Agar, Wilfred Eade (1882 - 1951)

Summary

Wilfred Agar was Professor of Zoology at the University of Melbourne from 1919-1948 where he introduced the disciplines of cytology and genetics. A graduate of King's College, Cambridge, he demonstrated in zoology in Glasgow and spent some time in Paraguay prior to coming to Australia.

Details

Wilfred Agar obtained a Masters of Arts (zoology major) from Kings College, Cambridge. Upon completing his studies he had a brief stint in the Natural History section of the British Museum, then took up a demonstrating job with the Zoology Department of the University of Glasgow in 1904. This was the start of a distinguished career in teaching and research in genetics and cytology. His early work was on the embryology of the lungfishes Lepidosiren and Protopterus which led to a fellowship from King's Collage and funding from the Royal Society and the Balfour Fund, Cambridge for an exploration to the very inhospitable and inaccessible Gran Chaco in Paraguay.

In 1915 Agar's research was halted when he was enlisted to fight in World War I. He was made captain of the 5th Battalion and sent to Gallipoli (June 1915) and Egypt. While in Egypt (Alexandria) Agar become ill (enteric fever) and was sent back to England where he remained in army service until 1918. He migrated to Australia with his wife and children in 1919 to take up the Chair of Zoology at the University of Melbourne. This was a hectic role in the early days as Agar was the sole lecturer and main practical teacher. Agar eventually employed more staff to cover some of these duties so he could start up his research again. He was one of the first in Australia to discuss gene inheritance in cattle which lead to the introduction of applying genetic selection in animal breeding. During his 30 odd years at the University, Wilfred Agar rejected three offers to chair at British universities, he was a long-term council member, dean of the faculty of science twice, chair of the professorial board and councillor, then president, of the Royal Society of Victoria. During 1923-47 Agar and family lived in one of the original professors' houses, which he and his wife named 'Clyde'. His watercolour of Clyde' was used by the University of Melbourne Alumni and Development Unit for its 1997 Christmas card.

Chronology

1903

Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Zoology, University of Cambridge, UK

1904 - 1914

Career position - Zoology Demonstrator, Glasgow University, Scotland

1907

Education - Master of Arts (MA) in Zoology, University of Cambridge, UK

1907

Career event - Expedition to collect samples for cytology in Gran Chaco, Paraguay

1907 - 1913

Award - Fellow of King's College Cambridge, UK

1908

Life event - Married Elizabeth MacDonald in Glasgow

1914 - 1918

Military service - Captain of the 5th Battalion with the Highland Light Infantry

1918 - 1919

Career position - Zoology Demonstrator, Glasgow University, Scotland

1919

Life event - Migrated to Melbourne, to take up Chair of Zoology, University of Melbourne

c. 1919

Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), Glasgow University

1919 - 1948

Career position - Professor of Zoology, University of Melbourne

1920

Career event - Cytology text book published in London

1921 -

Career position - Foundation Councillor (Zoology), Australian National Research Council

1922

Award - Doctor of Science (DSc), honoris causa, University of Melbourne

1924

Career position - President, Section D (Zoology), Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science

1927 - 1928

Career position - President, Royal Society of Victoria

1930

Career position - President, Section N (Physiology and Experimental Biology), Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science

1931 - 1934

Career position - Chairman, Professorial Board, University of Melbourne

1937

Career event - Fellow, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS)

1939

Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) - Professor of Zoology at the University of Melbourne

1943

Career event - A Contribution to the Theory of the Living Organism published in Melbourne

1948

Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - Professor of Zoology at Melbourne University

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Wilfred Eade Agar - Records, 1907 - 1951, MS 001; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Wellcome Collection

• Victoria Eugenics Society, 1940 - 1961, SA/EUG/E.4; Eugenics Society [SA/EUG]; Wellcome Collection. Details
• Victoria Eugenics Society, 1914 - 1939, SA/EUG/E.3; Eugenics Society [SA/EUG]; Wellcome Collection. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• Exhibition Papers, A Bright Sparcs Exhibition, Australian Science Archives Project, 1997, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/papers/exhib_papers.htm. Details
• Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, 2012, http://www.eoas.info/basser_browse.html. Details

Book Sections

• Drummond, F. H., 'Agar, Wilfred Eade (1882-1951), zoologist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 7: 1891 - 1939 A-Ch, Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle, eds (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1979), pp. 16-17. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070017b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Agar, W. E., 'Obituary: Dr. Georgina Sweet', Australian Journal of Science, 9 (1) (1946), 15. Details
• Kerr, J. G., 'Obituary: Professor W. E. Agar', Nature, 168 (1951). Details
• Tiegs, O. W., 'Obituary: Wilfred Eade Agar', Australian Journal of Science, 14 (2) (1951), 49. Details

Resources

• Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society [Online resource], Royal Society of London, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.1952.0001. Details
• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q3568178. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/91227116. Details
• 'Agar, W E (1882-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-458077. Details
• 'Awarded honorary DSc, 1922', Honorary degree holders, University of Melbourne, 2023, https://about.unimelb.edu.au/notable-alumni-staff/honorary-degree-holders. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Agar, Wilfred Eade - Ms 1', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms001.html. Details

See also

• Carey, Jane, Taking to the field: a history of Australian women in science (Clayton, Vic.: Monash University Press, 2023), 297 pp. Details
• Hill, Dorothy, 'Edwin Sherbon Hills, 1906-1986', Historical Records of Australian Science, 7 (1) (1987), 79-95. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9870710079. Details
• Mellor, D.P., 'Optical Munitions', Chapter 12 in Australia in the War of 1939-1945, Series 4: Civil, volume 5 'The Role of Science and Industry', Canberra: Australian War Memorial, 1958 (1958). http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/papers/mellor.htm. Details