Etherington, Reginald Robert (Reg) (1905 - 2000)

Summary

Reg Etherington was a Mildura based optometrist who made significant contributions to the Mildura community, especially in relation to the arts, and to Australian Defence Science.

Details

Born in 1905 in England, Reg Etherington's family migrated to Australia in 1912. Reg Etherington completed his secondary school education in Melbourne and completed his degree in optometry by correspondence while undertaking an apprenticeship in watchmaking and jewellery in Mildura. In 1929 Reg Etherington established his own Jewellery business.

Etherington's focus shifted during world war two and the cold war to the development of lenses for military use. In 1949 Etherington was contracted to make optical lenses for military use by the Department of Supply, established Etherington Optical Co in the process. Etherington Optical co was located in a Nissan hut behind a local Chinese restaurant. From 1961 onwards Etherington focused on community work and served on numerous boards and was even Mayor of Mildura from 1954 to 1956. He played a key role in the establishment in several galleries and artistic spaces and programs in regional Victoria. He formed and chaired the Victorian Regional Art Galleries Association, was involved in the establishment of the Mildura Arts Centre, Geelong Performing Arts Centre and Mildura Sculpturescapes. He was also active on a number of educational boards such as the Mildura High School Advisory Council and the Mildura and District Education Committee (MADEC).

Reg Etherington received an OBE in 1972 in recognition of service to the community and arts, and his contribution to the Old Mildura Homestead project is commemorated by a rose garden.

Chronology

1924 - c. 1929

Career position - Apprentice, Mildura Watchmaker and Jeweller

c. 1924 - 1931

Education - Part-time, Fellow of the Victorian Optical Association

1929 - 1932

Career position - Owner, Jewellery Business, Mildura

1939

Career Position - Mildura Infectious Diseases Hospital

c. 1942 - c. 1945

Career position - Minor Industries War Agricultural Committee

1949 - c. 1959

Career position - Contracted Optical Business, Etherington Optical co, Department of Supply, Commonwealth Government of Australia

c. 1953 - c. 1959

Career position - Owner, Etherington Optical co., Mildura

1954 - 1956

Career position - Mayor, Mildura Rural City Council, Victoria

1961 - 1967

Career Position - Mildura High School Advisory Council

1970s - c. 2000

Career Position - Established and chaired, Victorian Regional Art Galleries Association (RGAV) became the Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV) in 1995

1972

Award - Officer, Order of the British Empire (OBE), Britain

1972 - 1974

Career Position - Mildura and District Education Committee

Published resources

Journal Articles

• Edgar, Don, 'Obituary: Reginald Robert Etherington', Clinical and Experimental Optometry, 83 (4) (2000), 234 - 235. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1444-0938.2000.tb05008.x. Details

Newspaper Articles

• 'Mildura has new Mayor', The Argus (1954), 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23421801. Details

Resources

• Mr. Mildura: Reg Etherington, Patricia Edgar and Don Edgar, Transcript of La Trobe University Lecture delivered in Mildura, 28 August 2011it. http://www.patriciaedgaranddonedgar.com/Content/Speech/mrmildura. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Reg Etherington', in Monument Australia, http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/community/display/106151-reg-etherington. Details