Mackay, Iven Giffard

Iven Giffard Mackay was born in Grafton on 7 April 1882, the son of Reverend Isaac Mackay of the Free Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia, and was educated at Newington College.

He was a resident of St Andrew's College while studying for a Bachelor of Arts at the University, where he gained a 'blue' for rowing and for football, graduating in 1904. That same year he took over OU Vonwiller's position as Junior Demonstrator at the Sydney Church of England Grammar School, being Science and Sports Master there from 1905 to 1910. In 1910, he was appointed Assistant Lecturer and Demonstrator in Physics at the University of Sydney, where he was involved, with several others, in organising the Sydney University Scouts.

He was on active service in World War I, being promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in command of the 1st Australian Infantry Brigade in 1918 and receiving the distinctions of CMG and DSO (and bar).

In 1919, he spent a year at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and demonstrated in Physics for Sir Ernest Rutherford at the Cavendish Laboratory. He resumed his position as a Lecturer in the Department of Physics at the University, on his return to Australia in 1920, and was president of the Sydney University Union from 1921 to 1922. In 1922, the Senate selected him to act as Student Adviser and Secretary to the newly proposed Appointments Board, the by-laws of which were approved in 1923. He held the position of Student Adviser and Secretary of Faculties (formalised in 1925) until 1932, when he resigned to become Headmaster at Cranbrook School. According to 'Who's Who, 1947', he also acted as Commonwealth Film Appeal Censor from 1932 to 1940.

He served as Lieutenant-General in World War II, receiving the KBE in 1941 for brilliant leadership in the AIF campaign in Libya. In 1944, Sir Mackay was appointed High Commissioner for Australia in India, a position he held for four years.

In 1950, he was appointed to the office of Esquire Bedell at the University and in 1952, the University conferred the degree of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) upon him. Ill health forced him to resign the position of Esquire Bedell shortly before his death in 1966.

'Who's Who, 1947' states that he married Marjorie E Meredith, the daughter of Brigadier-General JB Meredith on 14 September 1914. He had one son (Iven John) and two daughters (one of whom was christened Helen Elizabeth).