Henry Caselli Richards, Foundation Professor of Geology, University of Queensland by Dr

Henry Caselli Richards, Foundation Professor of Geology, University of Queensland by Dr. Bruce Martin. https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:732831 Presentation at the Queensland History Group talk, 9 November 2010. Introduction It is with much pleasure and pride that I deliver this short talk which is to inform you of certain facts and insights into the life of Henry Caselli Richards, a man who was a great Queenslander and who was my grandfather. Those people, who were acquainted with HCR’s professional career and activities, would often say, “gee he did a lot of things”. So when I researched his life for the purpose of this presentation I found that he did indeed “do a lot of things”. Therefore, I am going to tell you something of his life in the limited time available. I can assure you that the preparation has been a rewarding and humbling experience, and I am grateful to Owen for extending this invitation to speak. I would also like to express gratitude to Jack Woods who is here to-night and who was a student of Henry Caselli Richards when he did a full course in geology, and who told me of his reputation and abilities and other matters about the man. Professor John Jell, who unfortunately is unable to be here as he is on Heron Island poor fellow, has been extremely helpful in providing information, particularly with respect to the early days of reef research. John has taken on the mantle of chief reef researcher after Dorothy Hill who in turn took over from HCR. He was firstly a practical geologist He was an academic and a scientist and an inspiring teacher and leader, particularly within the University of Queensland He was also a forceful and resolute committee man, advising the University, Governments, Scientific bodies and Art galleries. He was a loving and considerate family man and a real gentleman. It is a great shame that he died in 1947 at the age of 63 when he still had so much more to offer the community and his family. Henry Caselli Richards was born in Melton Victoria on 16 December 1884. His father, Benjamin who was head of the local primary school was married to Jane Sargent. There were five boys and HCR was the second born. He was always “Harry” to his family and close friends. His grandfather, another Benjamin, was a pioneer in the dairying industry in the South Gippsland region of Victoria. After attending his father’s school, HCR went to the Box Hill Grammar School where he excelled in sport and academically, and so was made school captain. In 1904, HCR enrolled as a student at the University of Melbourne studying geology and chemistry. Here he came under the influence of Ernest Willington Skeats from Southampton who had just been appointed to head the new department of geology. His association with Skeats for whom he 1 always retained a great admiration and high regard was to prove a very important influence throughout his life and was reflected in his methods of teaching, and in his essentially practical outlook on all things geological. HCR, an exceptional student, graduated BSc in 1906. He remained at the University taking the Dixon Final Honours Scholarship in 1907, obtaining his Masters. After university, he spent a year in Broken Hill working with the Bavay Zinc Treatment Company, and was therefore introduced to the novel process of treating ores by the flotation process. Upon his return to Melbourne, he took up the Caroline Kay Research Scholarship, and so spent two years investigating the building stones of Victoria, writing a paper on the topic. Ultimately, he became the acknowledged Australian authority on building stones. In 1910, HCR came to Brisbane to take up an appointment as lecturer at The Central Technical College. He had hardly settled into that position when he transferred to the newly established University of Queensland as lecturer in charge of the Department of Geology. Incidentally, when in Broken Hill, HCR befriended one Arthur Christian, a mining engineer. Arthur was injured in a mining accident, so was in hospital, to be visited there by his mother Violet Christian and Arthur’s sister Grace, from Melbourne. So Harry met Grace and they were married in St. Georges Anglican Church Malvern early in 1911. 2 Henry Caselli Richards and the University of Queensland There was a move in the colony of Queensland to form a university. The discussions on this matter went on for thirty or forty years as there was considerable resistance from a number of quarters both within and outside government, on various pretexts. Finally, the University Act was given Royal Assent, and Government House was requisitioned for use as the University building. Even though Sir William MacGregor lost his home, he accepted the post of Chancellor. He was given another home. A Senate appointed by Order in Council on 14 April 1910 of twenty members, sat for the first time on 22 April 1910 and set about appointing the first professors. These appointments were made later in 1910, and they commenced to equip and staff their respective departments. Lecturers were then appointed, including HCR in geology and mineralogy taking up his appointment on 21 March 1911. So this is how the University was at that time. The University took students in 1911 and there were about eighty, including part time and external. There was a great celebration called the Inaugural Ceremony on Thursday 1st June 1911 at the Exhibition Hall in Gregory Terrace. Richards was one of those early appointees to the University of Queensland who continued to have an enduring interest in its welfare and development, so ensuring a foundation for the thriving world-class educational institution, which now, as Queenslanders, gives us much pride. HCR was elevated to Professor in 1919 together with Parnell, Mayo and Harvey Johnstone, retaining his position as head of the department, until his death. The staff in 1922. He was highly regarded as a teacher and researcher, was very much at home on excursions with his students, and he enthusiastically participated in social and sporting activities. HCR appeared very young, so much so that on one of the excursions to a quarry, the quarry master asked him when his father was to arrive. He therefore took to wearing a large pith helmet on excursions so that this became his badge of office. He was generally known as “the Prof.” Grace would accompany the group on camps as “chaperone.” indicate Grace Soon after commencing at the University, he embarked upon the large task of charting the volcanic rocks of South East Queensland. The resulting paper was presented to the Royal Society of Queensland, and earned him his Doctorate of Science from the University of Melbourne. He built the Department of Geology until it was numerically the largest geology department in Australia He was respected by his students as a lucid lecturer and teacher. Several of his students returned to the department after completing study at Cambridge as the holders of prestigious scholarships. These included Walter Bryan, Freddie Whitehouse and Research 3 Professor Dorothy Hill. Walter Brian remained with HCR in the Department, and upon his death succeeded him as Professor, and head of the Department. He was a clear thinking committee person so held numerous positions in the University, including Dean of the Science faculty, Chairman of the Academic Board, was on the Senate, and was the appointed as the first Deputy Chancellor. He was prominent in the “site debate” always being a keen proponent of the St Lucia option as opposed to the Victoria Park alternative. At the landmark meeting of the Senate on 10 December 1926 he seconded the narrowly successful motion that the University should move to the St Lucia site in preference to Victoria Park, even though it had land there. The Building and Grounds Sub- Committee of which HCR was Chairman was given the task of planning the St Lucia campus. However, nothing happened until the State Government made funds available under the Premiership of Forgan Smith. Sydney Architects Hennessy and Hennessy were appointed to draw up a plan, which is the basis of what we have to-day the principal feature being the Great Court with the separate buildings linked with the colonnade. The foundation stone was laid by Forgan Smith on 6 March 1937. It is known that HCR identified a geological fault through the site of the tower where the foundation stone was set. The foundations therefore had to be substantially reinforced so that the foundation stone found a new place, which is inside the main entrance foyer of the Forgan Smith building. 4 The University Buildings, St Lucia I am given to understand that the architects for the new university were keen on a stone from New South Wales as the firm Hennessy and Hennessy was a Sydney firm. There had always been reluctance by architects to utilise banded sandstone, as its appearance was considered to be not pleasing in comparison with the more uniform appearance that had been selected for public buildings up to that time. HCR could see no reason for rejecting the multi-coloured banded sandstone, as it was cheaper, having been discarded in the past, and on testing, it was equal to or surpassed the stone of more uniform colour with which it was compared. He wrote a report in relation to Queensland stones, which he held, would serve admirably in the construction. His opinions were accepted, so the multi-coloured iron banding appearance is what we enjoy to-day, sitting on the suggested granite for the base course.

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