William Walkley
Encyclopedia
Sir William Gaston Walkley CBE
(born 1 November 1896; died 12 April 1976) was an oil company
executive
. Walkley was a founder of Australia
n oil company Ampol
and was credited with being one of the early pioneers in opening up the northwest of Australia
to oil exploration. In 1956 he instituted the Walkley Awards
, the premier award for excellence in Australian journalism.
, on 1 November 1896 to Herbert and Jessie Walkley, who were British
immigrants. He spent most of his early life close to Palmerston North
, where his father worked as a draper
.
He was married at a registry office in Andover, Hampshire
, England
in July 1919 to Marjory Ponting; this marriage soon ended in divorce. In 1945 he married Theresa May Stevens, a divorcee
who had been his secretary, at St Stephens Presbyterian Church in Sydney
. His marriage to Teresa lasted until his death in 1976.
, getting as far as England. Due to ill-health and the end of the war he did not see action in the First World War. He was discharged in 1920 having reached the rank of temporary warrant officer.
businessman including the Todd Family, Walkley was a co-founder of the Associated Motorists' Petrol Co. Ltd with the aim of providing customers a cheaper local alternative to the foreign oil companies. The company sold petrol under the Europa
brand.
and a consortium of New Zealand businessman lobbied the NRMA
in Australia to offer to repeat in Australia the model used by Europa. While the NRMA did not endorse this venture, key members of the NRMA board, including former Australian Prime Minister
Chris Watson
(who became the first chairman), did join the new venture Australian Motorists Petroleum Co. Ltd which traded as Ampol.
Walkley was managing director of the company from 1939 until he retired in 1963.
In 1953 after striking oil at Rough Range near Exmouth
, Walkley walked down Pitt Street, Sydney
in a red ten gallon hat, stopping traffic. At the spudding of Rough Range he had promised to wear the hat, which had been given to him by journalists in Carnarvon
, once oil had been struck. He had promised to wear it when he struck oil.
In 1954 Ampol
named named their first oil tanker MV William G. Walkley after Walkley.
. Walkley in 1957 became the Australian representative on the International Golf Association. He was responsible for having the Canada Cup tournament held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club
in 1959.
, Richard Dickson, William Northam and Noel Foley, was a member of the ownershership syndicate of the 1962 America's Cup
challenger Gretel.
. As president he was involved in Australia's reentry to world football after being banned by FIFA
. He stated that soccer had a role in bringing Australians together saying that it was "the sport that could do most to bring old and new Australians together and aid the newcomers’ assimilation".
In 1966 Walkley became the inaugural president of the Oceania Football Confederation
. He served in this role until 1970.
for excellence in Australian journalism.
Walkley remained involved in presenting the awards until the year before his death despite his ill health. At the 1975 awards he attended in a wheelchair.
Walkley was the great nephew of The Times
literary critic Arthur Walkley. It has been suggested his love of journalists came from this familial connection.
. He was made a Knight Bachelor
in 1967.
For his service to football he was in 1999 posthumously inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
The Walkley Pathway in West Ryde, New South Wales
is named in his honour.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 1 November 1896; died 12 April 1976) was an oil company
Petroleum industry
The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting , and marketing petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline...
executive
Senior management
Senior management, executive management, or management team is generally a team of individuals at the highest level of organizational management who have the day-to-day responsibilities of managing a company or corporation, they hold specific executive powers conferred onto them with and by...
. Walkley was a founder of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n oil company Ampol
Ampol
Ampol, the Australian Motorists Petrol Company, was incorporated by Sir William Gaston Walkley in 1936 in New South Wales. This was in response to Australians' concerns about perceived inequitable petrol pricing, and allegations of transfer pricing by foreign oil companies to limit their tax...
and was credited with being one of the early pioneers in opening up the northwest of Australia
North West Australia
The terms North West Australia, The North West and North Western Australia have been used as a regular label for the region of the North of Western Australia and the West of the Northern Territory.- Early 20th century gold rush:...
to oil exploration. In 1956 he instituted the Walkley Awards
Walkley Awards
The annual Walkley Awards, under the administration of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism, are presented in Australia to recognise and reward excellence in journalism. Finalists are chosen by an independent board of eminent journalists and photographers. The awards cover all media including...
, the premier award for excellence in Australian journalism.
Personal life
Walkley was born in Otaki, New ZealandOtaki, New Zealand
Otaki is a town in the Kapiti Coast District of the North Island of New Zealand, situated half way between the capital city Wellington, 70 kilometres to the southwest, and Palmerston North, 70 kilometres to the northeast. It marks the northernmost point of the Wellington Region. The town's...
, on 1 November 1896 to Herbert and Jessie Walkley, who were British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
immigrants. He spent most of his early life close to Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
, where his father worked as a draper
Draper
Draper is the now largely obsolete term for a wholesaler, or especially retailer, of cloth, mainly for clothing, or one who works in a draper's shop. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. The drapers were an important trade guild...
.
He was married at a registry office in Andover, Hampshire
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in July 1919 to Marjory Ponting; this marriage soon ended in divorce. In 1945 he married Theresa May Stevens, a divorcee
Divorcee
Divorcee, refers to a person whose marriage has ended in divorce, a legal dissolution of marriage before death by either spouse. The feminine form is "divorcée", and the masculine "divorcé". At one time the term had negative cultural and religious associations...
who had been his secretary, at St Stephens Presbyterian Church in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. His marriage to Teresa lasted until his death in 1976.
Military service
In 1917 Walkley enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary ForceNew Zealand Expeditionary Force
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight for Britain during World War I and World War II. Ultimately, the NZEF of World War I was known as the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force...
, getting as far as England. Due to ill-health and the end of the war he did not see action in the First World War. He was discharged in 1920 having reached the rank of temporary warrant officer.
Accountancy
On returning to New Zealand Walkley applied to become an associate of the New Zealand Society of Accountants and starting a practice in Hawera in 1922.Europa
In 1931, with Hawera car dealer William Arthur O'Callaghan and a series of North IslandNorth Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
businessman including the Todd Family, Walkley was a co-founder of the Associated Motorists' Petrol Co. Ltd with the aim of providing customers a cheaper local alternative to the foreign oil companies. The company sold petrol under the Europa
Europa (New Zealand)
Europa was a New Zealand-owned oil company that was operated by the Todd family in New Zealand, in competition with overseas firms such as Texaco , Plume , Shell and Atlantic....
brand.
Ampol
In 1935 Walkley and O'Callaghan with the support of the New Zealand Automobile AssociationNew Zealand Automobile Association
The New Zealand Automobile Association is a mutual organisation and an incorporated society that provides vehicle breakdown assistance and related services to its members...
and a consortium of New Zealand businessman lobbied the NRMA
NRMA
NRMA refers to either of two historically related Australian companies:*The National Roads and Motorists' Association, known as NRMA Motoring and Services, is a member-owned mutual organisation offering , motoring advice and other services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital...
in Australia to offer to repeat in Australia the model used by Europa. While the NRMA did not endorse this venture, key members of the NRMA board, including former Australian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Chris Watson
Chris Watson
John Christian Watson , commonly known as Chris Watson, Australian politician, was the third Prime Minister of Australia...
(who became the first chairman), did join the new venture Australian Motorists Petroleum Co. Ltd which traded as Ampol.
Walkley was managing director of the company from 1939 until he retired in 1963.
In 1953 after striking oil at Rough Range near Exmouth
Exmouth, Western Australia
-Further reading:* Western Australia. Ministry for Planning. Exmouth-Learmonth structure plan. Perth, W.A. : Western Australian Planning Commission...
, Walkley walked down Pitt Street, Sydney
Pitt Street, Sydney
Pitt Street is a major street in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sections after a substantial stretch of it was removed to make way for Sydney's...
in a red ten gallon hat, stopping traffic. At the spudding of Rough Range he had promised to wear the hat, which had been given to him by journalists in Carnarvon
Carnarvon, Western Australia
Carnarvon is a coastal town situated approximately 900 kilometres north of Perth, Western Australia. It lies at the mouth of the Gascoyne River on the Indian Ocean. The popular Shark Bay world heritage area lies to the south of the town and the Ningaloo Reef lies to the north...
, once oil had been struck. He had promised to wear it when he struck oil.
In 1954 Ampol
Ampol
Ampol, the Australian Motorists Petrol Company, was incorporated by Sir William Gaston Walkley in 1936 in New South Wales. This was in response to Australians' concerns about perceived inequitable petrol pricing, and allegations of transfer pricing by foreign oil companies to limit their tax...
named named their first oil tanker MV William G. Walkley after Walkley.
Royal New South Wales Institution for Deaf and Blind Children
In 1960 Walkley joined the board of the Royal New South Wales Institution for Deaf and Blind Children, becoming president in 1965. During the late 1960s Walkley heavily lobbied state governments across Australia in an attempt to fund a school for deaf-blind children. Walkley remained president until his death.Golf
In 1947 he established the Ampol tournament. By the mid-1950s it had become the richest tournament outside the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Walkley in 1957 became the Australian representative on the International Golf Association. He was responsible for having the Canada Cup tournament held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club
Royal Melbourne Golf Club
Royal Melbourne Golf Club is a golf club located in Black Rock, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia with two courses. Royal Melbourne has hosted numerous national and international events, including the 1959 Canada Cup , and the 1970 World Cup...
in 1959.
Yachting
Walkley, with Sir Frank PackerFrank Packer
Sir Douglas Frank Hewson Packer, KBE , was an Australian media proprietor who controlled Australian Consolidated Press and the Nine Network.-Biography:...
, Richard Dickson, William Northam and Noel Foley, was a member of the ownershership syndicate of the 1962 America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
challenger Gretel.
Soccer
Between 1963 and 1970 Walkley was president of the Australian Soccer FederationFootball Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
. As president he was involved in Australia's reentry to world football after being banned by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
. He stated that soccer had a role in bringing Australians together saying that it was "the sport that could do most to bring old and new Australians together and aid the newcomers’ assimilation".
In 1966 Walkley became the inaugural president of the Oceania Football Confederation
Oceania Football Confederation
The Oceania Football Confederation is one of the six continental confederations of international association football, consisting of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and island nations such as Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific Island countries...
. He served in this role until 1970.
Walkley Awards
In 1956 Walkley founded the Walkley AwardsWalkley Awards
The annual Walkley Awards, under the administration of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism, are presented in Australia to recognise and reward excellence in journalism. Finalists are chosen by an independent board of eminent journalists and photographers. The awards cover all media including...
for excellence in Australian journalism.
Walkley remained involved in presenting the awards until the year before his death despite his ill health. At the 1975 awards he attended in a wheelchair.
Walkley was the great nephew of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
literary critic Arthur Walkley. It has been suggested his love of journalists came from this familial connection.
Honours
Walkley in 1960 became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to industry in New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He was made a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1967.
For his service to football he was in 1999 posthumously inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
The Walkley Pathway in West Ryde, New South Wales
West Ryde, New South Wales
West Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. West Ryde is located 16 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ryde and is part of the Northern Suburbs area....
is named in his honour.