George Whitecross Paton
Encyclopedia
Professor Sir George Whitecross Paton, B.A., B.C.L. (Oxon.), Hon. LL.D. (Glas., Syd., Qld., Tas., Lond., and Monash), D.C.L. (W. Ont.), M.A (16 August 1902 – 16 June 1985) was an Australia
n legal scholar and Vice Chancellor of Melbourne University.
. His parents were Frank Hume Lyall Paton (son of John Gibson Paton
) and Clara Sophia Heyer. He was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne
(1914–1920) and then Melbourne University (1921–1925). He won the Rhodes Scholarship
for Victoria (Australia)
in 1925, which allowed him to continue his studies at Magdalen College, Oxford
from 1926 to 1929.
He married Alice Watson (1905–1994) on 11 July 1931 and they had four children.
-at-Law in 1927 and lectured in law at the London School of Economics
. In 1931 he was appointed Professor
of Jurisprudence
at the University of Melbourne
and became Dean
of the Faculty of Law in 1943. In 1951 he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Melbourne University and held the position until his retirement in 1968. After retirement he was President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Inc. (ANZSOC) from 1969 to 1971
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n legal scholar and Vice Chancellor of Melbourne University.
Early life and education
Paton was born on 16 August 1902 in Geelong, VictoriaGeelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
. His parents were Frank Hume Lyall Paton (son of John Gibson Paton
John Gibson Paton
Rev. Dr. John Gibson Paton , born in Scotland, was a Protestant missionary to the New Hebrides Islands of the South Pacific. Paton undertook a tremendous work which would yield little fruit for decades, convinced of the absolute sovereignty of God to build his church...
) and Clara Sophia Heyer. He was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
(1914–1920) and then Melbourne University (1921–1925). He won the Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
for Victoria (Australia)
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
in 1925, which allowed him to continue his studies at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
from 1926 to 1929.
He married Alice Watson (1905–1994) on 11 July 1931 and they had four children.
Academic Life
Paton became a BarristerBarrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
-at-Law in 1927 and lectured in law at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. In 1931 he was appointed Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
and became Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Faculty of Law in 1943. In 1951 he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Melbourne University and held the position until his retirement in 1968. After retirement he was President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Inc. (ANZSOC) from 1969 to 1971