Justinian Oxenham

{{Short description|Australian public servant}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Justinian Oxenham | honorific_suffix = ISO | image = | image_size = | caption = | office1 = Secretary of the Postmaster-General's Department | term_start1 = 1 January 1911 | term_end1 = 17 December 1923 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1860|04|23|df=y}} | birth_place = Warwick, Queensland | death_date = {{Death date and age|1932|03|27|1860|04|23|df=y}} | death_place = Kew, Melbourne, Victoria | resting_place = Boroondara General Cemetery | occupation = Public servant | years_active = | website = | parents = | siblings = | spouse = Annie Elizabeth Robinson (m. 1885) | alma_mater = | children = }}

'''Justinian Oxenham''' ISO (23 April 1860{{spaced endash}}27 March 1932) was a senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Postmaster-General's Department from January 1911 until December 1923.

==Life and career== Oxenham was born in Warwick, Queensland, on 23 April 1860.<ref name=McDonald>{{cite book|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/oxenham-justinian-7939|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141122042950/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/oxenham-justinian-7939|archive-date=22 November 2014|title=Oxenham, Justinian (1860–1932)|publisher=Australian National University|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|first=D.I.|last=McDonald|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the year of Australia's federation, Oxenham was appointed as Chief Clerk of the Postmaster-General's Department.<ref name="NAA CA 9">{{citation|title=CA 9: Postmaster-General's Department, Central Administration|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+9|publisher=National Archives of Australia|accessdate=22 November 2014|archive-date=11 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311101431/https://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/DumpSession.asp?C=Initialise.inc&S=Open%20P_RECORDSEARCH_SERVICE%20SQLSERVER_ODBC&E=%5BMicrosoft%5D%5BODBC+Driver+17+for+SQL+Server%5D%5BSQL+Server%5DIncorrect+syntax+near+%27207.241%27.|url-status=dead}}</ref>

thumb|right|150px|Oxenham's grave at Boroondara General Cemetery

In January 1911 he was promoted to Secretary, heading the Postmaster-General's Department.<ref name="NAA CA 9"/> In the position, he represented the Commonwealth at the International Postal Conference in Madrid in February 1921.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article153084215|title=Postal Business: Mr Oxenham's Mission|date=17 February 1921|page=5|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|location=Launceston, Tasmania}}</ref>

Oxenham retired from the Commonwealth Public Service in 1923.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3372989|title=Oxenham Retires: Brown Appointed|date=30 November 1923|page=5|newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette}}</ref>

On 27 March 1932, Oxenham died at home in Charles Street Kew, Melbourne.<ref name=McDonald/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16851352|title=Mr. J. Oxenham.|date=28 March 1932|page=4|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> He was buried at Boroondara General Cemetery.

==Awards== Oxenham was awarded the distinction of the Imperial Service Order for his public service.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31202261|title=Postal Department. Mr. Oxenham Retires. Mr. H. P. Brown His Successor.|date=30 November 1923|page=12|newspaper=The West Australian}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=Robert Scott}} {{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Postmaster-General's Department |years=1911 – 1923}} {{s-aft|after=Harry Brown}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oxenham, Justinian}} Category:1860 births Category:1932 deaths Category:Australian public servants Category:Australian Companions of the Imperial Service Order Category:People from Warwick, Queensland Category:Burials at Boroondara General Cemetery Category:Colony of Queensland people