{{Short description|Librarian and historian of Western Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2012}} {{Infobox person | name = James Sykes Battye | image = J S Battye bust at Battye Library.jpg | alt = | caption = A bust of Battye located in the<br />State Library of Western Australia | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = 1871<!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Birth-date and age|birth date†}} --> | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death-date and age| 15 July 1954| 1871}}<ref Name="WestAustralian1954">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52955148 |title=W.A. Historian And Librarian Dies |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=70 |issue=21,211 |location=Western Australia |date=16 July 1954 |accessdate=4 October 2016 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> | death_place = | nationality = | other_names = | occupation = {{plainlist| * Librarian * Historian * Academic }} | years_active = 1894{{spaced endash}}1954 | known_for = Inaugural chief librarian in Western Australia | notable_works = }} '''James Sykes Battye''' (1871–1954) was an Australian librarian who was the first chief librarian of the Victoria Public Library in Perth, Western Australia. He was a leading historian, librarian and public figure in Western Australia and also served as a Chancellor of the University of Western Australia.
In 1951, ''The West Australian'' newspaper designated him as the Principal librarian and secretary of the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery of Western Australia.<ref>{{cite news|title=Personal column|date=14 November 1951|newspaper=The West Australian}}</ref>
Battye Street in the Canberra suburb of Bruce is named in his honour.<ref name="AustraliaGazette1978">{{cite news |last=Commonwealth of Australia Gazette |date=8 February 1978 |title= Street Nomenclature - List of Additional Names with reference to origin |page=5 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240628906/25897355|accessdate=29 September 2025}}</ref>
==Biography== James Sykes Battye was born at Geelong, Victoria, on 20 November 1871.<ref name="cwa12" /> His father Daniel Battye, was a wool-weaver from Yorkshire in England. His mother was Maria, (née Quamby).<ref>{{cite web | last=Alexander | first=Fred | title=James Sykes Battye | website=Australian Dictionary of Biography | date=1 January 1979 | url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/battye-james-sykes-5156 | access-date=18 May 2024}}</ref>
He married Sarah Elizabeth May in Melbourne on 15 May 1895.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4544219 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=11 |issue=2,894 |location=Western Australia |date=28 May 1895 |accessdate=4 October 2016 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Battye came to Western Australia from Victoria in 1894 after being appointed of Principal Librarian of the Public Library. Later appointed the Secretary of the Public Library, Meseum and Art Gallery in 1912, which he both held until his death in 1954.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83651355 |title=Who's Who in W.A. |newspaper=The Daily News |volume=LV |issue=18,968 |location=Western Australia |date=4 January 1936 |accessdate=4 October 2016 |page=7 (GOLDFIELDS EDITION) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Although not directly within his professional role, he developed a strong interest in Western Australian history and began collecting material from early in the century.
He formed part of the Royal Commission on the establishment of a University in Western Australia, becoming the University of Western Australia.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26291013 A University for Western Australia] ''The West Australian'', 15 September 1910, at Trove</ref> He was a foundation member of the University Senate in 1912 which he held until 1954.<ref name="AustraliaGazette1978"/><ref Name="WestAustralian1954"/>
In 1922, the University of Western Australia conferred upon him the doctorate of literauture for his work in publishing the ''History of Western Australia''.<ref Name="WestAustralian1954"/>
Battye was elected as the Prochancellor of University of Western Australia from 1931 until 1936 when elected as the Chancellor, serving until 1943.<ref name="AustraliaGazette1978"/>
He was awarded the C.B.E in 1950.<ref Name="WestAustralian1954"/>
Battye died at his home on 15 July 1954, aged 82.<ref Name="WestAustralian1954"/>
The J S Battye Library is named in his honour. "Battye" is a local term for the library and also his ''History of Western Australia'' volume published at the time of the Western Australia centenary celebrations in 1929.
==Published works== Battye was involved in a number of publishing projects{{snd}}the Cyclopedia of Western Australia before the First World War, and the History of Western Australia, as well as the commemoration of the state's centenary in 1929 he was involved in the organising committee.
*{{cite book|author=Battye, J. S.|title=The Cyclopedia of Western Australia: an historical and commercial review: descriptive and biographical facts, figures and illustrations: an epitome of progress|location=Adelaide|publisher=Cyclopedia Company by Hussey & Gillingham|year=1985|orig-date=1912|volume=2 volumes|pages=1025|edition=Illustrated}} Facsimile edition published in 1985 by Hesperian Press, Carlisle, W.A. {{ISBN|0-85905-072-6}}. *{{cite book|author=Battye, J. S.|title=Western Australia: a history from its discovery to the inauguration of the Commonwealth|location=Oxford|publisher=Clarendon Press|year=1978|orig-date=1924|format=Facsimile edition: (1978) with an introduction by B. K. de Garis. Nedlands, W.A. University of Western Australia Press|isbn=0-85564-136-3|url=http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks05/0500301.txt }}
==See also== {{stack|{{Portal|Western Australia|Biography}} }} {{Library resources box |by=yes |viaf=61918593 |onlinebooks=yes}} *Western Australia Post Office Directory *State Records Office of Western Australia
==References== <references>
<ref name="cwa12">{{cite Q |Q125962577 |title=James S. Battye |editor=James S. Battye |editor-link=James Battye |volume=1 |pages=532–533 |mode=cs1}}</ref>
</references>
==Further reading== *Cyclopedia of Western Australia has his biography until 1912 in volume 1 on pages 532–533. *{{cite journal |last=Garrick |first=P. |title=Two historians and the [... Aboriginals]: Kimberly and Battye, commentary on their different attitudes |journal=Studies in Western Australian History |number=8 |date=December 1984 |pages=111–130 }}
== External links == * [http://gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty-a-m.html#battye Works by J S Battye] at [http://gutenberg.net.au Project Gutenberg Australia]
{{S-start}} {{s-aca}} {{s-bef|before = Sir Walter James }} {{s-ttl|title = Chancellor of the University of Western Australia | years = 1936{{spaced endash}}1943 }} {{s-aft|after= Sir Walter Murdoch}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Battye, James}} Category:Historians from Western Australia Category:1871 births Category:1954 deaths Category:Chancellors of the University of Western Australia Category:People from Geelong Category:Australian librarians