John Michael Higgins (metallurgist)

Sir John Michael Higgins GCMG (9 December 1862 – 6 October 1937) businessman and metallurgist.

Higgins was the son of E. S. Higgins and was born at Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia. He was educated at a school at Bendigo, and afterwards studied metallurgy and chemistry at the Bendigo School of Mines. He was indentured to Mr. Garside, a chemist at Bendigo, and afterwards had a pharmacy business of his own, which he sold to become an analyst in a New South Wales mine. He later became metallurgical chemist to the Australian Smelting Company at Dry Creek, South Australia, and when these works closed down, practised as a consulting metallurgist. He also acquired interests in the wool industry and had land in Queensland and New South Wales. This led to his making a study of wool and he became an expert in its technology.

With the outbreak of War in 1914 Higgins placed his knowledge at the disposal of the Federal Government, and was appointed honorary metallurgical adviser. He represented the Federal Government on the Zinc Producers' Association and on the Copper Producers' Association, and also founded the Australian Metal Exchange. After the Imperial government bought the Australian wool clip in 1916, Higgins became Chairman and Governing Director of the Central Wool Committee. In 1918 war he was Chairman of directors of the British Australian Wool Realization Association, afterwards known as Bawra, and was most successful in the management of the sale of the wool carried over at the end of the war. Higgins would not accept any salary or fee for his work as adviser to the government, but had a large salary as chairman of BAWRA, half of which was distributed every year to charitable and educational institutions. He held this position until 1926, when the association went into liquidation and he became trustee for a further six years. He died at Melbourne on 6 October 1937. Sir John Higgins was married on the 14 November 1889 to Frances Anna Magraith/Maegraith (1852-1932), the youngest daughter of Captain Robert Lovell Magraith (Maegraith) and Anna Balfour who resided in North Adelaide. Capt Robert Lovell Magraith/Maegraith was the second son of the Earl of Antrim. Sir John Higgins & Frances Anna Higgins had no children. They lived at "Holyrood", Riverdale Rd, East Camberwell and later "Pentor", Toorak, Melbourne. He was created K.C.M.G. in 1918 and G.C.M.G. in 1934.

Sir John Higgins was a wealthy philanthropist and assisted the government and the pastoral community during and after World War 1. He was kind and charitable, and made many bequests and gifts to various organisations. Sir John Higgins and Frances Anna on various occasions gave sums amounting to about £10,000 to the University of Melbourne, and further considerable sums under his will. Many ospitals and other charitable institutions would also benefit from his and Frances' generosity.

References

*Dictionary of Australian Biography|First=John Michael|Last=Higgins|Link= [http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogHi-Hu.html#higgins2 Dictionary of Australian Biography Hi-Hu ] at gutenberg.net.au