues, which had once belonged to the Dwyer family, were authorised as gifts for the University by the Master in Lunacy. “That is not a University degree,” Mr Gamble hastened to reassure his audience. One of the statues, “a naked lady”, was transported by a burly University carpenter named Cliff Nightingale, who carrier her on his shoulders through a crowded bar frequented by Sydney Morning Herald journos. The next day the paper splashed his picture on its front page. But that was not the end of the story. The sculptured damsel was placed on a pedestal designed by Mr Gamble. Regrettably, the bay window of Professor Robert’s office gave a wraparound view of the lady’s rear. “Professor Robert’s only comment was ‘Oh Gamble’,” he said. “She now faces north.”.
Bronze Statue Being Erected in the Vice-Chancellor’s Garden (Feb 1953), [REF-00076842]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 06/03/2024, https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/127028.
7 March 2024
Did You Pack Your Firearm Permit?
On 17 April 1939, anthropologist Phyllis Kaberry was issued a firearm permit for her trip to New Guinea, allowing her to carry a 6.5mm Bayard Auto Pistol. Having graduated from the University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1933 and a Master of Arts in 1935, Kaberry was travelling to New Guinea to study social organisation among the Abelam people of the Sepik District. On 1 May 1939 she arrived in Kalabu, New Guinea, noting in a letter to Professor Adolphus Peter (AP) Elkin that, “The climate is quite good and I can buy plenty of fruit and vegetables”.
Exactly four months after she arrived in New Guinea, Germany invaded Poland, marking the beginning of World War II. It took three days for the news to reach Kaberry in New Guinea, who wrote again to Professor Elkin on 5 September 1939 saying, “It seems futile to offer any comment on the present situation; I got the news yesterday from a miner nearby who has a wireless set, and who keeps me posted with news”. Kaberry, who was concerned about the “possible evacuation of this territory” and thus, a shortening of her expedition, implored Professor Elkin to reassure officials that, “I am not likely to get panic-stricken, and am capable of looking after myself and assuming responsibility for myself”. Justifying the importance of remaining in New Guinea, she wrote, “The actual details that one accumulates daily seem appallingly irrelevant and futile under the present circumstances. But in so far as together, they contribute to an understanding of human beings and other nationalities, they are as valuable now as any other time. More so, when people are likely to become virulent in their hatreds of other nationalities”.
Kaberry’s expedition was ultimately cut short by the war and she returned to Australia in early 1940, with her belongings following her on the ship Macdhui. On 12 June 1940, GFA Mitchell, the Collector of Customs in NSW, wrote to Kaberry, informing her that her pistol had been seized, “…as the importation of pistols is prohibited by the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations unless the consent of the Minister for Trade and Customs has first been obtained”.
Phyllis Kaberry Firearm Permit (17/04/1939 to 12/06/1940), [REF-00089305]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 07/03/2024, https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/142153.
8 March 2024
Squash Once a Week is Not Enough
According to the 30 April 1975 edition of the Uni News, “…squash once a week is not enough…The University has some of the best sports facilities available anywhere in Sydney, but most on campus ignore them”. Professor NA Gibson, Associate Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, decided he no longer wanted to be one of the, “…unfit staff and students”, signed up for one of the fitness programs offered by the Sports Union, and changing into his exercise gear, said, “Thank heavens none of my students are here…I’ve been at the University for 20 years and I’d never known this gymnasium existed until recently”.
The gymnasium Professor Gibson was referring to was the HK Ward Gymnasium, which did not begin life within its current The Arena Sports Centre home. The Gymnasium was located on Grose Farm Lane between the two University Ovals prior to its demolition in 2012 to make way for the Centre for Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease (CODCD), now known as the Charles Perkins Centre. The Gymnasium was named after Hugh Kingsley Ward, Professor of Bacteriology from 1935 to 1946.
On 27 August 1951, the Sports Union wrote in a memorandum that, “After surveying the possible sites it was decided that the best scheme would be to use the then present old gymnasium structure and to develop the surrounding area to provide a gymnasium large enough for basketball…However the recent fire has destroyed the building on which the whole scheme was based and the Committee has now revised its plan so that the proposed large gymnasium section should be the primary consideration…Thus if the £2,000 which was granted by the Federal Government last year could be placed towards this new scheme, together with the £450 for which the old gymnasium was insured against fire, there is a nucleus of a fund which could be put towards the proposed project”. On 2 October 1951, Senate agreed that the destroyed gymnasium should be replaced [Ref 4] and on 17 June 1952, enlisted the Government Architect (Department of Public Works) to, “…prepare a sketch plan of immediate and future requirements for consideration”, noting that, “After consideration it has been decided that the most appropriate site to construct the new building is roughly that occupied by the old building. It is the intention that the building should be designed to contain, at the moment, minimum necessary requirements, but that provision should be made for future extension on to the area at present occupied by the outdoor basketball court”.
While plans were drawn up and construction began, various delays resulted in Assistant Principal WH Maze writing to the Government Architect on 23 March 1956, “We are very concerned with the slow rate of progress in the erection of the gymnasium beside No. 2 Oval at the University. Various sporting clubs are continually asking when it will be ready so that they can make plans for its use, and I should be very grateful indeed if you could take the necessary steps to expedite the gymnasium’s completion”. A reply was received on 19 April 1956, “This Department, also, is very concerned…the contractor advised that he anticipated the work would be complete by the end of February, 1956. However, a recent inspection revealed that the work was only approximately 50% complete….Every endeavour is being made to bring the contract to finality at the earliest possible date”. On 2 August 1956, the Government Architect was informed that, “The rate of progress does not appear to be sufficient to allow the University to extend the [water supply] system before the forthcoming cricket season” while on 14 December 1956 the University, in an internal memorandum, noted that, “…the attention of the Government Architect should be drawn to numerous structural deficiencies before final payment for the Gymnasium is made”. The “deficiencies” were rectified and on 14 March 1957, an internal memorandum proclaimed that, “The construction of the new Gymnasium is now completed and the building was officially handed over to the University by the Department of Public Works this morning”.
On 8 October 1957, Senate approved the naming of the new, long-awaited gymnasium as the HK Ward Gymnasium, noting that the decision also had the approval of Emeritus Professor Ward.
Associate Professor NA Gibson of Inorganic Chemistry (1975), [REF-00003154]. University of Sydney Archives, accessed 08/03/2024, https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/33560.
Explore the blog for other posts from the University of Sydney Archives and follow us on Instagram.
