George Whitecross Paton

Professor Sir George Whitecross Paton B.A., B.C.L. (Oxon.), Hon. LL.D. (Glas., Syd., Qld., Tas., Lond., and Monash), D.C.L. (W. Ont.), M.A Vice Chancellor of Melbourne University born 16th August 1902, Died 16th June 1985.

Early life & Education

George Paton was born 16th August 1902 in Geelong, Victoria. His parents were Frank Hume Lyall PATON (son of John Gibson Paton) and Clara Sophia HEYER.

He was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne (1914-1920) and then Melbourne University (1921-1925)

He won the Rhodes Scholarship for Victoria (Australia) in 1925 which allowed him to continue his studies at Magdalen College, Oxford from 1926 to 1929.

He married Alice WATSON (1905-1994) on 11th July 1931 and had four children.

Academic Life

George paton becam a barrister-at-law in 1927 and lectured in law at the London School of Economics

In 1931 he was appointed Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Melbourne and became Dean of the Faculty of Law in 1943.

In 1951 he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Melbourne University and held the position until his retirement in 1968

After retirement he was President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Inc. (ANZSOC) from 1969 to 1971