Origin of Lectures

On 7 August 1925, the Macrossan family donated £2000 to the University of Queensland, under a deed of trust, to fund an annual lecture on subjects of public interest.  It was the first lectureship of its kind established in Queensland.   The terms of the trust were as follows:

1. There shall be established in the University of Queensland a Public Lectureship to be called the John Murtagh Macrossan Lectureship.

2. The Senate shall annually, about the month of September, appoint a lecturer to be called the John Murtagh Macrossan Lecturer, to carry out the duties of the said lectureship, and shall pay to him such sum as the Senate shall determine out of the dividends, interest, and income derived from the fund known as the “Macrossan Memorial Fund,” held by the University of Queensland upon the Trusts of an Indenture dated the 7th day of August, 1925.

3. It shall be the duty of the John Murtagh Macrossan lecturer to lecture in Brisbane on some subject to be approved by the Senate relating to— (a) the life and work of any person, not living at the time of the lecture, who has rendered distinguished service in public life to Australia or any of the Australian States and Colonies; (b) Australian History; (c) Political Economy; (d) Sociology; (e) Science; (f) Law ; (g) Art; or (h) Literature; provided that at least every alternate lecture shall be on some subject coming under either the first or second heading.

4. It shall further be the duty of the John Murtagh Macrossan lecturer to publish the said lecture in such form as the Senate shall approve, and to supply to the Registrar of the University at least 200 copies of such publication, defraying the expenses of and incidental to the delivery and publication of the lecture or lectures out of the emoluments of the said lectureship.

5. All John Murtagh Macrossan lectures shall be delivered in Brisbane on a day or days to be fixed by the Senate, and shall be open to the general public free of charge.

6. The Board of Faculties shall annually, in the month of July in each year, take into consideration for submission to the Senate the name of the person whom they recommend for appointment as John Murtagh Macrossan lecturer for the ensuing twelve months, and shall at the same time recommend to the Senate the subject of the lecture.

7. The management of the said Macrossan Memorial Fund and the dividends, interest, and annual income arising therefrom shall, subject to the control of the Senate, be entrusted to the Finance Committee of the Senate.

8. If the dividends, interest, and annual income of the said John Murtagh Macrossan Memorial Fund shall suffice, the Senate may make provision for an additional lecture or lectures, provided that the fundamental object of the endowment—namely, the delivery at least once a year of a public lecture to be called the John Murtagh Macrossan Lecture— be observed and maintained; and no part of the said Macrossan Memorial Fund shall be applied to any other purpose than defraying the expenses of and incidental to the delivery and publication of such public lectures.

9. If in any year the dividends, interest, and annual income shall exceed the expenses of and incidental to the lectureship, the balance unexpended shall be added to and shall become part of the principal fund to be used for the purposes of the lectureship.