Biographical entry Browne, William Rowan (1884 - 1975)

Summary

William Rowan Browne, the husband of Ida Brown was assistant-professor/reader in geology at the University of Sydney 1923-49. He was interested in the Kosciusko State Park and had a great deal to do with the proclamation in 1962 of a 'primitive area' for conservation.

Details

Born Lislea, County Londonderry, Ireland, 11 December 1884. Died Sydney, 1 September 1975. Educated University of Sydney (BSc 1911, DSc 1922). Adelaide observatory 1911; demonstrator in geology, University of Sydney 1911-13, assistant-lecturer in geology 1913-16, lecturer 1916-23, assistant-professor 1923-40, reader 1940-49; took over and finished "The Geology of the Commonwealth of Australia" on Edgeworth David's (q.v.) death; contributed site studies for Warragamba Dam and Gladesville Bridge. W.B. Clarke medal, Royal Society of New South Wales 1942; Fellow, Australian Academy of Science 1954. Royal Society of New South Wales medal 1956; volume of "Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales" dedicated to him 1966; Mueller Medal, ANZAAS 1960. Foundation member, Geographical Society of New South Wales 1927, president 1929-30, 1948-49; founding member, Geological Society of Australia 1952, president 1955-56. Commemorated by W.R. Browne medal of the Geological Society of Australia.

Related entries

Archival resources

University of Sydney, Archives

• William Rowan Browne - Records, P 71; University of Sydney, Archives. Details

Published resources

Book Sections

• Vallance, T. G., 'Browne, William Rowan (1884-1975), Geologist and Teacher', in John Ritchie (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 13, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1993, pp. 280-282. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130317b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• 'William Rowan Browne, DSc, FAA', Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, vol. 99, 1966, pp. 1-4. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Obituary: George Davenport Osborne', Australian Journal of Science, vol. 18, no. 2, 1955, pp. 52-53. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Obituary: Professor W. N. Benson, FRS', Australian Journal of Science, vol. 20, no. 6, 1958, pp. 175-176. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Sir Edgeworth David, 1858-1934', The Sydney University Gazette, vol. 1, 1958, pp. 214-216. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Obituary: Dr. W. G. Woolnough', Australian Journal of Science, vol. 21, no. 5, 1958, pp. 135-136. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Obituary - Professor L. A. Cotton', Australian Journal of Science, vol. 26, no. 3, 1963, pp. 81-82. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Obituary: Griffith Taylor', Australian Journal of Science, vol. 26, no. 10, 1964, pp. 318-319. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Some Builders of Geology in New South Wales', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, vol. 2, no. 1, 1971, pp. 29-50. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9710210029.htm. Details
• Browne, W.R.; Brown, Ida A., 'Scientific Societies in Australia. The Royal Society of New South Wales', The Royal Australian Chemical Institute Proceedings, vol. 28, 1961, pp. 100-109. Details
• Vallance, T. G., 'William Rowan Browne 1884-1975', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, vol. 4, no. 1, 1979, pp. 65-81. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9790410065.htm. Details

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Browne, W R', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-560863. Details
• Vallance, T.G., with contributions by E. S. Hills, 'William Rowan Browne 1884-1975', in Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs, Australian Academy of Science, 2006, http://www.science.org.au/fellows/memoirs/browne.html. Details