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ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ to re-enact 1906 statue unveiling

Unveiling the Sir Walter Watson Hughes statue in 1906
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Tuesday, 21 November 2006

The ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide tomorrow is re-enacting the 1906 ceremony to unveil the statue of the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s founding benefactor, .

Her Excellency Marjorie Jackson-Nelson, , and two descendants of Sir Walter - brothers Mr Walter Hughes Duncan and Mr Jock Duncan - will unveil the Sir Walter Watson Hughes statue at 3pm on Wednesday, November 22, in an echo of that earlier ceremony.

Sir Walter's gift of £20,000 in 1872 led to the foundation of the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide in 1874, giving South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ the nation's third university.

During the re-enactment, three members of the in period costume and the brass quintet will lead a procession from the Mitchell Building to the statue on North Terrace consisting of the Governor, the Right Honourable the Michael Harbison, Commissioner of Police Mal Hyde, the the Hon John von Doussa QC, Professor James McWha, and members of the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ community. members in costume will also take part.

ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor James McWha said: "Sir Walter's gift of £20,000 was a staggering amount for those times. The centenary celebration of the statue unveiling commemorates his generosity and vision that has had a major influence on the lives of so many people.

"For over 130 years, the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide has been at the heart of South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n life, shaping education, research, culture, politics and economics. With 100,000 graduates to date, 100 Rhodes Scholars and five Nobel Laureates - three of them our own graduates - I think Sir Walter would have been extremely proud of what his gift started."

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