Sydney James Butlin

Sydney James Christopher Lyon Butlin (1910–1977) was an Australian economist and historian. He was born on 20 October 1910 in Eastwood, a suburb of Sydney, the second of six children of Australian-born parents, Thomas Lyon Butlin, an orchard farmer and railway porter and Sara Mary, née Chantler.[1] He is the brother of notable economic historian, Noel George Butlin (1921–1991).[2]

Early life

Around 1916, Butlin moved with his family to Singleton, where he attended public school.[1] He went on to attend East Maitland Boys' High School (1923–27), where he was awarded dux.[3] In 1926, when Butlin was 16 years old, his father was killed in a hit-and-run accident, leaving his wife and children penniless.[1] This led to Butlin becoming the financial head of the household, with his mother and older sisters taking in washing to support the family.[1]

Career

Butlin was awarded a public exhibition in 1928 and enrolled in economics at the University of Sydney (B.Ec., 1932).[1] After being awarded many travelling scholarships, he entered Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A., 1934; M.A., 1939), where he gained the following accolades: Economics (first place, high distinction), English (second place, high distinction), the Frank Albert Prize for general proficiency and the Chamber of Commerce Prize for the best degree pass.[1][4]

Butlin pioneered the historical study of Australian money and banking according to rigorous professional standards.[5] He was a member of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Sydney from 1935 and accepted a personal chair at The Australian University in 1971, where he finished his working career.[1][5]

Publications

He is the author and co-author of several seminal works in the fields of economics and history, including:

• Foundations of the Australian Monetary System 1788–1851 — S. J. Butlin (Melbourne, 1953)
• 'Australia in the War of 1939–1945 : Volume III — War Economy, 1939–1942' — S. J. Butlin (1955)
• 'Australia in the War of 1939–1945 : Volume IV — War Economy, 1942–1945' — S. J. Butlin and C. B. Schedvin (1977)
• 'Australia and New Zealand Bank' — S. J. Butlin (1961)
• 'The Australian Monetary System, 1851–1914' — S. J. Butlin [published posthumously by his daughter] (Sydney, 1986)[1]

Death

Butlin died of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm on 14 December 1977 at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, and was cremated.[1] He was survived by his wife, son and daughter.

References

1. Schedvin, C. B., "Butlin, Sydney James (Syd) (1910–1977)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 4 April 2019
2. Shapley, Maggie, "Butlin, Noel George (1921–1991)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 4 April 2019
3. "SPEECH DAY". The Maitland Daily Mercury. No. 17, 692. New South Wales, Australia. 16 December 1927. p. 6. Retrieved 4 April 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "OLD BOY'S SUCCESS". The Maitland Daily Mercury. No. 19, 040. New South Wales, Australia. 18 April 1932. p. 4. Retrieved 4 April 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
5. Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin; Bou, Jean (2008), "Butlin, Sydney James Christopher Lyon", The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780195517842.001.0001/acref-9780195517842-e-255, ISBN 9780195517842, retrieved 4 April 2019