When @Sydney_Uni sought to appoint its very first professors, the then Provost wrote to the selection committee in England… /1
Nov 29, 2025 21:07“We consider it most important that the Classical and Mathematical Professors should bring with them the prestige of high academic distinction at one of the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge… ” /2
“And we hope we shall not inconveniently fetter your choice by confining it to first-class men at either University in Classics, and the first ten wranglers in Mathematics at the University of Cambridge.” /3
“We also think it important that the gentlemen should be Masters of Arts of no more than six years standing and that there should have been no material interruption to the pursuit of their academical studies up to the time of their appointment by you.” /4
It has been 175 years since the first lecture in Mathematics was delivered @Sydney_Uni (on 13 October 1852) by the first Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, Morris Birkbeck Pell, who was 24 years old when he accepted that position. /5
