Chancellors

Sir Charles Bickerton Blackburn KCMG OBE

Sir Charles Bickerton Blackburn KCMG OBE was a Fellow of Senate of the University of Sydney from 1919 to 1964. During his time on Senate, he was elected Deputy Chancellor from 1939 to 1941 and Chancellor from 1941 to 1964.

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(1874 – 1972)
BA Adel HonDLitt UNE & Syd HonDSc Tas, NSW & Qld HonLLD Melb & WAust MD ChM, FRCP FRSM FRACP HonFRCPEd
Fellow of Senate: 1919-1964
Deputy Chancellor: 1939-1941
Chancellor: 1941-1964

Sir Charles Bickerton Blackburn was born in England and arrived in Australia in 1881 settling in Port Lincoln, South Australia with his family.

He was educated at the Collegiate School of St Peter, Adelaide. At the completion of his studies, he was awarded a scholarship and attended the University of Adelaide, attaining a Bachelor of Arts in 1893. He went on to study medicine at the University of Adelaide, but when that medical school was closed in 1896, he moved to the University of Sydney to continue his studies, graduating MB ChM in 1899 and MD in 1903.

Blackburn began his long association with the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 1899 as a junior resident medical officer. He was Medical Superintendent from 1901-03. He was then appointed as an honorary to a number of positions: Assistant Physician from 1903-11, Physician 1911-34 and worked as a Consultant until 1972 and was a member of its board from 1942-64. He was also an Honorary Physician at the Royal Hospital for Women, Paddington, and Honorary Pathologist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and a member of its board and an Honorary Consultant at Prince Henry Hospital.

Blackburn was appointed lecturer in Clinical Medicine at the University of Sydney in 1913. In 1930-31, Blackburn was a founding councillor of the Association of Physicians of Australasia. He helped to found the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and was its first President. He was knighted in 1936. He became an Honorary FRCP, Edinburgh in 1938 and Honorary FRCP, London a year later.

Blackburn dedicated a large part of his life to the University of Sydney. He lectured part time until 1934 and was Dean of Medicine from 1932-35. In 1941, he was elected Chancellor, serving in the position for 23 years, when aged 90, he retired. On his retirement, the Senate appointed him Chancellor Emeritus and his work is commemorated by the Chancellor’s Garden. He died at the age of 98.

The biographical notes on the Chancellors contain information derived from a variety of sources including "Australia’s First: A History of the University of Sydney", University News, University of Sydney Archives and Lawlink NSW: Law and History.

Senate's obituary for Sir Charles Bickerton Blackburn 1972

Sir Charles Blackburn, Chancellor Emeritus of this University, died at his home on 20th July, 1972. Sir Charles was Chancellor for twenty-three years, from 1941 until 1964. He presided at his last meeting of the Senate, as Chancellor, on Monday, 2nd November, 1964. He was first elected to the Senate in 1919 and served continuously as a Fellow for the succeeding forty-five years.

As was recorded in a Senate resolution of appreciation of his services to the University at the time of his retirement, Sir Charles "guided the deliberations of this Senate with gracious dignity and wisdom, and with unobtrusive firmness; never stifling discussion nor asserting unduly his own opinion, whilst making clear, with few words, his own attitude on matters which he considered to be of moment or concerned with the welfare of the University".

In his twenty-three year term as Chancellor, Sir Charles was absent from regular meetings of the Senate on only two occasions, being in England on both of these, in one case as a representative of the University at the Tercentenary Celebrations of the Royal Society in London.

In the period from its foundation to the date of the retirement from the Chancellorship of Sir Charles, the University had awarded almost 49,000 degrees. Of these more than 31,000 were conferred by Sir Charles Blackburn.

Sir Charles was born at Greenhithe, Kent, in 1874. He attended the University of Adelaide, where he was awarded the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1893, and studied medicine at the University of Sydney, graduating M.B., Ch.M. in 1899 and M.D. in 1903. He was appointed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 1899 as a Resident Medical Officer, and was Medical Superintendent from 1901 to 1904. From then until 1911 he was an Honorary Assistant Physician there, and Honorary Physician from 1911 to 1934, after which he was Honorary Consultant. He was also an Honorary Consultant to Prince Henry Hospital for almost thirty years. From 1912 to 1934 he was Lecturer in Clinical Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine in the University of Sydney, and from 1932 to 1935 was Dean of the Faculty.

Sir Charles was a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians and was President of that body in 1938. He was a Fellow also of the Royal College of Physicians and of the Royal Society of Medicine and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh. He was elected to the Branch Council of the B.M.A. in 1910 and was its President in the year 1920-1921. He was awarded Honorary Degrees by the Universities of New South Wales, New England, Melbourne, Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia and Sydney.

He saw active service in the First World War as Lieutenant-Colonel in the Australian Medical Corps, was twice mentioned in despatches, and was awarded the O.B.E. In the Second World War Sir Charles again held active rank as Lieutenant-Colonel at 113 Australian General Hospital, Concord.

He was created a Knight Bachelor in 1936 and a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1960.

In March, 1965, the Senate, by resolution, conferred on Sir Charles the title of Chancellor Emeritus, and in November of the same year he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) in recognition of his services to the University.

From the Senate report for 1972, pages 20-21, 1974 Calendar, Volume 2