P000787 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human McCarthy, G.J. and Helen Cohn updated 2025-12-02 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000787b.htm person Smith John CMG AACR2 12 December 1821 12 October 1885 Place of Birth Peterculter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Place of Death Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Chemist University Administrator Member of Parliament John Smith travelled to New South Wales in 1852 to become Professor of Chemistry and Experimental Physics at the University of Sydney. He was the first professor of chemistry in Australia. The lectures he delivered were largely on current theories of chemical structure, but also on water analyses, one of his principal interests, and photography, in which field he was highly talented. Smith's colleagues at the University included A. M. Thomson and Archibald Liversidge. In 1881 Smith relinquished the professorship of chemistry, while remaining in the Chair of Experimental Physics for another four years. He was a Member of the University Senate and Dean of Medicine, both for over 25 years, although he opposed the establishment of a School of Medicine. Smith was active in civic and cultural affairs of the colony. Respected as an analyst, he advocated against the use of lead and tin alloys in water reticulation systems and chaired the New South Wales Royal Commission Sydney's water supply. A member of the Philosophical Society of New South Wales, he played a leading role in its transformation into the Royal Society of New South Wales, later serving two terms as President. He was heavily involved in reforms to public education as Member of National Board of Education, and was President of Council of Education nine times between 1866 and 1880. Smith was also a Trustee of the Australian Museum, Chairman of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, and a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. 1843 1843 Education - MA, Marischal College, Aberdeen, Scotland 1844 1844 Education - MD, Marischal College, Aberdeen, Scotland 1852 1856 Career position - Member, Australian Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Science, Commerce and Agriculture 1852 1860 Career position - Trustee, Australian Museum 1852 1881 Career position - Professor of Chemistry and Experimental Physics, University of Sydney September 1852 September 1852 Life event - Arrived in New South Wales 1853 1866 Career position - Member, Board of National Education, New South Wales 1855 1860 Career position - Secretary, Philosophical Society of New South Wales 1856 1866 Career position - Member, Philosophical Society of New South Wales 1856 1883 Career position - Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Unversity of Sydney 1856 1885 Career position - Examiner in Medicine, University of Sydney 1861 1885 Career position - Member of the Senate (ex officio), University of Sydney 1862 1862 Career position - Secretary, Philosophical Society of New South Wales 1864 1866 Career position - Member of Council, Philosophical Society of New South Wales 1864 1873 Career position - Member of the Board, Australian Mutual Provident Society 1865 1872 Career position - Trustee, Australian Museum 1866 1867 Career position - Honorary Treasurer, Sydney Infirmary and Dispensary 1866 1885 Career position - Member, Royal Society of New South Wales 1867 1869 Career position - President, Commission inquiring into the supply of water to Sydney and its suburbs 1873 1880 Career position - Chairman, Australian Mutual Provident Society July 1874 1877? Career position - Member of Legislative Council (appointed), Parliament of New South Wales 1875 1875 Career position - Member, Royal Commission on the Sydney and Suburban Sewerage and Water Supply 1876 1876 Award - LLD honoris causa, University of Aberdeen, Scotland 1877 1885 Career position - Member (life appointment), Legislative Council, Parliament of New South Wales 1878 1878 Award - Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) 1880 1881 Career position - President, Royal Society of New South Wales 1881 1885 Career position - Professor of Experimental Physics, University of Sydney 1883 1884 Career position - President, Royal Society of New South Wales 1883 1885 Career position - Chairman, Australian Mutual Provident Society Thomson, Alexander Morrison (1841 - 1871) Liversidge, Archibald (1846 - 1927) The University of Sydney (1850 - )

Professor of Chemistry and Experimental Physics 1852-1881; Dean, Faculty of Medicine 1856 - 1883; Member of the Senate 1861 - 1885

 Australian Museum (1827 - )

Trustee 1852 - 1860, 1865 - 1872

 Royal Society of New South Wales (1866 - )

President 1880- 1881, 1883 - 1884

 Philosophical Society of New South Wales (1856 - 1866)

Member 1856 - 1866; Member of Council 1864 - 1866

 Australian Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Science, Commerce and Agriculture (1850 - 1856)

Member 1852 - 1856

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Smith, John (18211212-18851012)

Trove

 'Smith, John', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Smith, John Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource: Early Chemists of Sydney McKern, H. H. G. Early Chemists of Sydney 2006 Resource Section: Smith, John Smith, John Australian Science Archives Project 1995 Physics in Australia to 1945 R.W. Home, with the assistance of Paula J. Needham Book Section: Smith, John (1821-1885), professor of chemistry and experimental physics Hoare, Michael; Radford, Joan T. Smith, John (1821-1885), professor of chemistry and experimental physics Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1976 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 6: 1851 - 1890 R - Z Bede Nairn 148-150 Edited Book: University and Community in Nineteenth Century Sydney: Professor John Smith, 1821-1885 MacLeod, R. University and Community in Nineteenth Century Sydney: Professor John Smith, 1821-1885 Sydney University of Sydney Press 1988 Journal Article: The Photography of Professor John Smith MacMillan, D. The Photography of Professor John Smith 1962 Union Recorder 20 September Journal Article: Early Photographic Processes and the John Smith Collection Burke, K. Early Photographic Processes and the John Smith Collection 1959 Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute 26 354-355 Journal Article: John Smith, First Professor of Chemistry in Australia Le Fevre, R.J.W. John Smith, First Professor of Chemistry in Australia 1959 The Royal Australian Chemical Institute Proceedings 26 348-353 Journal Article: Professor John Smith and the Beginnings of Photography in Australia. MacMillan, David S. Professor John Smith and the Beginnings of Photography in Australia. 1959 The Royal Australian Chemical Institute Proceedings 26 242-247 Journal Article: Anniversary Address Smith, J. Anniversary Address 1881 Journal and proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 15 1-20 Journal Article: Opening address to the Royal Society, delivered at its first meeting, 12th May, 1871 Smith, J. Opening address to the Royal Society, delivered at its first meeting, 12th May, 1871 1872 Transactions of the Royal Society of New South Wales [5] 1-14 Journal Article: President's Address Liversidge, Archibald President's Address 1886 Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 20 1-41 Journal Article: Anniversary adress Liversidge, Professor Anniversary adress 1886 Journal and proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 20 1-41 Resource: Members of NSW Parliament Parliament of New South Wales Members of NSW Parliament Sydney Parliament of New South Wales 2025 Resource: Science and the making of Victoria Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre Science and the making of Victoria 2001 John (1) Smith - Records University of Sydney, Archives John (1) Smith - Records 1852 - 1881 A small collection of letters and about 400 wet plate negatives c1852-81. H. Parkes - Records Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales H. Parkes - Records A925 H. Parkes letters. Includes correspondence with Andrew Ross, John Stewart, Alfred Roberts, John Smith, Charles Alfred Topp, Ferdinand Mueller, William Woolls and Edmond Marin la Meslee.