Stephen Henry Roberts

Sir Stephen Henry Roberts CMG (16 February 1901 in Maldon, Victoria – 17 March 1971) was an Australian academic, writer, historian, international analyst, and university vice-chancellor.

Early life and education Roberts was born into a working-class background, the son of French-born parents. His father Christopher Roberts was a miner of Cornish descent, his mother Doris Elsie Whillemina, née Wagener, of German. He attended Castlemaine High School and Melbourne Teachers' College before winning a scholarship to the University of Melbourne, where in 1921 he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts, in 1923 a Master of Arts, and in 1930 and a Doctor of Letters. He had studied in the history department of Professor Sir Ernest Scott, and after graduating with first-class honours won Wyselaskie scholarships in English constitutional history and political economy, and the Dwight prize in sociology. Horace Rumbold, who had been the British Ambassador to Germany from 1928 to 1933, sent the British government minister, Lord Halifax, a copy of The House That Hitler Built in November 1937, shortly before Halifax's meeting with Hitler. Rumbold explained to his son, "It contains an admirable character sketch of Hitler. I thought it just as well that Halifax should realise the sort of man he was dealing with".

Later academic career In 1946 Roberts became Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney, the full post confirmed in 1947. In 1955 he became the university's principal. He chaired the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee in 1952–53. While principal he called for financial backing for university foundations from leaders of commerce, industry and public life. The success of these appeals enabled the university to be promoted abroad.

He developed and expanded the University of Sydney after post-war austerity ended, and oversaw a building programme extension into Darlington. This development was aided by Sir Keith Murray's 1957 Committee on Australian Universities with concomitant funding from the Australian government.

Roberts gave support to the training of Pacific Islanders and Papua New Guineans in Sydney's medical faculty, while he celebrated Charles Perkins as the first Aborigine to graduate with a degree.

From 1952 he chaired the New South Wales State Cancer Council.

Having transformed the University of Sydney into a modern institution of more than 16,000 students, in 1967 Roberts retired, leaving Sydney with new faculties and increased research capacity. His archives hold his notes for major work on The Mind of France. The project remained unfinished.

Death Roberts died as a consequence of heart disease in March 1971 on board ship near Port Melbourne, while travelling to Europe with his wife.

Honours 1948: Honorary doctorate, University of Bristol, England 1953: Honorary doctorate, Durham University, England 1956: Honorary doctorate, University of British Columbia, Canada 1956: Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG), Great Britain 1957: Honorary doctorate, University of New England, Australia 1958: Honorary doctorate, McGill University, Canada 1960: Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog, Denmark 1961: National Order of the Cedar, Lebanon 1964: Order of the Phoenix, Greece 1965: Knight Bachelor 1967: Order of Merit, Italy 1967: Legion of Honour, France 1968: Honorary doctorate, University of Sydney, Australia