Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin oral history interviews by Paul Brunton and Rosemary Block

MLOH 153

fonds

6 December 1991-25 November 1994

Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Oral Histories

401870

Digitised

40 audiocassettes (34 hr., 36 min.) - 10 × 7 cm, 4 mm tape

Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin (1908-1999) was born in 1908 in Taree, New South Wales. He was the sixth of 7 sons and a daughter. His father, Lewis Ormsby Martin, was a solicitor in Taree and Mr Martin donated his own and his father's personal and professional records to the State Library of New South Wales. L.W.O. Martin was educated at The King's School, Parramatta, and then studied chemistry at the University of Sydney. He became a lecturer at the Sydney Technical College, later the University of New South Wales. He married Elaine Ebsworth in 1936 and had two sons, Garth and Hugh. During World War II he studied mustard gas at the request of the army. This gas was not used, but Mr Martin participated in the production of nettle gas which was shipped to New Guinea. Diploma courses became degree courses in the changeover to the university. Mr Martin became head of physical chemistry. Professor Richard Bosworth was appointed head later and Mr Martin became a senior lecturer. Professor, later Sir, Philip Baxter, was the Vice-Chancellor of the university. L.W.O. Martin was instrumental in the design of the Chemistry School Building which included some very innovative features. He retired at 60 but was invited to return to lecture as there were so many students. He was widowed in 1984 and died in 1999.

L. W. O. Martin describes growing up in Taree and talks about the other members of his family, and family life. He talks about his school days at The King's School and about his studies at the University of Sydney. His professional life as a chemistry lecturer is described as well as some account of his marriage and children:

Item 01: Lyster Martin interview by Rosemary Block and Paul Brunton
Item 02: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Paul Brunton
Item 03: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 3 December 1993
Item 04: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 9 December 1993
Item 05: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 9 December 1993
Item 06: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 17 December 1993
Item 07: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 17 January 1994
Item 08: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 17 January 1994
Item 09: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 20 January 1994
Item 10: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 20 January 1994
Item 11: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 4 February 1994
Item 12: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 4 February 1994
Item 13: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 16 February 1994
Item 14: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 3 March 1994
Item 15: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 3 March 1994
Item 16: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 21 March 1994
Item 17: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 21 March 1994
Item 18: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 21 March 1994
Item 19: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 6 June 1994
Item 20: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 6 June 1994
Item 21: Ms Lyster Waverley Ormsby Martin interview by Rosemary Block, 5 October 1994

In copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder.

The description of this material has been supplied from the Oral History Digitisation Program, undertaken 2014 to 2017, of the Library's oral history collections.

The State Library of New South Wales acquired the records of the law practice of Lewis Ormsby Martin, father of L.W.O. Martin, and the interviews with Mr Martin occurred in order to complement these papers and expand knowledge of the Martin family.
Copy available at CYMLOH 153/1-40