Mellis Napier

Sir Thomas John Mellis Napier (24 October 1882 – 22 March 1976) was an Australian judge and academic administrator. He was a judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia (1924–1967), Chief Justice of South Australia (1942–1967), and Chancellor of the University of Adelaide (1948–1961).

Early life and education Thomas John Mellis Napier was born in Dunbar in East Lothian to Dr. Alexander Disney Leith Napier FRSE and his wife Jessie Mellis. The family moved to London in 1887, where he attended the City of London School, and emigrated to Australia in 1896, Alexander Napier having taken the post of senior resident physician at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Thomas Napier studied law at the University of Adelaide, graduating LLB in 1902.

Napier was Chancellor of the University of Adelaide from 1948 to 1961.

Honours 1935: King George V Silver Jubilee Medal 1937: King George VI Coronation Medal 30 April 1942: appointed Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia 1943: Knight Bachelor 1945: Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) 1949: Knight of the Venerable Order of St John 1953: Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal

Recognition and legacy

The Napier Mountains, first charted in January 1930 by the British Australian New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition under Sir Douglas Mawson, was named by Mawson after Sir Mellis Napier. The Napier Building, erected between 1958 and 1965 on the North Terrace campus of the University of Adelaide, was named in honour of him.