Albert Bathurst Piddington

Albert Piddington (1862-1945), who was on the staff at Sydney Boys High School from 1883, was elevated to the position of first-assistant on Mr MacManamey’s departure in 1885. He was a classical and English scholar of great distinction and instilled a love of these subjects in his pupils.

His “graciousness on special occasions” was recalled by those Old Boys who were “fortunate enough to spend an evening with him in his rooms at St Paul’s College, or to be his guests sailing around the Harbour in the “Old Index”, a twenty-two foot open sailing boat well known in those days. Indeed, he was probably the best-connected of the early masters. It is recorded that, at the public dinner to honour Professor Badham’s 70th birthday, in 1883, he and three others, including the future Prime Minister of Australia, Edmund Barton (who, like Piddington, was a Sydney Grammar Old Boy), were the last to leave.

After a year’s leave of absence overseas in 1887, he resigned at the end of 1888. He was called to the Bar in 1890, became Member for Tamworth in the New South Wales Parliament in 1895, and was a Royal Commissioner on several occasions.

In 1913 he was appointed to the High Court of Australia but he resigned amidst controversial circumstances before sitting on a case. It was revealed that his appointment had followed swiftly upon a reply to a question from his brother-in-law about States’ rights. The reply, which was cabled while he was returning to Australia from overseas, stated that he was “In sympathy with supremacy of Commonwealth powers”.

From 1913-1920 he was the Chief Commissioner of the Inter-State Commission, a now defunct body established under the Commonwealth Constitution. He became President of the Industrial Commission of New South Wales in 1927 and resigned in 1932 in protest when the New South Wales Governor, Sir Philip Game, sacked Premier Jack Lang.

Piddington maintained an interest in Sydney High for the whole of his life. His last appearance at the School was at the 1941 speech day when he shared the stage with the newly awarded VC, Roden Cutler. Piddington presented the literary prizes on that occasion and “revealed his ripe scholarship in an arresting speech packed with relevant quotations”.