:C. A. Topp
{{Short description|Educationist and civil servant in Australia (1847–1932)}}
Charles Alfred Topp BA, LLB, ISO, FLS (22 March 1847 – 13 July 1932){{cite book|author=Peter Gill |title=Australian Dictionary of Biography: 'Topp, Charles Alfred (1847–1932)' |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/topp-charles-alfred-4735/text7861 |year=1976 |access-date=6 January 2025}} was an education administrator and public servant in colonial Victoria, Australia.
History
Topp was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, the third son of merchant Samuel Topp (c. 1800 – 23 August 1884){{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article6056020 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=11,911 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=25 August 1884 |accessdate=6 January 2025 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}} and his wife Sarah Topp, née Clapham, (c. 1819 – 17 September 1890){{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196982451 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Age |issue=11,097 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=18 September 1890 |accessdate=6 January 2025 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}} later of Samuel Topp and Co., 4 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154840936 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Age |issue=1,721 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=30 April 1860 |accessdate=6 January 2025 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}
Samuel Topp and his family emigrated to Melbourne by the ship Royal Charter, and young Charles Topp was educated at the Church of England Grammar School and the University of Melbourne, graduating BA in 1867 and LLB in 1869 and was elected to the Bar.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5813788 |title=Wednesday July 7, 1869 |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=7,199 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=7 July 1869 |accessdate=6 January 2025 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}
In 1869 he was appointed assistant inspector of schools under G(eorge) Wilson Brown{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5810115 |title=Monday January 17, 1870 |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=7,365 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=17 January 1870 |accessdate=6 January 2025 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} and in 1873 was appointed an inspector for the new department of education.
He was appointed senior inspector of schools, then in 1885 succeeded F. J. Gladman as superintendent of the (teacher) Training Institution{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61921830 |title=The Gippsland Times. |newspaper=Gippsland Times |issue=3,076 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=2 March 1885 |accessdate=6 January 2025 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}
and principal of the Training College in Spring Street.
In 1888–89 Topp and John Main,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196313307 |title=About People |newspaper=The Age |issue=15862 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=11 January 1906 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} senior inspector of Victorian schools, undertook a comparison of Victorian teaching methods with those of New South Wales and South Australia,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article160777935 |title=Educational |newspaper=Adelaide Observer |volume=XLV |issue=2435 |location=South Australia |date=2 June 1888 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=39 |via=National Library of Australia}} which report was published in 1889.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198062243 |title=The Week |newspaper=The Leader (Melbourne) |issue=1736 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=20 April 1889 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=25 |via=National Library of Australia}} A recommendation was to grade teachers by ability rather than paper qualifications.
With the overhaul of Victoria's Health laws in 1890,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197023441 |title=The New Board of Health |newspaper=The Age |issue=10895 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=24 January 1890 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}} Topp was appointed chairman of the new Board of Public Health,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8585444 |title=The Argus |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=13,600 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=24 January 1890 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} includes potted biography replaced at the Training College by Robert Craig.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8613649 |title=The Argus. |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=13,730 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=26 June 1890 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}
He was appointed under-secretary in 1894{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221161794 |title=The New Under-Secretary. |newspaper=The Weekly Times (Melbourne) |issue=1,291 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=5 May 1894 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} and a Public Service Commissioner following the retirement of A. W. Howitt.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9541400 |title=Retirement of Mr A. W. Howitt |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=16,804 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=17 May 1900 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}
He was appointed a Public Service Commissioner following the retirement of A. W. Howitt.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9541400 |title=Retirement of Mr A. W. Howitt |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=16,804 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=17 May 1900 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}} G. C. Morrison was his replacement as under-secretary.
Recognition
In 1903 Topp was awarded the Imperial Service Order.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14578711 |title=Imperial Service Order |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=20,490 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=10 November 1903 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}
Other interests
Topp was a keen naturalist, joining the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria in 1883,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8503848 |title=Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=11,461 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=15 March 1883 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} and president in 1889–90.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198060286 |title=The Naturalist |newspaper=The Leader (Melbourne) |issue=1753 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=17 August 1889 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=36 |via=National Library of Australia}}
He was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1887.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article6101440 |title=Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=12,971 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=17 January 1888 |accessdate=7 January 2025 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}
In 1886 Topp succeeded Andrew Harper as warden of the senate of Melbourne University, succeeded in 1890 by Thomas P. McInerney.
Family
On 25 July 1877 Topp married Euphemia Shields, youngest daughter of Dr John Shields of Launceston, Tasmania,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5930775 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=9,707 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=26 July 1877 |accessdate=6 January 2025 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}} so becoming a brother-in-law of Robert Ellery and Paul MacGillivray.
He died at his home in East Malvern and his remains buried in the Boroondara Cemetery.
References
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