18 Facts About George Knowles

Sir George Shaw Knowles was an Australian public servant and diplomat.

George Knowles served as departmental secretary of the Attorney-General's Department from 1932 to 1946, and was then the inaugural Australian High Commissioner to South Africa from 1946 until his death the following year.

George Knowles was the son of Mary and George Hopley Knowles; his father was born in Staffordshire, England, while his mother was a native Queenslander.

In 1898, George Knowles joined the Queensland Public Service as a junior clerk, initially working in the Stock Department and later in the Attorney-General's Department.

George Knowles attended night classes in accountancy at Brisbane Central Technical College.

George Knowles joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1902 as a clerk in the Australian National Audit Office.

George Knowles transferred to the Australian Patent Office in 1904, and then to the Attorney-General's Department.

George Knowles attended evening classes at the University of Melbourne, graduating with Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws, Bachelor of Arts, and Master of Arts degrees.

In 1916, George Knowles was admitted as barrister and solicitor of the High Court.

In 1930, George Knowles was appointed to the first Council of the Canberra University College, holding the position continuously until his resignation in 1946, when he left to take on an appointment as Australia's first Australian High Commissioner to South Africa.

Between 1932 and 1946, George Knowles held the positions of Solicitor-General of the Commonwealth, Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department and Parliamentary Draftsman.

George Knowles was due to retire from the public service in March 1947, but in April 1946 the federal government chose him as the inaugural Australian High Commissioner to South Africa.

George Knowles was given credentials to present, but did not do so after being informed that it was the South African government's policy that they should not be presented by diplomatic representatives of dominions.

George Knowles was given no brief by the Australian government, and when he requested written instructions was told that the government had no policy towards South Africa.

George Knowles proposed to send dispatches back to Australia every two weeks, but in his 16 months in the position eventually sent 160 dispatches, most of which he wrote personally.

George Knowles died in Pretoria on 22 November 1947, while still in office as Australian High Commissioner to South Africa.

In October 1920, George Knowles was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

In 1950, Lady George Knowles donated money to the Council of the Canberra University College to provide an academic prize memorialising her late husband.