Department of Biology

In 1849, the year prior to the establishment of the University, a Select Committee of the New South Wales Government recommended the appointment of five professors including, "A Professor of Natural History, including the Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral Kingdom" [NSW Legislative Council, 'Votes and Proceedings' Vol II, Sep 1949, Page 3].

A Professor of Biology, however, was not appointed until 1890, using funds from the Challis bequest. The appointee, WA Haswell, was lecturer in biology in the School of Natural History. Haswell's initial appointment was in 1882 to a 'demonstratorship in comparative Anatomy and Physiology and in Histology'. The School of Natural History dated from 1882 with the appointment of WG Stephens. It was responsible for biology, geology and physical geography. The first award of honours in biology was in 1894, in the Faculty of Science, while honours in botany were awarded to students in the Faculty of Arts in 1893 [Senate Minutes 1881-2 and 1889, G1/1/6 Pages 140 and 215, and G1/1/8 Pages 155 and 184; University Calendar 1894, Pages 166 to 168].

In 1913, AA Lawson arrived in Australia to occupy the foundation Chair of Botany. A lectureship in botany had been discussed at meetings of Senate in December 1905 and in March 1907. After Lawson's appointment, Haswell wrote to the Chancellor proposing 'that the chair which I hold and the Department which I have charge should be termed in future the chair and Department of Zoology' [G3/13/11314]. This change was approved in August 1914.