John Henry Challis
Encyclopedia
John Henry Challis was an Anglo
-Australia
n merchant and philanthropist
.
Challis was born in England, the son of John Henry Challis, sergeant in the 9th Regiment, and his first wife. He was educated at several schools and trained as a clerk. He then migrated to Sydney
, New South Wales
, arriving on the Pyramis on 9 May 1829 as a steerage passenger. He was employed by Marsden and Flower, merchants. In 1842 the firm was reorganized under the name of Flower, Salting and Company, when Challis was admitted as a junior partner. The business dealt in wool amongst other things and became very prosperous. He acquired several properties, including a large holding at Potts Point, he also has pastoral licenses of over 12,000 sq. miles (31,080 km²) in southern New South Wales and had more than 3,500 cattle and 11,000 sheep. In 1855 he sold his business interests and returned to England. In 1856 he subscribed for stained glass windows in the Great Hall of the University of Sydney
; in 1859 he visited Sydney again and gave £700 for the 'Royal Window'.
Returning to Europe, Challis spent much of his time travelling, and died in France on 18 February 1880. He was buried at Folkestone
, England
. Under his will the whole of his residuary estate was left to the University of Sydney, subject to a tenure until death or re-marriage of his widow Henrietta, and a provision that the estate should accumulate for five years after such death or re-marriage. Henrietta died on 19 September 1884 and because Challis had been residing in England, the English Inland Revenue Commission claimed legacy duties. Fortunately, the University of Sydney's chancellor, Sir William Montagu Manning
, strenuously argued against the Commission's claims which were subsequently abandoned.
In 1890 a sum of about £200,000 was handed to the University Senate, which 50 years later, partly by increases in value of land and the falling off of annuities, had increased to £376,000. The income from the fund has provided for seven professorships (in anatomy, zoology, engineering, history, law, modern literature, and logic and mental philosophy) and several lectureships. The bequest, however, meant more than that. When it was made public it created much interest in the university, the Senate adopted an extended scheme of teaching, and the government increased the amount of the annual grant by £5000. A portrait of Challis is in the Great Hall of the University, and there is also a marble statue of him by Achille Simonetti
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-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...
n merchant and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
.
Challis was born in England, the son of John Henry Challis, sergeant in the 9th Regiment, and his first wife. He was educated at several schools and trained as a clerk. He then migrated to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, arriving on the Pyramis on 9 May 1829 as a steerage passenger. He was employed by Marsden and Flower, merchants. In 1842 the firm was reorganized under the name of Flower, Salting and Company, when Challis was admitted as a junior partner. The business dealt in wool amongst other things and became very prosperous. He acquired several properties, including a large holding at Potts Point, he also has pastoral licenses of over 12,000 sq. miles (31,080 km²) in southern New South Wales and had more than 3,500 cattle and 11,000 sheep. In 1855 he sold his business interests and returned to England. In 1856 he subscribed for stained glass windows in the Great Hall of the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
; in 1859 he visited Sydney again and gave £700 for the 'Royal Window'.
Returning to Europe, Challis spent much of his time travelling, and died in France on 18 February 1880. He was buried at Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Under his will the whole of his residuary estate was left to the University of Sydney, subject to a tenure until death or re-marriage of his widow Henrietta, and a provision that the estate should accumulate for five years after such death or re-marriage. Henrietta died on 19 September 1884 and because Challis had been residing in England, the English Inland Revenue Commission claimed legacy duties. Fortunately, the University of Sydney's chancellor, Sir William Montagu Manning
William Montagu Manning
Sir William Montagu Manning KCMG LLD was an English-born Australian politician, judge and University of Sydney chancellor.-Early life:...
, strenuously argued against the Commission's claims which were subsequently abandoned.
In 1890 a sum of about £200,000 was handed to the University Senate, which 50 years later, partly by increases in value of land and the falling off of annuities, had increased to £376,000. The income from the fund has provided for seven professorships (in anatomy, zoology, engineering, history, law, modern literature, and logic and mental philosophy) and several lectureships. The bequest, however, meant more than that. When it was made public it created much interest in the university, the Senate adopted an extended scheme of teaching, and the government increased the amount of the annual grant by £5000. A portrait of Challis is in the Great Hall of the University, and there is also a marble statue of him by Achille Simonetti
Achille Simonetti
Achille Simonetti was an Italian and English violinist and composer.-Early life and education:Born in Turin on the 12th of June 1857, Simonetti left his family in Bologna and completed his studies under Francesco Bianchi, Eugenio Cavallini, Giuseppe Gamba, Charles...
.