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1. School of Chemistry
2. About us
3. History of the School

HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY

On this page

* The School of Chemistry: a timeline
* Chemistry cultural collection
* John Macadam
* John Drummond Kirkland
* David Orme Masson
* Albert Cherbury David Rivett
* Ernst Johannes Hartung

THE FIRST LECTURES IN CHEMISTRY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE WERE GIVEN IN
1856, ONLY THREE YEARS AFTER THE UNIVERSITY WAS FOUNDED.

Dr John Macadam, a government analyst, was the first lecturer in chemistry. He
held a part-time appointment and lectured to medical students. In 1882, John
Drummond Kirkland was appointed the first Professor of Chemistry. In 1886,
Kirkland was succeeded by David Orme Masson, appointed from the University of
Edinburgh, after an extensive international search. Masson (later Sir David Orme
Masson) led the School from 1886 to 1923, establishing chemistry as a discipline
in its own right and creating a thriving research School.

The present-day entrance to the Chemistry building.

Among Masson's many accomplishments were the establishment of the Society of
Chemical Industry in Victoria (1900) and the Melbourne University Chemical
Society (MUCS, 1903), the first of the University Chemical Societies in
Australia. Masson Road and the Masson Theatre in Chemistry commemorate the
Masson years.

Following Masson's retirement, the School was led first by David Rivett and then
by Ernst Hartung from 1928 to 1952, who secured the necessary funding and
oversaw the building of the chemistry buildings that house the teaching
activities of the School today.

Since Hartung's years, the School has grown rapidly and now has approximately 90
academic and professional staff involved in teaching and research, with 2500
undergraduates enrolled in chemistry subjects and 150 BSc (Hons), MSc and
postgraduate research students.

In 2005, the $100 million Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology
was opened. It incorporates state-of-the-art research laboratories for several
research groups in the School of Chemistry, fostering research in a dynamic
interdisciplinary environment.

From late 2007 the School has undergone a major refurbishment with modern
teaching laboratories in the West wing and new research laboratories in the East
wing completed in 2014.

THE SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY: A TIMELINE

1856

First lectures in Chemistry at the University of Melbourne.

1862

John Macadam appointed the first lecturer of Chemistry, taught within the
Medical School.

1882

John Drummond Kirkland appointed Professor of Chemistry.

1886 (till 1923)

David Orme Masson (later Sir David Orme Masson) appointed Professor of
Chemistry.

1888

The first research samples were produced in the School of Chemistry.

1895

The noble gas helium was discovered by Sir William Ramsay (University College,
London). He later presented a sample to the School of Chemistry.

1900

Society of Chemical Industry established in Victoria.

1903

Melbourne University Chemical Society established.

1907

The Sartorius Balance was purchased by Gustav Ampt. He was considered one of
Australia's finest analysts.

1911

A. C. David Rivett became a lecturer of Chemistry.

1919

E. J. Hartung became a lecturer of Chemistry.

1923 (till 1928)

David Rivett appointed Head of School.
David Orme Masson is knighted.

1924

A. C. David Rivett was appointed Professor of Chemistry.

1928 (till 1956)

Ernst Hartung appointed Head of School; and secured funding and oversaw the
building of the chemistry buildings during that tenure.

1934

Brownian Movement in colloidal solutions was recorded, for the first time in
history, on 35 mm film by E. J. Hartung.

A. C. David Rivett was knighted.

1938-40

The Chemistry building was constructed.

1940

During WWII the School of Chemistry was involved in the development and
manufacturing of optical glass.

2005

Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology was opened.

2007

The School of Chemistry undergoes a major building refurbishment with completion
in 2014.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[For further information about the history of the School of Chemistry see
'Masson of Melbourne' by Len Weickhardt, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
(1989); 'The Chemistry Department of the University of Melbourne - Its
Contribution to Australian Science 1854-1959' by Joan Radford, Hawthorn Press
(1978); 'Chemistry @ Melbourne 1960-2000' by Valda McRae, School of Chemistry,
University of Melbourne, (2008)]

CHEMISTRY CULTURAL COLLECTION

With such a long history, the School of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne
has accumulated an extensive cultural heritage collection of over 300 items
associated with teaching and research in the School from the 1850s to 1960s.

Small rotating exhibitions from the collection can be viewed on the Ground Floor
of the School of Chemistry building.

Visit Chemistry Cultural Collection website

John Macadam

JOHN MACADAM

John Macadam (b. 1827–d. 1865) was a Scottish-born analytical chemist, medical
practitioner and politician. As a student, he soon showed a flair for analytical
chemistry, and later studied medicine. He arrived in Melbourne in 1855 to take
up an appointment as a lecturer in chemistry and natural science at Scotch
College, a position he held until 1865.

In 1857 Ferdinand von Mueller named the Macadamia nut after him. He officiated
as one of two umpires at one of the earliest recorded games of Australian rules
football, between Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar in 1858.

Macadam was appointed government analytical chemist in 1858 and health officer
to the City of Melbourne in 1860. He represented Castlemaine in the Legislative
Assembly between 1859 and 1864. Appointed secretary of the Royal Society of
Victoria in 1860 and vice-president in 1863, he was also the secretary of the
exploration committee of the Burke and Wills expedition.

When the Medical School of the University of Melbourne opened in 1862 Macadam
was appointed lecturer in chemistry. He was a skilled, popular and eloquent
lecturer, learned and generous with his knowledge.

Sadly, just three years later, and aged only 38, he died at sea on the way to
give evidence at a murder trial in New Zealand, leaving his widow Elizabeth (née
Clark), and a son. He was accompanied on that voyage by his assistant, the
medical student John Drummond Kirkland, who later became the University’s first
Professor of Chemistry.

John Drummond Kirkland

JOHN DRUMMOND KIRKLAND

Born in Ireland, John Drummond Kirkland (b. 1836–d. 1885) trained as a chemical
analyst through an apprenticeship in a medical laboratory in Dublin, before
migrating to Australia in 1852 and moving to Melbourne in 1855. While still an
undergraduate medical student at the University of Melbourne, he was appointed
lecturer in chemistry following the sudden death of John Macadam in 1865. Due to
the enthusiastic support of his fellow students, this temporary role became a
permanent appointment the following year. Kirkland continued his studies,
graduating in medicine in 1873 and surgery in 1880. His son, John Booth
Kirkland, was appointed as his assistant in 1878, later leading to accusations
of nepotism.

In 1882 John Drummond Kirkland became the University’s first professor of
chemistry and metallurgy, continuing until his death in 1885. Today’s
researchers use a high-performance computing facility named ‘Kirkland’ after the
first Professor of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne.

Chemistry was still controlled by the medical school during Kirkland’s career,
but became part of the science degree from 1886, along with the appointment of
David Orme Masson as professor. Kirkland struggled for University funding to buy
new apparatus. To compensate, he bought much from his own personal funds,
including analytical chemistry equipment. Chemistry was first taught at
Melbourne in the medical school, located in the area now occupied by Physics and
the Ian Potter Museum of Art.

David Orme Masson

DAVID ORME MASSON

(Sir) David Orme Masson was Professor of Chemistry at the University of
Melbourne from 1886 to 1923. As well as being a distinguished teacher and
researcher, he contributed significantly to Australian scientific and public
life, being instrumental in the establishment and governance of many important
bodies including the CSIRO. Masson supported Antarctic research for 25 years,
beginning with Douglas Mawson’s expedition of 1911.

Born in England and receiving an MA, BSc and DSc from the University of
Edinburgh, he was a gifted, elegant and disciplined lecturer and a researcher of
substance. His research work included the theory of solutions, from which
emerged the term ‘critical solution temperature’; the periodic classification of
the elements; and the velocity of migration of ions in solutions. Much of his
research was done in collaboration with talented students such as David Rivett
and his own son Irvine Masson.

Masson was knighted in 1923. He is commemorated by the Masson Theatre and Masson
Road at the University of Melbourne; a mountain range and island in Antarctica;
a portrait painting by William McInnes in the foyer of the School of Chemistry;
the Masson lectureship from the Australian National Research Council; and the
Masson memorial scholarship from the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

Albert Cherbury David Rivett

ALBERT CHERBURY DAVID RIVETT

A.C.D. Rivett was born in Tasmania and grew up in Victoria. A brilliant student,
he won scholarships to Wesley College, then to the University of Melbourne and
Queen’s College. David Orme Masson became a firm friend and mentor, persuading
him to switch from medicine to science. Rivett received first-class honours in
chemistry (BSc, 1906) and the Victorian Rhodes scholarship for 1907. At Oxford,
he earned a BA and BSc (a research degree) both with first-class honours. He
spent six months at the Nobel Institute, Stockholm, under Svante Arrhenius, one
of the great figures in physical chemistry.

In 1911 Rivett returned to the University of Melbourne and took up a lectureship
in chemistry. He married Stella Deakin, daughter of the former Prime Minister
Alfred Deakin. He was associate professor from 1920 to 1924 and succeeded Masson
as professor of chemistry from 1924 to 1927. Although an outstanding teacher,
his major achievement was his involvement in building the CSIRO.

Rivett was knighted in 1935. He is commemorated in the name of the ACT suburb of
Rivett, the David Rivett Medal, the CSIRO Officers Association and a portrait by
Max Meldrum held at CSIRO in Canberra.

BSc (1906), DSc (1913) University of Melbourne, student of Masson. Rhodes
Scholar, BA (1909), BSc (1910), MA (1913) University of Oxford. Lecturer,
Chemistry, University of Melbourne (1911-1920). Associate Professor, Chemistry,
University of Melbourne (1920-1924). Professor of Chemistry, University of
Melbourne (1924-1927). Chief Executive Officer of CSIR (1927-1945). Chairman of
Council of CSIR(O) (1946-1949).

Ernst Johannes Hartung

ERNST JOHANNES HARTUNG

Ernst Johannes Hartung was a chemist and astronomer. Educated at the University
of Melbourne (BSc 1913, DSc 1919), he became a lecturer in 1919, associate
professor in 1924, and succeeded Rivett as chair of chemistry in 1928, remaining
in this position until 1953.

Hartung’s lecturing style surged with enthusiasm and he employed the use of
screen projections to demonstrate chemical phenomena to large undergraduate
classes. In 1935 he recorded Brownian movement in colloidal solutions on 35 mm
cinefilm, which was later copied onto 16 mm film for the Eastman Kodak Co. World
Science Library. This can be viewed in the Chemistry laboratory. He researched
the photodecomposition of silver halides and was awarded the David Syme Prize in
1926. He devoted time to the design and construction of a large, new chemistry
building for the School of Chemistry (built 1938–1939).

During World War II, he was approached by Professor Thomas Laby, chairman of the
Optical Munitions Panel, to chair the advisory committee on optical materials to
produce high-quality optical glass in Australia. This was successful, with
large-scale production achieved within ten months at a reasonable cost.

Hartung served three terms as general President of the (Royal) Australian
Chemical Institute, was an ex-officio councillor of the Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research, and a Trustee of the Museum of Applied Science (now
part of Museum Victoria).

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