Murray Tyrrell
Sir Murray Tyrrell | |
---|---|
Murray and Ellen Tyrrell on their wedding day, 6 May 1939 | |
Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia | |
In office 25 March 1947 – 30 January 1973 | |
Monarchs | George VI Elizabeth II |
Governors‑General | Sir William McKell (1947–53) Sir William Slim (1953–60) The Viscount Dunrossil (1960–61) The Viscount De L'Isle (1961–65) The Lord Casey (1965–69) Sir Paul Hasluck (1969–73) |
Preceded by | Sir Leighton Bracegirdle |
Succeeded by | Sir David Smith |
Personal details | |
Born | Murray Louis Tyrrell (1913-12-01)1 December 1913 Kilmore, Victoria, Australia |
Died | 13 July 1994(1994-07-13) (aged 80) Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |
Spouse | Ellen St Clair Greig (m. 1939) |
Children | 3 |
Sir Murray Louis Tyrrell KCVO, CBE (1 December 1913 – 13 July 1994) was an Australian public servant, noted as the Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia for a record term of 26 years, 1947–73, in which time he served six governors-general.
Early life
Born in Kilmore, Victoria, Tyrrell was the third of five children of Thomas Michael Tyrrell (d. 1928), postmaster, and his wife Florence Evelyn, née Kepert.[1] Tyrrell was educated at Orbost and Mordialloc and Melbourne Boys' High Schools. He married Ellen (Nell) St Clair Greig on 6 May 1939. They had three children, two daughters born first, Leonie Ellen and Margot Evelyn, and then a son, Michael St Clair.[2]
Career
He served for over 45 years in the Australian Public Service. For most of this time he was assistant secretary or personal secretary to a succession of Ministers including the Prime Minister, Ben Chifley.[3]
Tyrrell succeeded Rear Admiral Sir Leighton Bracegirdle as Official Secretary to the Governor-General, William McKell (later Sir William), in March 1947.[4]
Tyrrell also served Sir William McKell's successors Sir William Slim, Lord Dunrossil, Lord De L'Isle, Lord Casey and Sir Paul Hasluck. The Queen named him a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO), for his service rendered during the Royal Visit in 1954. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1959. Both of these honours occurred during Sir William Slim's term.[5]
Tyrrell had a small but pivotal role to play in the establishment of the Australian Conservation Foundation. The ACF began in the second half of 1964, after a suggestion was made to Tyrrell by The Duke of Edinburgh while visiting Australia in 1963. He voiced an idea that Australia could become involved in conservation by establishing a branch of the World Wildlife Fund. Tyrrell convened a meeting that came to the conclusion that, if a conservation body was to exist, its efforts should be directed at conserving Australia's own heritage. From this the ACF emerged.[6]
Murray Tyrrell was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1968, during Lord Casey's term. This was awarded for personal service to the Queen, and was not on recommendation from the Prime Minister. He had been attached to The Royal Household at Buckingham Palace from May to August 1962.[7] After his retirement in 1973, which occurred during Sir Paul Hasluck's term, he was succeeded by David Smith. In 1977, he was named the Australian of the Year,[8] jointly with Dame Raigh Roe.
Sir Murray lived at 11 Blundell Street, Queanbeyan, New South Wales, in an old heritage cottage still called "Sir Murray Tyrrell's Cottage". He was an Alderman of the Queanbeyan City Council 1976–1980.
Tyrrell died on 13 July 1994 in Canberra, at the age of 80.[9]
Honours
- 1954 – Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO), in connection with the Royal Visit[10]
- 1959 – Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)[11]
- 1968 – Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)[12]
References
- ^ Smith, David I., "Tyrrell, Sir Murray Louis (1913–1994)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 3 November 2020
- ^ The International Yearbook and Statesmen's Who's Who 1969 (16 ed.). Waterloo Rd, London: Burke's Peerage. 1969.
- ^ "National Library of Australia". Nla.gov.au. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- ^ Christopher Cunneen: William John McKell[dead link]
- ^ Official Secretary to Governor-General
- ^ "Records of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Head Office Melbourne – MS 9429". Nla.gov.au. 13 November 2003. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- ^ "Governor's Secretary is Honoured by the Queen", The Age, 10 June 1968
- ^ Lewis, Wendy (2010). Australians of the Year. Pier 9 Press. ISBN 978-1-74196-809-5.
- ^ "Tyrrell, Sir Murray Louis (1913–1994)". People Australia. Australian National University. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ^ "Mr Murray Louis TYRRELL". It's an Honour. 27 April 1954. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Mr Murray Louis TYRRELL". It's an Honour. 13 June 1959. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Mr Murray Louis TYRRELL". It's an Honour. 8 June 1968. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
External links
- Australian of the Year biography
Awards | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by | Australian of the Year Award 1977 Served alongside: Raigh Roe | Succeeded by Alan Bond Galarrwuy Yunupingu |
Government offices | ||
Preceded by | Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia 1947–1973 | Succeeded by Sir David Smith |
- v
- t
- e
- 1960 Frank Burnet
- 1961 Joan Sutherland
- 1962 Jock Sturrock
- 1963 John Eccles
- 1964 Dawn Fraser
- 1965 Robert Helpmann
- 1966 Jack Brabham
- 1967 The Seekers
- 1968 Lionel Rose
- 1969 Lord Casey
- 1970 Norman Gilroy
- 1971 Evonne Goolagong
- 1972 Shane Gould
- 1973 Patrick White
- 1974 Bernard Heinze
- 1975 John Cornforth/Alan Stretton
- 1976 Edward Dunlop
- 1977 Raigh Roe/Murray Tyrrell
- 1978 Alan Bond/Galarrwuy Yunupingu
- 1979 Neville Bonner/Harry Butler
- 1980 Manning Clark
- 1981 John Crawford
- 1982 Edward Williams
- 1983 Robert de Castella
- 1984 Lowitja O'Donoghue
- 1985 Paul Hogan
- 1986 Dick Smith
- 1987 John Farnham
- 1988 Kay Cottee
- 1989 Allan Border
- 1990 Fred Hollows
- 1991 Peter Hollingworth
- 1992 Mandawuy Yunupingu
- 1993 no award
- 1994 Ian Kiernan
- 1995 Arthur Boyd
- 1996 John Yu
- 1997 Peter Doherty
- 1998 Cathy Freeman
- 1999 Mark Taylor
- 2000 Gustav Nossal
- 2001 Peter Cosgrove
- 2002 Pat Rafter
- 2003 Fiona Stanley
- 2004 Steve Waugh
- 2005 Fiona Wood
- 2006 Ian Frazer
- 2007 Tim Flannery
- 2008 Lee Kernaghan
- 2009 Mick Dodson
- 2010 Patrick McGorry
- 2011 Simon McKeon
- 2012 Geoffrey Rush
- 2013 Ita Buttrose
- 2014 Adam Goodes
- 2015 Rosie Batty
- 2016 David Morrison
- 2017 Alan Mackay-Sim
- 2018 Michelle Simmons
- 2019 Craig Challen/Richard Harris (joint)
- 2020 James Muecke
- 2021 Grace Tame
- 2022 Dylan Alcott
- 2023 Taryn Brumfitt
- 2024 Georgina Long/Richard Scolyer (joint)