Obituaries Australia

DEATH OF PROFESSOR ANDREW

Professor H. M. Andrew, of the Melbourne University, who left Melbourne by the P. and O. Co.s R.M.S. Massilia on the 24th August, died near Aden, on the 18th September, of heat apoplexy, and was buried at sea.

Professor Henry Martyn Andrew was born in England in the year 1844, being the son of a Wesleyan minister. In 1857 his father came out to Tasmania as a minister, bringing his wife and family with him, and after a short stay in that colony resigned his position in the ministry and crossed over to Victoria, where he entered into mercantile pursuits. His son, H. M. Andrew, was sent for education to the Church of England Grammar School shortly after it was opened, in 1855, under the Rev. Dr. Bromby. He proved to be one of the most promising and successful pupils who ever attended the school, and in 1861, when he left it, he matriculated at the Melbourne University. His career there was as brilliant as his school course had been. In 1862 be took the exhibition for mathematics, and in 1864 he carried off the scholarship for mathematics and physics, and obtained his degree of B.A. He was then for some time engaged at the Melbourne Observatory, and also as lecturer on surveying at the University. In 1867 he took the degree of M.A. at the Melbourne University, and soon afterwards he left for England with the intention of passing through a University course there. In October, 1868, he went into residence at St. John's College, Cambridge. He was elected a scholar of that college, and distinguished himself in the usual college examinations, being placed in the first class with R. R. Webb (afterward senior wrangler) and C. EL H. Cook fa Melbourne graduate), afterwards sixth wranglers and now professor of mathematics at Canterbury College, New Zealand. Like the two gentlemen just named, Mr. Andrew was expected to take a fellowship degree, but he was very ill in his last term and bad, practically, to be supported in the room at the examinations, and therefore did not do as well as had been anticipated in the Senate House. He graduated in 1872 as 27th wrangler, and was then appointed professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at the Cirencester Agricultural College, He held that appointment for about two years, resigned it and returned to Victoria on the invitation of Professor Irving, the head master of the Wesley College, in order to become second in command of the college. Not very long afterwards, when Professor Irving resigned the headmastership of the college it was conferred on Mr. Andrew, who retained it for a number of years, and under his superintendence the college was remarkably successful. On the death of the late Mr. F. J. Pirani, Mr. Andrew was appointed to succeed him as lecturer on natural philosophy at the Melbourne University, and in the begining of 1883 he was made professor of natural philosophy. With his friend the late Mr. F. J. Pirani he edited an edition of the first and second books of Enclid on a modern basis, and after Mr. Pimm's death he concinned the work by publishing the third book in the same style. The work has since been largely used in schools. He held office for several years as a member of the University Council, doing great service by obliging it to bold its sittings in public. For some considerable time past Professor Andrew's health was not good, and about two years ago he was very ill from heart disease and unable to perform his duties for two or three mouths. A short time ago his medical advisers strongly urged him to seek relief from work for a time, so as to obtain the benefit of a sea voyage. He left Melbourne on the 24th August last on what he and his friends hoped would be a pleasant and profitable holiday; but, as suited above, he succumbed to heat apoplexy in the Red Sea. Scarcely any man was more widely known in educational matters in Victoria than Professor Andrew, and his very wide circle of friends will deeply regret that his brilliant career has been closed at such an early age.