John Grice
Encyclopedia
Sir John Grice was an Australia
n business man, company director and University of Melbourne
vice-chancellor.
Grice was born in Selly Oak
, fourth son of Richard Grice, a Selly Oak
merchant. He was educated at Aston University
1861–66 and the just-opened Wesley College, Melbourne
(where he was the first boy to matriculate and qualify for the University of Melbourne). Grice graduated LL.B.
in 1871, and B.A.
in 1872. Grice founded the University Boat Club, rowed for his university and was also a member of the Victorian four-oared crew in 1872. Grice was called to the bar in 1872 but never practised.
Grice instead entered the family firm of Grice, Sumner and Company and eventually became one of the leading business men of Melbourne. Grice was a 45-year board-member of the National Bank of Australasia
, and for 26 of these years was chairman of directors. Grice was also for many years chairman of directors of the Metropolitan Gas Company, of the Trustees Executors and Agency Company
, and the Dunlop Rubber Company. His ability, sound business sense, and absolute probity made him an important influence in the commercial life of Melbourne. He was also a good citizen in other ways. He was first elected to the committee of the Melbourne hospital in 1886, and was president from 1905 to 1918. He became a member of the Melbourne University Council in 1888, gave valuable service on the finance committee during a difficult period for the University, and was its vice-chancellor from 1918 to 1923. Grice's portrait, by John Longstaff
hangs in the architecture department.
During World War I
Grice did valuable work as the first honorary treasurer of the Victorian branch of the Australian Red Cross Society
. He died at Melbourne on 27 February 1935. Grice married Mary Anne (died 1931), daughter of David Power, in 1878. He was survived by two sons. One of his sons was killed in the Second Boer War
in 1901 and another in France in 1916. Grice was knighted in 1917.
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 business man, company director and 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...
vice-chancellor.
Grice was born in Selly Oak
Selly Oak
Selly Oak is a residential suburban district in south-west Birmingham, England. The suburb is bordered by Bournbrook and Selly Park to the north-east, Edgbaston and Harborne to the north, Weoley Castle and Weoley Hill to the west, and Bournville to the south...
, fourth son of Richard Grice, a Selly Oak
Selly Oak
Selly Oak is a residential suburban district in south-west Birmingham, England. The suburb is bordered by Bournbrook and Selly Park to the north-east, Edgbaston and Harborne to the north, Weoley Castle and Weoley Hill to the west, and Bournville to the south...
merchant. He was educated at Aston University
Aston University
Aston University is a "plate glass" campus university situated at Gosta Green, in the city centre of Birmingham, England.Established in 1895 as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School, Aston was granted its Royal Charter as Aston University on 22 April 1966...
1861–66 and the just-opened Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
(where he was the first boy to matriculate and qualify for the University of Melbourne). Grice graduated LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1871, and B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1872. Grice founded the University Boat Club, rowed for his university and was also a member of the Victorian four-oared crew in 1872. Grice was called to the bar in 1872 but never practised.
Grice instead entered the family firm of Grice, Sumner and Company and eventually became one of the leading business men of Melbourne. Grice was a 45-year board-member of the National Bank of Australasia
National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank is one of the four largest financial institutions in Australia in terms of market capitalisation and customers. NAB is ranked 17th largest bank in the world measured by market capitalisation...
, and for 26 of these years was chairman of directors. Grice was also for many years chairman of directors of the Metropolitan Gas Company, of the Trustees Executors and Agency Company
Trustees Executors and Agency Company
Trustees Executors and Agency Company was the first trustee company formed in Australia. It carried on unexciting business for its first 90 years, before collapsing after an excursion into bad property deals in the early 1980s....
, and the Dunlop Rubber Company. His ability, sound business sense, and absolute probity made him an important influence in the commercial life of Melbourne. He was also a good citizen in other ways. He was first elected to the committee of the Melbourne hospital in 1886, and was president from 1905 to 1918. He became a member of the Melbourne University Council in 1888, gave valuable service on the finance committee during a difficult period for the University, and was its vice-chancellor from 1918 to 1923. Grice's portrait, by John Longstaff
John Longstaff
Sir John Campbell Longstaff was an Australian painter, war artist and a five-time winner of the Archibald Prize. He was a cousin of Will Longstaff, also a painter....
hangs in the architecture department.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Grice did valuable work as the first honorary treasurer of the Victorian branch of the Australian Red Cross Society
Australian Red Cross
The Australian Red Cross is one of the many national Red Cross societies around the world. The Australian organisation was established in 1914, nine days after the commencement of World War I, by Karen Tenenbaum, when she formed a branch of the British Red Cross.the organisation grew at a rapid rate...
. He died at Melbourne on 27 February 1935. Grice married Mary Anne (died 1931), daughter of David Power, in 1878. He was survived by two sons. One of his sons was killed in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
in 1901 and another in France in 1916. Grice was knighted in 1917.