Martin Howy Irving
Encyclopedia
Martin Howy Irving was an English rower
and educationist who spent nearly all his career in Australia
.
Irving was born in St Pancras, London
, the son of Edward Irving
, a major figure of the Catholic Apostolic Church
, whom Carlyle called the "freest, brotherliest, bravest human soul mine ever came in contact with", and his wife Isabella Martin. Irving was educated at King's College School
, and Balliol College, Oxford
, where he graduated B.A. in 1853 and M.A. in 1856, with first class honours in classics and second class honours in mathematics. At Oxford he was an active rower and won the college and university sculls in 1852. In the same year, he was runner up in the Silver Goblets paired with Walter Francis Short
and losing to Philip Nind
and Henry Raine Barker
in the final. He was also runner-up in the Diamond Challenge Sculls
to Stephen Rippingall
in 1853.
Irving taught classics as second master at the City of London School
from 1854 to 1856. He was then was appointed professor of classics and English at the University of Melbourne
, where he arrived in July 1856 and held this position for nearly 15 years. Irving took much interest in the development of the young university, but in January 1871 he resigned to become headmaster of Wesley College, Melbourne
. He had been offered a salary much larger than he had been receiving as a professor, and this no doubt influenced his decision as he had a growing family. But there was another factor. In the early years of the university students were few, many of them had not been properly prepared for university work, and probably Irving felt he would be doing a real service by helping to raise the standard of secondary school education. At Wesley he was a great success, and by the end of 1874 the number of pupils had risen to 271, a record not exceeded until about 30 years later. He appealed to what was best in the boys' natures, and his relations with his masters were as happy as those with the boys. Samuel Alexander
who was a pupil in his period has testified to the excellence and breadth of the education he received at this school. At the end of five years at Wesley, Irving decided that he would prefer the control of a school untrammelled by any committee or council. He bought the Hawthorn Grammar School and made it one of the most successful private schools in Melbourne, with a roll of 200 boys, 50 of whom were boarders.
In 1884 Irving handed over the school to his son, Edward H. Irving, and became a member of the public service board of Victoria for a period of 10 years. Irving had retained his interest in the University of Melbourne after giving up his professorship, was a member of the council for some years, and at the election for chancellor in 1886 was defeated by one vote, Sir Anthony Colling Brownless receiving six votes to his five. In 1887 became vice-chancellor
of the University of Melbourne
and held the position until 1889. In earlier years he had been much interested in the volunteer movement and the militia, in which he attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He retired from the public service board in 1894 with a pension, and in 1900 returned to England and devoted himself to the affairs of the Catholic Apostolic Church, of which he had always been an adherent. He was given the honorary degree of LL.D. by the University of Glasgow
in 1902.
He visited Victoria for a few weeks in 1906, and returning to England died at Albury
near Guildford
at the age of 80.
Irving, who was well over six feet high, and an excellent oarsman and rifle shot, was the founder of amateur rowing
in Victoria. He was a man of fine character with a good sense of business, and was a strong influence in the development of both secondary and university education in Victoria.
(1867–11 December 1937), joined the Australian permanent military forces and led the Australian Commonwealth Horse
in the South African War. He was chief of the Australian general staff in 1913, and in command of the 14th infantry brigade in Egypt in 1916. After his return to Australia he was promoted major-general and was deputy quartermaster-general until his retirement in 1922.
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
and educationist who spent nearly all his career in Australia
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...
.
Irving was born in St Pancras, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of Edward Irving
Edward Irving
*For Edward Irving, the Canadian geologist, see Edward A. Irving.Edward Irving was a Scottish clergyman, generally regarded as the main figure behind the foundation of the Catholic Apostolic Church.-Youth:...
, a major figure of the Catholic Apostolic Church
Catholic Apostolic Church
The Catholic Apostolic Church was a religious movement which originated in England around 1831 and later spread to Germany and the United States. While often referred to as Irvingism, it was neither actually founded nor anticipated by Edward Irving. The Catholic Apostolic Church was organised in...
, whom Carlyle called the "freest, brotherliest, bravest human soul mine ever came in contact with", and his wife Isabella Martin. Irving was educated at King's College School
King's College School
King's College School, commonly referred to as KCS, King's, or KCS Wimbledon, is an independent school for day pupils in Wimbledon in south-west London. The school was founded as the junior department of King's College London and occupied part of its premises in Strand, before relocating to...
, and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, where he graduated B.A. in 1853 and M.A. in 1856, with first class honours in classics and second class honours in mathematics. At Oxford he was an active rower and won the college and university sculls in 1852. In the same year, he was runner up in the Silver Goblets paired with Walter Francis Short
Walter Francis Short
Walter Francis Short was an English academic, schoolmaster, clergyman and rower.Short was the son of Rev William Short, vicar of Chippenham and his wife Jane Awdry, eldest daughter of John Awdry of Notton, Wiltshire. He matriculated at New College, Oxford in 1851...
and losing to Philip Nind
Philip Henry Nind
Philip Henry Nind was an English rower and gold commissioner in colonial British Columbia.Nind was born at Hawthorns, Berkshire, the son of Rev. Philip Henry Nind and his wife Agnes Bussell . He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford where he was a proficient rower. In the 1852 Boat Race, he...
and Henry Raine Barker
Henry Raine Barker
Henry Raine Barker was an English lawyer, banker and rower who won three events at Henley Royal Regatta in the same year in 1852...
in the final. He was also runner-up in the Diamond Challenge Sculls
Diamond Challenge Sculls
The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England...
to Stephen Rippingall
Stephen Rippingall
Stephen Frost Rippingall was an English rower and cricketer who played first class cricket for Cambridge University in 1845 and won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta in 1853....
in 1853.
Irving taught classics as second master at the City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
from 1854 to 1856. He was then was appointed professor of classics and English 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...
, where he arrived in July 1856 and held this position for nearly 15 years. Irving took much interest in the development of the young university, but in January 1871 he resigned to become headmaster of 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...
. He had been offered a salary much larger than he had been receiving as a professor, and this no doubt influenced his decision as he had a growing family. But there was another factor. In the early years of the university students were few, many of them had not been properly prepared for university work, and probably Irving felt he would be doing a real service by helping to raise the standard of secondary school education. At Wesley he was a great success, and by the end of 1874 the number of pupils had risen to 271, a record not exceeded until about 30 years later. He appealed to what was best in the boys' natures, and his relations with his masters were as happy as those with the boys. Samuel Alexander
Samuel Alexander
Samuel Alexander OM was an Australian-born British philosopher. He was the first Jewish fellow of an Oxbridge college.-Early life:...
who was a pupil in his period has testified to the excellence and breadth of the education he received at this school. At the end of five years at Wesley, Irving decided that he would prefer the control of a school untrammelled by any committee or council. He bought the Hawthorn Grammar School and made it one of the most successful private schools in Melbourne, with a roll of 200 boys, 50 of whom were boarders.
In 1884 Irving handed over the school to his son, Edward H. Irving, and became a member of the public service board of Victoria for a period of 10 years. Irving had retained his interest in the University of Melbourne after giving up his professorship, was a member of the council for some years, and at the election for chancellor in 1886 was defeated by one vote, Sir Anthony Colling Brownless receiving six votes to his five. In 1887 became vice-chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of 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 held the position until 1889. In earlier years he had been much interested in the volunteer movement and the militia, in which he attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He retired from the public service board in 1894 with a pension, and in 1900 returned to England and devoted himself to the affairs of the Catholic Apostolic Church, of which he had always been an adherent. He was given the honorary degree of LL.D. by the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
in 1902.
He visited Victoria for a few weeks in 1906, and returning to England died at Albury
Albury, Surrey
Albury is a village and civil parish in the borough of Guildford in Surrey, England, about south-east of Guildford town centre. The village is within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Site of Special Scientific Interest....
near Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
at the age of 80.
Irving, who was well over six feet high, and an excellent oarsman and rifle shot, was the founder of amateur rowing
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
in Victoria. He was a man of fine character with a good sense of business, and was a strong influence in the development of both secondary and university education in Victoria.
Family
Irving was twice married. His first marriage in 1855 was to Caroline Mary Bruyeres, daughter of Captain Bruyeres and they had four sons and two daughters. His second wife was Mary Mowat, daughter of John Mowat of Dublin, and they had on son and seven daughters. Two of his daughters carried on the tradition for many years as principals of Lauriston Girls' School, Melbourne. One of his sons, Godfrey George Howy IrvingGodfrey Irving
Major General Godfrey George Howy Irving was an Australian Army Major General in World War I.- Early life and career :...
(1867–11 December 1937), joined the Australian permanent military forces and led the Australian Commonwealth Horse
Australian Commonwealth Horse
The Australian Commonwealth Horse was a mounted infantry unit of the Australian Army formed for service during the Second Boer War in South Africa in 1902 and was the first expeditionary military unit established by the newly formed Commonwealth of Australia following Federation in 1901...
in the South African War. He was chief of the Australian general staff in 1913, and in command of the 14th infantry brigade in Egypt in 1916. After his return to Australia he was promoted major-general and was deputy quartermaster-general until his retirement in 1922.
Further reading
- John Martin, Martin Howy Irving: Professor, Headmaster, Public Servant. Working Paper No. 10 , The History of the University Unit, The University of Melbourne. 2006.