MacCallum, Mungo William

Mungo William MacCallum was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Mungo MacCallum, a merchant, and his wife Isabella, nee Renton. After education at the Glasgow High School, he graduated from Glasgow University in 1877 with an M.A. Following his graduation he went to Germany and studied modern literature at the Universities of Leipzig and Berlin.

After his return from Germany MacCallum was awarded a Luke Fellowship at Glasgow University, where he taught English Literature, Classics and Philosophy for the next two years. In 1879 MacCallum was appointed as Professor of English Literature and History at the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth. During his period there MacCallum met, and on 28 June 1882 married, Dorette Peters, a teacher at a girls school in Aberystwyth. Two children were born at Aberystwyth, the first Isabella Renton, named after MacCallum's grandmother, and the second, Mungo Lorenz, named after his two grandfathers. In late 1886 MacCallum was selected as foundation Professor of Modern Language and Literature at Sydney University, and he and his family arrived in Sydney in February 1887.

When he started MacCallum was teaching French, German, and English. Gradually he built up the department until he retained only the teaching of English, and he encouraged the establishment of a separate French Department. In 1894 his major work on Tennyson's Idylls of the King was published to some critical acclaim. Throughout this period MacCallum was extensively involved in extension lectures in English.

In 1897 MacCallum became President of the Union, and in 1898 Dean of the Faculty of Arts, a position he retained until 1919, with one break. MacCallum was forced to work longer than he wanted because of the First World War, but in 1920 the University allowed him to retire, although he remained an Honorary Professor and continued to lecture in English. In 1923 he acted as Warden and again in 1924. In December 1924, at the age of 70, MacCallum was appointed to the new position of Vice-Chancellor of the University. He resigned the position in 1927 and in 1928 was elected as Deputy Chancellor, and as Chancellor from 1934 to 1936.

MacCallum had been first president of the Shakespeare Society of NSW, a trustee of the Public Library from 1890 to 1912 (Chairman for the years 1906-12), a member of the Advisory Committee of the Commonwealth Literay Fund, 1917-29, and Chairman of Trustees of Sydney Grammar School ,1929-32. He helped found, and became first president of the Sydney Branch of the Australian English Association in 1923.

MacCallum was awarded an LL.D by the University of Glasgow, and an honorary D.Litt by Oxford University in 1925, for his Shakespearian studies. In 1926 he was appointed KCMG.

Mungo MacCallum died on 3 September 1942 at his home in Edgecliffe. He was cremated with anglican rites and a memorial tablet to him was placed in St. Andrew's Cathedral. Both Isabella and Mungo predeceased him, but he was survived by his wife Dorette and a younger son Walter Paton MacCallum. Lady MacCallum was devoted to community activities, among them the National Council of Women, and the Sydney University Settlement, as well as working for numerous charities. Walter served with distinction in the AIF, ending the Second World War with a Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross.