# Noel Butlin

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**Noel G. Butlin** (19 December 1921 – 2 April 1991) was an Australian [economic historian](/source/Economic_historian), considered "one of the most outstanding Australian social scientists of his generation, and one of the major international figures in economic history."[1] He was long associated with the [Australian National University](/source/Australian_National_University), the library of which has an archives centre that bears his name.[2]

Butlin was born in [Singleton, New South Wales](/source/Singleton,_New_South_Wales) on 19 December 1921.[3] His father was a railway porter.[3] His brother was [Sydney James Butlin](/source/Sydney_James_Butlin). Noel Butlin attended Maitland Boys’ High School and the [University of Sydney](/source/University_of_Sydney).[3] He worked for [Frank Lidgett McDougall](/source/Frank_Lidgett_McDougall), helping to prepare the Australian delegation for the [United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation](/source/Food_and_Agriculture_Organization) conference in 1945.[3]

From 1946 to 1949, Butlin was lecturer in economic history at the University of Sydney.[3] In 1962, he became professor of economic history at the Australian National University.[3] He was professor of Australian Studies at Harvard University from 1979 to 1980.[3]

He became a Fellow of the [Australian Academy of Social Sciences](/source/Australian_Academy_of_Social_Sciences) from 1956 and a corresponding fellow of the [British Academy](/source/British_Academy) from 1976. The [Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand](/source/Economic_History_Society_of_Australia_and_New_Zealand) hold an annual lecture in his name.[2]

Butlin was appointed [Companion of the Order of Australia](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_Australia) in 1992.[4]

His posthumous 1993 book *Economics and the Dreamtime: A Hypothetical History* provides an economic history of Australia that covers pre-European Australia's economy, as well as indigenous society's contributions to early colonial Australia's history.[5][6]

He married Lilias Joan Lindsay, a social worker, in 1946.[3]

## References

1. ["Obituary - Noel George Butlin - Obituaries Australia"](https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/butlin-noel-george-184). *oa.anu.edu.au*

1. Shapley, Maggie. ["Noel George Butlin (1921–1991)"](https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/butlin-noel-george-184). *Butlin, Noel George (1921–1991)*. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. – via Australian Dictionary of Biography.

1. Shapley, Maggie, ["Noel George Butlin (1921–1991)"](https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/butlin-noel-george-184), *Australian Dictionary of Biography*, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2024-02-11

1. ["Emeritus Professor Noel George Butlin"](https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/881355). *It's An Honour*. Retrieved 2021-09-14.

1. Hunter, Boyd (2024). "Economics and the dreamtime revisited: Creating a truly Australian economic history?". *Asia-Pacific Economic History Review*. **64**: 52–71. [doi:10.1111/aehr.12279](https://doi.org/10.1111/aehr.12279). [ISSN 2832-157X](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2832-157X)

1. Reynolds, Henry (1994-12-01). ["Economics and the Dreamtime."](https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&issn=00298077&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA16998764&sid=googleScholar&linkaccess=abs). *Oceania*. **65** (2): 187–189. [doi:10.1002/j.1834-4461.1994.tb02499.x](https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1834-4461.1994.tb02499.x)

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