MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION


MS 046 – WATT, ROBERT DICKIE (1881-1965)

Biographical note

Emeritus Professor Sir Robert Dickie Watt, MA, BSc (Agr), NDA (Hons), NDD, FAIRS.

Born 23 April 1881 and brought up on a ‘mixed’ farm in Ayrshire, Scotland with dairying as chief enterprise. From 16 to 19 years of age he worked on his father’s farm intending to be a farmer. From 19 to 24 years of age, he studied at Glasgow University and West of Scotland Agricultural College.

Degrees Obtained: Master of Arts
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Diplomas Obtained: National Diploma in Agriculture with 1st Class Honours and Gold Medal for 1st place in examination open to candidates from all universities and agricultural colleges in the United Kingdom
National Diploma in Dairying

1905: Awarded Carnegie Research Fellowship

1905-07: Carried out research work at the world renowned Rothamsted Experimental Station

1910-46: Professor of Agriculture at the University of Sydney, occupant of the first chair of Agriculture in any Australian university. Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture from 1920-46 (when he retired)

1960: Knighted

Outside Activities:

Member of the executive committee of the Advisory Council of Science and Industry, which planned the successful campaign against the prickly-pear

Chairman of the “Bunchytop Bananas” Committee which saved the banana industry from threatened extinction

Chairman of the Murray Lands Commission which resulted in the settlement of the successful Coomealla Irrigation Area

Member of the Sydney University Senate

Trustee of the Public Library of New South Wales for 30 years

Member of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Chairman of the New South Wales State Committee for 20 years

Foundation member, past President, Fellow and honorary life member of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science

President of Section K of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science

President of the Royal Society of New South Wales

Member of the Executive of the Australian National Research Council for 30 years

Honours Gained:

Knighted in 1960

Honorary Life Member of the Royal Society of New South Wales

Honorary Life Member of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales

Fellow and Honorary Life Member of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science

Farrer Memorial Medallist

Title of Emeritus Professor conferred by the University of Sydney for long and distinguished service

Positions Held After Retirement:

Director of Lustre Hosiery Ltd

Scientific Adviser to Anderson’s Seed Ltd

Scientific Adviser to “Men of the Land” Society

Author of book The romance of the Australian land industries

Died: 10 April 1965


Series 1. Biographical Notes

1/1

Notes of life and achievements (2 copies)


1/2

Extracts from the Australian and British Who’s Who


Series 2. Reports of University of Sydney

2/1

Report to the Senate of the University of Sydney by the Professor of Agriculture of the year 1910 (RDW)


2/2

Report no 1, University of Sydney, School of Agriculture December 1955


Series 3. Speeches by RDW

3/1

“My most unforgettable character” - about Sir T W Edgeworth David, KBE, CMG, DSO, BA (Oxon), DSc, FRS


3/2

“The conservation of our natural resources”. Address given to the Rotary Club of Sydney


3/3

Presidential Address delivered to the Royal Society of New South Wales on 5 May 1926. Reprinted from the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of NSW, vol LX


3/4

“A day in Rome” 1927


3/5

“The Sydney University School of Agriculture” 1960


3/6

Speech given in reply to a toast at his farewell dinner, December 1946; also circular with a description of the dinner


Series 4. Introductions of RDW by Government

4/1

From the Commonwealth of Australia November 1919


4/2

From NSW State Government November 1919


Series 5. Correspondence Concerning RDW’s Career

5/1

Correspondence concerning the positions held on various committees, life membership and authorship 1921-64


5/2

Correspondence concerning the death of RDW 1965


Series 6. Photographs

6/1

Gathering with Governor-General and other dignitaries. Undated


6/2

Formal group. Undated


Series 7. Newspaper Articles by and about RDW

7/1

Articles about RDW 1910-65


7/2

Articles written by RDW 1949-62

5cm