R6.69– The Sir Thomas Lyle Research Fellowship in Physics

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Recitals-

1. On 20 June 1945, Lady Lyle, Lady (later Dame Mary) Herring, Miss Nancy Lyle, T.R. Lyle Esq. and Mrs Brame (‘the donors’) donated the sum of £20,000.00 in memory of the late Sir Thomas Ranken Lyle MA DSc (‘Sir Thomas’) to establish a research fellowship in physics.
2. The donors were the widow and children of Sir Thomas

3. The fellowship is named in memory of Sir Thomas (1860-1944), a mathematical physicist who was a professor of Natural History at the University from 1889 to 1914 and a member of Council from 1916 to 1933. He played rugby for Ireland between 1885 and 1887, became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1912, and in Australia served on numerous government committees and public company boards. He was a Victorian State electricity commissioner, and became president of the Melbourne Club in 1928.

4. For some years the capital of the trust has not produced sufficient income for fellowships of two years duration, the period originally contemplated when it was established in 1945. Further, appointments for six weeks to four months (suggested by the University in 1962 as an alternative) were frequently impractical as qualified academics were sometimes only available for other periods. Accordingly in February 2007, a cy près application was made to the Attorney-General for Victoria pursuant to section 4 of the Charities Act 1978 (Vic.) (‘the Act’).
5. On 22 May 2007, the Attorney-General for Victoria sanctioned the following scheme pursuant to section 4 of the Act to vary the trust known as ‘The Sir Thomas Lyle Research Fellowship in Physics’:

   ‘…that the fellowship be awarded from the income of the trust to distinguished visiting academics in physics in such sum, for such periods and on such terms as are recommended by the head of the School of Physics of the University of Melbourne (or such other person as is appointed by the University Council from time to time).’

6. At 18 February 2008, the amount of the fund was $245,687.10.

It is provided as follows-

1. The sum of $245,687.10, and any accumulations and additions to the sum, forms a fund called ‘The Sir Thomas Lyle Research Fellowship in Physics’ (‘the fund’) and the fund must be paid into an investment pool and remain there until Council directs otherwise

2. The net annual income of the fund is to be applied by Council to award ‘The Sir Thomas Lyle Research Fellowship in Physics’ to distinguished visiting academics in physics in such sum, for such periods and on such terms as are recommended by the head of the school of Physics (or such other person as is appointed by Council from time to time).

3. Unspent income in any year may be retained as income to be applied in any subsequent year for the purpose of the fund.