Dr John Stanton Davis Mellick OAM ED (1920 - 2023)

Dr John ‘Stanton’ Davis Mellick was truly one in a million. His personal archive, held here at the John Oxley Library, quickly reveals a person of extraordinary erudition, intelligence and generosity. Reading through his correspondence, speech notes, personal notes and manuscripts, I became acquainted with a man with many missions. He was a deep thinker, a caring soul, driven by his faith and an enduring sense of purpose. Clearly, we are lesser for losing him earlier this month at the age of 103.

I knew Stanton as the donor of the Letty Katts Fellowship, a biennial gift donated in honor of his late wife Letty Katts. This award supports researchers of Queensland music history and heritage. You can view some of the outcomes of this very special award here.

Stanton’s life story is in part the story of the 20th century. Born in Londonderry (pre-partitioned Ireland) in 1920. His family migrated to Australia when Stanton was only 3 months of age. Growing up in Rockhampton then Brisbane, in 1938 he joined the Citizens Military Force (CMF). In 1940 he enlisted with the Royal Australian Corps of Signals, graduating from the Royal Military College at Duntroon in 1942. For more information about Stanton’s distinguished war service, read Marg Powell’s blog written earlier this year. One of the most important moments in Stanton’s life occurred during the Second World War. He married musician and composer Violet (Letty) Katts on 8 December 1941, the same day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. His post-war CMF service continued to 1970.

In 1949 Stanton began his career as a pharmacist opening his own pharmacy in Isles Lane in Brisbane in 1953. His success and commitment to the profession saw him Vice President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Queensland from 1960-62, and editor of, A Centennial History of the Pharmaceutical Society of Queensland 1880 – 1980.

While his professional life, first as a pharmacist and then as a lecturer in English at the University of Queensland, was a very successful one, his faith and dedication to the Presbyterian Church was as equally important. He was elected Elder of the Church in 1953 and stayed involved in various capacities over the decades. Stanton became Chairman of the Restoration Task Force for St Pauls’ Presbyterian Church on St Paul’s Terrace 1984-88, overseeing the restoration of this unique gothic style building that gained National Trust listing in 1990.

Stanton was a Board Member of St Andrews Memorial Hospital for 24 years and became a lifetime honorary fellow of the Board of Governors in 1988. In 2003 he wrote Keeping the Faith – A History of St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital 1958 – 2003.

If you were a student at University of Queensland in the 1970s and 80s, you may have been acquainted with Dr Stanton Mellick, lecturer in the English Department for 20 years. As a writer, poet and academic Stanton published widely, however he was perhaps most well-known for his research on Henry Kingsley, brother of Charles Kingsley, who was considered to be the first writer of the colonial period to set his novels in Australia (rather than England). In 1983 Stanton wrote The Passing Guest, A Life of Henry Kingsley, a biography about Henry Kingsley and his literary life in Australia.

Stanton was President of the Friends of the Fryer Library 1988-91, a member of the Journal of Australian Literary Studies’ editorial board and, in recognition of his personal and lifetime achievements and his services to University of Le Havre France, the Pacific Studies Centre at Le Havre dedicated a room in his honour. He and wife Letty flew to France for the opening in 2005.

Stanton’s service to civic life was incredibly extensive. The many speeches he delivered and papers he authored are evidence of his tirelessness that benefited many. His immense lifetime achievements were recognized in 2005 with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). Stanton’s colleague and past John Oxley Library Award recipient Spencer Routh sent him a letter of congratulations on this occasion. Spencer wrote:

"In a quiet way, J.S.D. Mellick is ubiquitous, pervasive or some nearby word from the thesaurus. When you returned to Henry Kingsley studies after a period away, I helped you with a bibliographic search and decided that J.S.D. Mellick was the only scholar you should talk to.

Go to the Anzac Day march and the most spritely in his unit is J.S.D. Mellick. And I see from the newspaper citation, that if I’d walked near St Paul’s with money in my pocket, J.S.D. Mellick would have accosted me.

So no surprise whatever, and entirely justified to see J.S.D Mellick in his very quiet way in the Australia Day honors. Congratulations, you’re a beaut bloke and I’m very pleased the honors people recognise it."

Vale John Stanton Davis Mellick, your legacy is great.

Dr Mellick's personal story is part of our 2023 Remembrance Day Campaign.  Each year, on 11 November, Australians observe one minute's silence at 11am, in memory of those who have died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts. This year who will you stop to remember? Share your stories in the comments. 

Collections

• Stanton (JSD) Mellick oral history, January 2018
• John Stanton Davis Mellick Archive 1930-2015