| Sir John Winthrop Hackett | |
| Office: | Chancellor of the University of Western Australia |
| Term Start: | 11 March 1912 |
| Term End: | 19 February 1916 |
| Predecessor: | New office |
| Successor: | Charles Riley |
| Office2: | Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council |
| Constituency2: | South-West Province |
| Predecessor2: | New office |
| Successor2: | John Ewing |
| Term Start2: | 29 December 1890 |
| Term End2: | 19 February 1916 |
| Birth Date: | 1848 2, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | near Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland |
| Death Place: | Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Children: | 5, incl. John and Patricia |
| Alma Mater: | Trinity College, Dublin |
| Profession: | Barrister Journalist Newspaper editor |
Sir John Winthrop Hackett Sr. (4 February 184819 February 1916), generally known as "Winthrop Hackett", was a proprietor and editor of several newspapers in Western Australia, a politician and a university chancellor.[1]
Hackett was born near Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. He died suddenly on 19 February 1916 of a heart condition and was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery.[2]
On 3 August 1905, Hackett married the 18-year-old Deborah Vernon Brockman (1887–1965). He confided in his political ally Walter James, "This is in the strictest sense a 'marriage de convenance' ".[3] The couple had four daughters, and a son also called John. John (1910–1997) also became Sir John Hackett, a popular and distinguished General in the British Army. After she was widowed, Lady Hackett remarried to become Lady Moulden, and finally – after an honorary doctorate and a further widowhood – married Basil Buller Murphy to become Dr. Deborah Buller Murphy.
A daughter Patricia Hackett (1908–1963) followed her father into the legal profession, and is today remembered for the Patricia Hackett Prize awarded by the University of Western Australia and endowed in her memory in 1965.[4]
Hackett was awarded the honorary degree of LL.D. by Trinity College, Dublin in June 1902.[5] He left £425,000 to the University of Western Australia. This was an unexpectedly large sum, because by the time that the university was ready to receive it in 1926, shares in The West Australian had increased greatly in value. £250,000 of interest went to the construction of buildings such Winthrop Hall and Hackett Hall, which were built in a much grander architectural style than might previously have been envisaged. Another £200,000 was used to set up a fund for scholarships and bursaries.[6]
The suburb of Hackett, in inner North Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia bears his name, in recognition of his efforts to support the federation of the Australian colonies, which took place in 1901. Streets and a suburb in Perth are also named "Hackett" and "Winthrop".
The species epithet of the extinct giant echidna Murrayglossus hacketti honours Hackett.[7]
| Escutcheon: | Quarterly 1st & 4th Azure three hakes haurient fesswise Argent (Hackett 1508) 2nd & 3rd Gules three hakets Argent (Hackett 1639). |
| Crest: | On a wreath of the colours an eagle displayed with two heads per pale Azure and Gules between the heads a trefoil slipped Vert. |
| Motto: | Mon Esperance Est En Dieu |
| Notes: | Confirmed by Sir Arthur Vicars, Ulster King of Arms, 30 July 1907.[8] |
