Jack Somerville
{{short description|New Zealand Presbyterian leader}}
{{for|the Australian footballer|Jack Somerville (footballer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = The Very Reverend
| name = Jack Somerville
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZ|CMG|MC|ChStJ|size=100%}}
| image = Jack Somerville 1948 (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Somerville in 1948
| order1 = Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
| term_start1 = 8 November 1960
| term_end1 = 7 November 1961
| predecessor1 = Arthur Dowdall Horwell
| successor1 = Stuart Cyril Francis
| order2 = 13th Chancellor of the University of Otago
| term_start2 = 1976
| term_end2 = 1982
| predecessor2 = Stuart Sidey
| successor2 = Jim Valentine
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1910|07|07|df=y}}
| birth_place = Andersons Bay, Dunedin, New Zealand
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1999|10|05|1910|07|07|df=y}}
| death_place = Dunedin, New Zealand
| alma_mater =
| known_for =
| awards =
| spouse =
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
}}
John Spenser Somerville {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZ|CMG|MC|ChStJ|size=85%}} (7 July 1910 – 5 October 1999) was a New Zealand Presbyterian leader.
Biography
Somerville was born in the Dunedin suburb of Andersons Bay in 1910,{{cite web |url=http://www.librarything.com/author/somervillejohnspense |title=J.S. Somerville |date= |website= |publisher=LibraryThing |accessdate=4 June 2014}} the son of Grace Isabella (née Isherwood) and James Cleland Hall Somerville. He attended the University of Otago, graduating with a Master of Arts degree with second class honours in 1935.{{cite web |url=http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/university22.html |title=New Zealand university graduates 1870–1961: Sl–Sz |date= |website= |publisher= |accessdate=4 June 2014}} From 1935 to 1937 he trained at the Theological Hall of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand at Knox College, at the end of which time he received his certificate of license. He then travelled to the United Kingdom, where he studied at Westminster College, Cambridge and the University of St Andrews. He returned to New Zealand in 1938 to become the minister at Tapanui.
During World War II, Somerville served as a chaplain with the New Zealand forces from 1942 to 1945, first in Egypt and then in Italy. In 1945, he was awarded the Military Cross.{{cite news | url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19451112.2.23 | title=Bravery awards | date=12 November 1945 | work=New Zealand Herald | accessdate=4 June 2014 | page=4 }} After the war, he returned to Tapanui, and then moved to the Wellington parish of St Andrew's-on-the-Terrace, where he served from 1947 to 1963. Somerville was Moderator of the General Assembly of New Zealand in 1960–61.
Returning to his home town of Dunedin, Somerville was Master of Knox College from 1964 to 1978. He was first elected to the University of Otago Council in 1969 and from 1976 to 1982 he served as chancellor of the university.{{cite web |url=http://www.otago.ac.nz/council/membership/roleofchancellor/ |title=Role of chancellor |date= |website= |publisher=University of Otago |accessdate=4 June 2014}}
He died in Dunedin on 5 October 1999{{cite news | title=Lives of note | date=7 October 1999 | work=Evening Post | page=5}} and his ashes were buried in Andersons Bay Cemetery with those of his parents.{{cite web |url=http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries_search?recordid=54995&type=Ashes%20Burial |title=Cemeteries search |date= |website= |publisher=Dunedin City Council |accessdate=4 June 2014}} A commemorative bench outside the chapel on Quarantine Island with the inscription, 'Psalm 139 v 9-10,' was placed by his family.
Honours
In 1955 Somerville was appointed a Serving Brother of the Venerable Order of Saint John{{London Gazette |issue=40378 |date=7 January 1955 |page=160 |supp=y }} and in 1958 he was promoted to Chaplain of that order.{{London Gazette |issue=41437 |date=4 July 1958 |page=4210 }} In the 1978 New Year Honours, Somerville was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, for services to the Presbyterian Church and the University of Otago.{{London Gazette |issue=47420 |date=31 December 1977 |page=41 |supp=3}} In the 1991 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of New Zealand.{{cite web |url=http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/onzbio |title=ONZ biographical notes |date= |website= |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=4 June 2014}}{{London Gazette |issue=52564 |date=15 June 1991 |page=29 |supp=2}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-aca}}
{{s-bef|before=Stuart Sidey}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chancellor of the University of Otago|years=1976–1982}}
{{s-aft|after=Jim Valentine}}
{{end}}
{{Order of New Zealand}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Somerville, Jack}}
Category:Religious leaders from Dunedin
Category:University of Otago alumni
Category:Alumni of the University of St Andrews
Category:New Zealand military personnel of World War II
Category:New Zealand recipients of the Military Cross
Category:New Zealand Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
Category:Members of the Order of New Zealand
Category:Chaplains of the Order of St John
Category:Burials at Andersons Bay Cemetery
Category:Chancellors of the University of Otago
Category:New Zealand chaplains