Browne, William Rowan (1884 - 1975)

Summary

William Browne, the husband of Ida Brown, was assistant-professor/reader in geology at the University of Sydney 1923-1949. 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.

Chronology

1922

Career event - Elected Associate Member (Geology), Australian National Research Council

1928

Career event - Elected Member (Geology), Australian National Research Council

1928 - 1929

Career position - President, Linnean Society of New South Wales

1954

Award - Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1956

Award - Royal Society of New South Wales Medal

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 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 13: 1940 - 1980 A-De, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1993), pp. 280-282. 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, 99 (1966), 1-4. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Presidential address', Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, 67 (1934), 1-95. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Obituary: George Davenport Osborne', Australian Journal of Science, 18 (2) (1955), 52-53. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Obituary: Dr. W. G. Woolnough', Australian Journal of Science, 21 (5) (1958), 135-136. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Sir Edgeworth David, 1858-1934', The Sydney University Gazette, 1 (1958), 214-216. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Obituary: Professor W. N. Benson, FRS', Australian Journal of Science, 20 (6) (1958), 175-176. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Obituary - Professor L. A. Cotton', Australian Journal of Science, 26 (3) (1963), 81-82. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Obituary: Griffith Taylor', Australian Journal of Science, 26 (10) (1964), 318-319. Details
• Browne, W. R., 'Some Builders of Geology in New South Wales', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, 2 (1) (1971), 29-50. 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, 28 (1961), 100-109. Details
• H. J. C. [ie Herbert J. Carter] and W. R. B. [ie William R. Browne], 'Tannatt William Edgeworth David, 1858 - 1934 (Memorial series, no. 6)', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 61 (5/6) (1936), 341-57. Details
• Vallance, T. G., 'William Rowan Browne, 1884 - 1975 (Memorial series, no. 24)', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 102 (2) (1977), 76-84. Details
• Vallance, T. G., 'William Rowan Browne 1884-1975', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, 4 (1) (1979), 65-81. http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9790410065.htm. Details
• W. R. B. [i.e. Browne, W. R.] and A. B. W. [i.e. Walkom, A. B.], 'Ernest Clayton Andrews 1870 - 1948 (Memorial series, no. 13.)', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 77 (1952), 98-103. Details
• W. R. B. [ie William R. Browne], 'William Noel Benson, 1885 - 1957 (Memorial series, no. 16)', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 84 (3) (1960), 403-9. Details
• W. R. B. and A. B. W. [ie William R. Browne and Arthur B. Walkom], 'Ernest Clayton Andrews, 1870-1948 (Memorial series, no. 13)', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 77 (3/4) (1952), 98-103. Details
• W. R. Browne [ie William R. Browne], 'George Davenport Osborne, 1899-1955 (Memorial series, no. 15)', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 82 (2) (1957), 252-256, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34928533. Details

Resources

• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/93228833. Details
• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q8017803. Details
• Geological Society of Australia, Australian geology hall of fame, Earth Sciences History Group, Geological Society of Australia, 2022. https://www.gsa.org.au/Public/Public/Specialist_Groups/ESHG_Sub_Pages/ESHG_Biographies.aspx?hkey=1bfc25ca-efd5-4f91-9536-dabf175139ce. Details
• 'Browne, W R (1884-1884)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-560863. Details

Resource Sections

• 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, https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/fellows/biographical-memoirs/william-rowan-browne-1884-1975. Details