JEWELL, William Ralph (1894-1975)
William Ralph Jewell, chemist, was born on 15 July 1894 at Geelong, Victoria. He was the son of James Thomas Jewell, watchmaker, and his wife Emma née Williams.
He won an entrance scholarship to the Geelong College in 1908 and was enrolled in 1909. At College, he displayed a distinguished academic career culminating in his gaining of the joint dux prize in his final year at the School, 1912. The previous year he had also been dux of the Lower VI. At college he was a member of the Literary and Debating Society to which, it was noted in Pegasus, that he had made an excellent maiden speech. He also became a corporal in the College Cadet Corps. Athletics was a particular talent and at the School Sports in 1912 he won the 440yds as well as coming 2nd in several other events.
He continued athletics at University until the inter-university competitions were curtailed by the war. From College he studied at Melbourne University having gained an Old Collegians’ Exit Scholarship and an Ormond Entrance Scholarship. He studied Science gaining his BSc in 1915 after which he went to England where he worked in the chemical munitions industry. Pegasus reported: 'W R Jewell has reached England safely. He is taking up munition work on the chemical side. He was elected Associate of the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and Ireland.'
At war’s end he studied metallurgy at Sheffield University before returning to Melbourne to take up a position with the Munitions Laboratories. In 1926, he moved to the Victorian Department of Agricuture where he was to remain until his retirement as chief chemist in 1959. He was particularly involved in food standards and in 1961 published the book 'Food Additive Control in Australia' . This interest in food he shared and Pegasus reported in 1934 that he had given a lecture at the Gordon at which members of the College Science Club attended which was entitled ‘Chemistry of a loaf of bread’ .
He was a member of many government committees and had a founding role with the National Association of Testing Authorities. He was a committed member and office holder of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute eventually becoming its president in 1945-6.
In 1913, in recognition of his time at College he donated a hanging clock to the School which was installed in the then recently opened Norman Morrison Memorial Hall. This clock survived in the hall until 1957 when he replaced it with an electric one. The plaque from the original clock, though not the clock, has survived and is held in the School Archives.
William Ralph Jewell, chemist, was born on 15 July 1894 at Geelong, Victoria. He was the son of James Thomas Jewell, watchmaker, and his wife Emma née Williams.
He won an entrance scholarship to the Geelong College in 1908 and was enrolled in 1909. At College, he displayed a distinguished academic career culminating in his gaining of the joint dux prize in his final year at the School, 1912. The previous year he had also been dux of the Lower VI. At college he was a member of the Literary and Debating Society to which, it was noted in Pegasus, that he had made an excellent maiden speech. He also became a corporal in the College Cadet Corps. Athletics was a particular talent and at the School Sports in 1912 he won the 440yds as well as coming 2nd in several other events.
He continued athletics at University until the inter-university competitions were curtailed by the war. From College he studied at Melbourne University having gained an Old Collegians’ Exit Scholarship and an Ormond Entrance Scholarship. He studied Science gaining his BSc in 1915 after which he went to England where he worked in the chemical munitions industry. Pegasus reported: 'W R Jewell has reached England safely. He is taking up munition work on the chemical side. He was elected Associate of the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and Ireland.' At war’s end he studied metallurgy at Sheffield University before returning to Melbourne to take up a position with the Munitions Laboratories. In 1926, he moved to the Victorian Department of Agricuture where he was to remain until his retirement as chief chemist in 1959. He was particularly involved in food standards and in 1961 published the book 'Food Additive Control in Australia' . This interest in food he shared and Pegasus reported in 1934 that he had given a lecture at the Gordon at which members of the College Science Club attended which was entitled ‘Chemistry of a loaf of bread’ .
He was a member of many government committees and had a founding role with the National Association of Testing Authorities. He was a committed member and office holder of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute eventually becoming its president in 1945-6.
In 1913, in recognition of his time at College he donated a hanging clock to the School which was installed in the then recently opened Norman Morrison Memorial Hall. This clock survived in the hall until 1957 when he replaced it with an electric one. The plaque from the original clock, though not the clock, has survived and is held in the School Archives.