Award of ADB Medal to Geoffrey Bolton for long and distinguished service (2012)
Citation
Geoffrey Curgenven Bolton, AO, was a member of the Australian Dictionary of Biography’s national committee from its establishment in 1959 through its various formations until his retirement from the Editorial Board in mid-2011. He has shown exceptional dedication in honouring his early commitment to this remarkable national enterprise in roles as period editor, Chair of the West Australian Working Party (1967–1982 and 1996-2011) and prodigious contributor of articles from volume 1 onwards.
Born and educated in Perth, Geoffrey took Honours (1952) and Master of Arts (1954) degrees at the University of Western Australia, gaining a Hackett Research Scholarship to Balliol College at Oxford. He completed his PhD at Oxford University and returned to Australia in 1957 as a Research Fellow at the ANU. In 1961, in partnership with Ann Mozley (Moyal), he compiled a biographical register of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1870-1930. During an eminent academic career, Geoffrey Bolton has contributed to the initiatives of major and fledgling Australian institutions including the Australian National University, Monash University (1962-65), University of Western Australia (1966-73), Murdoch University (1973-89), University of Queensland (1989-93) and Edith Cowan University (1993-96). Geoffrey was foundation director of the Australian Studies Centre at the University of London from 1982 until 1985. All along he has consistently served the ADB, encouraging colleagues in each place to support the Dictionary.
Geoffrey Bolton’s tally of ADB articles, currently totalling 85, kept on increasing over the years, notwithstanding growing administrative commitments including as Chancellor of Murdoch University (2002-06). His authoritative set of ADB entries includes articles on: politicians such as Sir James Steere (vol 12) and Sir Edward Wittenoom (vol 12); premier and agent general, Sir Cornthwaite Hector Rason (vol 11); pearlers and investors, and politicians, Sholl brothers (vol 11 ); archdeacon John Ramsden Wollaston (vol 2); cartoonist Benjamin Edward Strange (vol 12); outlaw, Thomas Hughes, (supplement) and many more. Geoffrey is known as a master of anecdote, and his articles show an engaging familiarity with his subjects; he has a phenomenal memory and his oracular presence serves him well. As Chair of the Western Australian Working Party, he used all these attributes to much advantage – more often than not he shared an anecdote about a prospective candidate for inclusion. For example, in his piece on P. C. Anderson, headmaster of Scotch College, Perth (vol 7), generational legend suggests that ‘he once caned the entire school ... smoking.’ Of his personal experience he tells of the grant he received as a young graduate when told to ‘travel north young man, see the country and meet the people.’ Names of people associated with the Kimberley, such as Alexander Forrest, Michael Patrick Durack and Lindsay Gordon Blythe, now feature in the ADB. A great fixer, when the working party debate seemed to be non-ending, Geoffrey simply said ‘Leave it with me.’
Geoffrey has written major and award-winning biographies of prominent persons including Alexander Forrest, Dick Boyer, John Ramsden Wollaston, Edmund Barton and Paul Hasluck (forthcoming) and produced many further books, including most recently the acclaimed short history of Western Australia, Land of Vision and Mirage (2008). In recognition of his services to Australian history and the community he was named WA Australian of the Year in 2006. For more than half a century, Geoffrey Bolton has continued his interest and given generous, well-informed support to all aspects of the ADB, its work and its ethos.