Holmes, James Macdonald (1896 - 1966)

Summary

Macdonald Holmes was a leading Australian geographer and a pioneer in applied geography. He saw his discipline as the study of land in relation to people. His main fields of research included urban studies, regional planning and development, soil erosion and conservation. Such was his expertise that he was respected as an advisor to government on conservation and planning. In 1933 he participated in the Royal Commission into boundaries for Australian states. Among his most important publications were works on soil erosion; a text book for secondary school students; and a history of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the New South Wales branch of which he was instrumental in establishing. For over 30 years Holmes held the chair of geography at the University of Sydney and was instrumental in building up his department and raising the profile of geography. He was noted as a mentor of students. He actively participated in the wider scientific community, serving terms as President of the Linnean and Geographical Societies of New South Wales. The Macdonald Holmes Memorial Medal has been awarded since 1977 by the Geogra[hical Society of New South Wales to recognise distinguished contributions in the field of geographical education in Australia.

Details

Chronology

1915 - 1919

Career position - Served with the Royal Navy

1925

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Glasgow, Scotland

1927 - 1929

Career position - Lecturer, Armstrong College, Newcastle, United Kingdom

1927 - 1966

Career position - Fellow, Royal Geographical Society, London

1930 - 1933

Career position - President, Geographical Society of New South Wales

1930 - 1945

Career position - Professor of Geography, University of Sydney

1932

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

1935

Career event - Helped found N.S.W. Branch, Royal Flying Doctor Service

1935

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Glasgow, Scotland

1939 - 1940

Career position - President, Linnean Society of New South Wales

1945 - 1961

Career position - McCaughey Chair of Geography, University of Sydney

1947 - 1948

Career position - Vice-President, Royal Flying Doctor Service

1949 - 1951

Career position - President, Federal Council, Royal Flying Doctor Service

Related entries

Published resources

Books

• Bilton, John, in association with Brunt, Joan and Holmes, J. Macdonald, The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia: its origin, growth and development (Sydney: Federal Council, Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, 1961), 257 pp. Details
• Holmes, J. M. and Andrews, J. H., Descriptive geography for secondary schools, 2 vols (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1932-1943). Details
• Holmes, J. Macdonald, The geographical basis of government specially applied to New South Wales (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1944), 168 pp. Details
• Holmes, J. Macdonald, Soil erosion in Australia and New Zealand (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1946), 296 pp. Details
• Holmes, J. Macdonald, The Murray Valley: a reconnaissance of the Murray Valley and a new design for University of Technology Sydney regional organization (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1948), 280 pp. Details
• Holmes, J. Macdonald, Australia's open north: a study of northern Australia bearing on the urgency of the times (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1963), 505 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Walsh, G. P., 'Holmes, James MacDonald (1896-1966), Geographer' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 14: 1940 - 1980 Di-Kel, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1996), pp. 472-473. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A140543b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Maze, W. H., 'Obituary: James Macdonald Holmes', Australian Journal of Science, 29 (4) (1967), 104-105. Details
• Powell, J. M., 'James Macdonald Holmes, 1896-1966', Geographers: Bibliographical Studies, 7 (1983), 51-55. Details
• Thorpe, E. W., 'James Macdonald Holmes 1896 - 1966', Australian geographical studies, 5 (1067), 85-6. Details
• Warner, R. F., 'An intimate history of leadership: Sydney University's Department of Geography, 1921 - 1997', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 144 (2022), 255-70, https://openjournals.library.sydney.edu.au/LIN/article/view/17116. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q24228074. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/94721923. Details
• 'Holmes, J Macdonald (1896-1966)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-629087. Details