Sir Arnold Hughes "Hugh" Ennor CBE (10 October 1912 – 14 October 1977) was a senior Australian public servant and policymaker.

Sir Hugh Ennor
Ennor (right) and colleagues studying plans for the John Curtin School of Medical Research, 1950
Secretary of the Department of Education and Science
In office
1 February 1967 – 19 December 1972
Acting Secretary of the Department of Education
In office
20 December 1972 – 16 January 1973
Secretary of the Department of Science
In office
19 December 1972 – 6 June 1975
Secretary of the Department of Science and Consumer Affairs
In office
6 June 1975 – 22 December 1975
Secretary of the Department of Science
In office
22 December 1975 – 7 October 1977
Personal details
Born
Arnold Hughes Ennor

10 October 1912
Gardenvale, Melbourne
Died14 October 1977(1977-10-14) (aged 65)
Canberra
NationalityAustralian
SpouseViolet Phyllis Isobel Argall (m. 1939)[1]
ChildrenOne son and one daughter[1]
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
OccupationPublic servant

Life and career

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Ennor was born in Melbourne, the son of a joiner.[2] For schooling, he attended a local Catholic school, O'Neill College in Elsternwick, Victoria and later Melbourne Technical College.[1] He graduated from the University of Melbourne as a Bachelor of Science with first class honours in 1938, achieving a Master of Science in 1939 and a Doctor of Science in 1944 at the same university.[2]

During the Second World War, Ennor was engaged by Australian Chemical Warfare Research in top secret trials in northern Queensland of mustard gas protective clothing and other counter-measures. He and fellow-biochemist J. W. Legge designed and oversaw the construction of a 100 cubic metre (3,500 cu ft) stainless-steel temperature-controlled gas chamber as part of these experiments.[3]

Ennor was the first professor appointed by the new Australian National University in Canberra in 1948.[2]

In February 1967, Ennor was appointed Secretary of the Australian Government Department of Education and Science.[4][5] He served as secretary of the science department for over ten years, in the Department of Science (I),[6] the Department of Science and Consumer Affairs,[7] and the Department of Science (II).[8]

He also served for a short period as Acting Secretary of the Department of Education when the Whitlam government split the Department of Education and Science into two.[9]

Hugh Ennor died on 14 October 1977 in Canberra, aged 65.[10] His death was just a week after his retirement from the Australian Public Service.[11]

Awards

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Ennor was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in January 1963 as a professor of biochemistry at the Australian National University.[12] In June 1965 he was made a Knight Bachelor.[13]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Lonergan, John P. (1996), "Ennor, Sir Arnold Hughes (1912–1977)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 12 March 2014
  2. ^ a b c "Obituary: Sir Hugh Ennor". The Canberra Times. 17 October 1977. p. 3. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Jack Legge". University of Melbourne. 20 April 2009.
  4. ^ Juddery, Bruce (11 January 1967). "Sir Hugh Ennor heads Science, Education". The Canberra Times. p. 1. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014.
  5. ^ CA 1196: Department of Education and Science, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 12 March 2014
  6. ^ CA 1486: Department of Science [I], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 15 December 2013, retrieved 12 March 2014
  7. ^ CA 1888: Department of Science and Consumer Affairs, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 28 December 2013, retrieved 12 March 2014
  8. ^ CA 1962: Department of Science [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 12 December 2013, retrieved 12 March 2014
  9. ^ CA 1482: Department of Education [I], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 14 December 2013, retrieved 12 March 2014
  10. ^ "Sir Hugh Ennor dies". The Canberra Times. 17 October 1977. p. 1. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Retired". The Canberra Times. 8 October 1977. p. 3. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014.
  12. ^ Search Australian Honours: ENNOR, Arnold Hughes, Australian Government, archived from the original on 12 March 2014
  13. ^ Search Australian Honours: ENNOR, Arnold Hughes, Australian Government, archived from the original on 12 March 2014

References

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Government offices
Preceded by Secretary of the
Department of Education and Science

1967 – 1972
Succeeded by
Himself
as Secretary of the Department of Science (I)
Succeeded by
Himself
as Acting Secretary of the Department of Education
Preceded by
Himself
as Secretary of the Department of Education and Science
Secretary of the<
Department of Education (Acting)

1972 – 1973
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Himself
as Secretary of the Department of Education and Science
Secretary of the<
Department of Science (I)

1972 – 1975
Succeeded by
Himself
as Secretary of the Department of Science and Consumer Affairs
Preceded by
Himself
as Secretary of the Department of Science (I)
Secretary of the<
Department of Science and Consumer Affairs

1975
Succeeded by
Himself
as Secretary of the Department of Science (II)
Succeeded byas Secretary of the Department of Business and Consumer Affairs
Preceded by
Himself
as Secretary of the Department of Science and Consumer Affairs
Secretary of the<
Department of Science (II)

1975 – 1977
Succeeded by