Charteris, Archibald Hamilton

Archibald Hamilton Charteris was born 22 April 1874 in Glasgow Scotland, the son of Matthew and Elizabeth. His family was distinguished academically, his father being senior professor of materia medica at the University of Glasgow, while his uncle, also Archibald Hamilton Charteris, was professor of biblical criticism at the University of Edinburgh.

Charteris was educated at school in Edinburgh and Koblenz, Germany, and then studied at the University of Glasgow, being awarded his MA in 1894 and his LLB in 1898. He worked in a law office in Glasgow until 1904 when the University of Glasgow appointed him as lecturer in Public International and Private Law. During his time at Glasgow Charteris contributed many articles on international law to legal journals and established for himself a reputation of some standing. He was active on the council of the International Law Association and was a member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs. During the First World War he worked in the Admiralty and then in the War Trade Intelligence Department. At the end of the war he went to Germany where he worked in Berlin as legal assistant to the resident agent of the clearing house for enemy debts.

Charteris remained at Glasgow University until his appointment as first Challis Professor of International Law and Jurisprudence at the University of Sydney in 1920. On 10 January 1921 he married Marguerite Rossiter and they arrived in Sydney on 27 February aboard the Osterley. Charteris became a University 'identity', not least because of his unconventional dress and incessant smoking, but he is remembered as a great teacher who inspired his students and exhibited a rich sense of humour. He continued his activities in the sphere of international law, helping to establish a branch of the Royal Institute of International Affairs in Australia, and representing the University at a number of International law conferences overseas. He also continued to contribute articles to legal journals and the press, and he made regular radio broadcasts on legal matters. He was president of the NSW Branch of the League of Nations Union. In 1940 the Sydney University law school published a number of his lectures as "Chapters on International Law".

In addition Charteris published a book on Scottish humour in 1932, entitled "When the Scot smiles, in literature and life". Charteris died on 9 October 1940 of emphysema at his home in Turramurra. He was survived by his wife and son.