John Gilruth | |
|---|---|
 John Gilruth 1912 | |
| Born | (1871-02-17)17 February 1871 Auchmithie, Scotland |
| Died | 4 March 1937(1937-03-04) (aged 66) South Yarra, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | veterinary scientist |
| Known for | Administrator of the Northern Territory from 1912 to 1918 |
John Anderson GilruthFRSE (17 February 1871 – 4 March 1937) was a Scottish-Australianveterinary scientist and administrator. He is particularly noted for beingAdministrator of the Northern Territory from 1912 to 1918, when he was recalled after an angry mob demanded that he resign. This incident is known as theDarwin Rebellion.
John Anderson Gilruth[1] was born inAuchmithie nearArbroath on 17 February 1871, the son of Andrew Gilruth.[2]
He was educated atArbroath High School and theHigh School of Dundee, then served two years as clerk to an Arbroath solicitor before going to Glasgow Veterinary College, now the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at theUniversity of Glasgow in 1887. He was admitted to membership of theRoyal College of Veterinary Surgeons,London, in 1892.[3]
After qualifying, Gilruth then accepted appointment as a government veterinary surgeon inNew Zealand and moved there in 1893. He spent three years investigating stock diseases, then went toParis, France, to spend a year studyingbacteriology at thePasteur Institute.[3]
In 1896, on returning to New Zealand, he was appointed chief veterinarian and governmentbacteriologist. He was appointed to a royal commission on public health and subsequently, in 1901,pathologist in the new Department of Public Health.[3]
In 1907 he was elected afellow of theRoyal Society of Edinburgh; his proposers wereFrederick Hobday, SirJohn McFadyean,John Berry Haycraft, and SirEdward Albert Sharpey-Schafer.[2]
In 1908, he accepted the foundation chair ofveterinary pathology at theUniversity of Melbourne.[3]
In 1911 the Australian Prime MinisterAndrew Fisher invited him to join a scientific mission to theNorthern Territory withWalter Baldwin Spencer (the 1911 Preliminary Scientific Expedition). On this trip he was inspired by the potential for economic development there through mining, crop-growing and pastoralism and, based on this, he accepted the position of Administrator in 1912; he was the first Commonwealth Government appointed Administrator.[4] In the role Gilruth was frustrated and felt that, despite potential, there were unrealistically high hopes for economic development which meant that every set-back was doubly condemned.[5]
On 17 December 1918 public discontent with John peaked in what is now known as theDarwin Rebellion. This rebellion was led byHarold Nelson, and it saw over 1,000 demonstrators march onGovernment House where they burnt aneffigy of him.[3][6]
Gilruth and his family left Darwin soon afterwards, in February 1919.[3]
Soon after he began working for the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, now theCSIRO in a number of roles.[3]
He retired in 1935.[3]
Gilruth published many studies and articles on veterinary research in professional journals.[3]
The following book has also been published about him:
In 1933 he was elected president of theAustralian Veterinary Association, and in 1936 was awarded honorary membership.[3]
Gilruth died of a respiratory infection on 4 March 1937 at his home atSouth Yarra,Melbourne.[3]
Several entities were named in his honour:
Aportrait of Gilruth, painted byWill Longstaff, hangs in the Australian Animal Health Laboratory inGeelong, Victoria.[3]
Gilruth marriedJeannie McLean McKay on 20 March 1899 atDunedin, New Zealand.[9] A son and two daughters survived him.[3]
