Biographical entry Jewell, William Ralph (1894 - 1975)

Summary

William Ralph Jewell headed the State Laboratories of various Victorian government departments. He played a prominent part in reorganising the beet sugar industry at Maffra and advised the Commonwealth Government on the economics and feasibility of producing power alcohol from cereals. In association with the Commonwealth Department of Primary Industry, he played a prominent part in the introduction of Commonwealth food specifications and standard methods of analysis for a wide variety of foods used by the Australian and allied armed forces.

Jewell studied metallurgy at the Universities of Melbourne and Sheffield (UK) and went to work for the Ministry of Munitions in Britain in1915. Upon returning to Australia, he was appointed agricultural research chemist with the Victorian State Service. Next he became Director of the state chemical laboratories of the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Mines. Jewell was an original member of the Council of the National Association of Testing Authorities, and continued as Victorian representative and chairman until his retirement. He was President of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute from 1945 to 1946.

Published resources

Book Sections

• Jewell, W. R., 'Blackett, Cuthbert Robert (1831-1902), pharmacist and chemist', in Douglas Pike (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 3, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1969, p. 175. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030166b.htm. Details
• Jewell, W. R., 'Pearson, Alfred Naylor (1856-1933), Chemist and Agriculturist', in Geoffrey Serle (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 11, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1988, pp. 186-187. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110189b.htm. Details
• O'Brien, E.J., 'Jewell, William Ralph (1894-1975), Chemist and Public Servant', in John Ritchie (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 14, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1996, p. 569. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A140649b.htm. Details

Online Resources

• 'Jewell, William Ralph', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1467058. Details

See also

• Wisdom, John, A History of Defence Science in Australia, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Melbourne, 1995, 267 pp. Details