John A. Gilruth

John Anderson Gilruth (17 February 1871 – 4 March 1937) was a Scottish-Australian veterinary scientist and administrator. He is particularly noted for being Administrator of the Northern Territory from 1912 to 1918, when he was recalled after an angry mob demanded that he resign. This incident is known as the Darwin Rebellion.

Early life and education John Anderson Gilruth was born in Auchmithie near Arbroath on 17 February 1871, the son of Andrew Gilruth.

He was educated at Arbroath High School and the High School of Dundee, then served two years as clerk to an Arbroath solicitor before going to Glasgow Veterinary College, now the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Glasgow in 1887. He was admitted to membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, London, in 1892.

Career After qualifying, Gilruth then accepted appointment as a government veterinary surgeon in New Zealand and moved there in 1893. He spent three years investigating stock diseases, then went to Paris, France, to spend a year studying bacteriology at the Pasteur Institute. In the role Gilruth was frustrated and felt that, despite potential, there were unrealistically high hopes for economic development which meant that every set-back was doubly condemned.

On 17 December 1918 public discontent with John peaked in what is now known as the Darwin Rebellion. This rebellion was led by Harold Nelson, and it saw over 1,000 demonstrators march on Government House where they burnt an effigy of him.

Gilruth and his family left Darwin soon afterwards, in February 1919. Gilruth Avenue, Darwin

A portrait of Gilruth, painted by Will Longstaff, hangs in the Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong, Victoria. A son and two daughters survived him.