Date of Birth: 
About William Lowrie
- William Lowrie (18 October 1857 – 20 July 1933) was an Australian agricultural educationist. Lowrie was the son of John Lowrie, a shepherd, wife Christina, née Anderson.
- Lowrie was born near Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland.
- Lowrie was brought up on a farm Clarilaw, one of the largest farms in Roxburghshire, and attended school at Blainslie; he later entered the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated M.A.
- in 1883, and obtaining a Highland and Agricultural Society's bursary in 1884, studied agriculture and graduated B.Sc.
- in 1886 with a prize in mathematics and several first-class honours.
- Lowrie lectured on natural science and agriculture at Gordon's College, Aberdeen. In 1887 he was appointed Professor at the Roseworthy Agricultural College, South Australia, after the sacking of John D.
- Custance, and continued his research into the virtues of fallowing and the use of water-soluble phosphates as fertilizer.
- Following this Lowrie travelled throughout the wheat-growing districts of South Australia, addressing farmers and endeavouring to persuade them to adopt his methods.
- He resigned his position as principal of Roseworthy Agricultural College after criticism of him in Parliament.
- He was urged to reconsider by the Agricultural and Horticultural Society and others.
- W.
- C.
- Grasby was appointed as Head Master, freeing Lowrie to concentrate on research and promulgation of modern farming methods and the resignation was withdrawn.
- He was contracted by the Victorian government to report on the Longerenong and Dookie agricultural colleges.
- His reports, which were constructive though highly critical, were not welcomed.He was made an honorary and contributing member of the R.A.& H.S.S.A.
- in 1898 as a show of confidence in him.In 1901 he left for a position in Canterbury, New Zealand as principal of the Lincoln Agricultural College, then in 1908 became Director of Agriculture in Western Australia where his brother-in-law, Newton Moore, was premier.
- In 1909 he declined the offer of the chair of agriculture at the University of Sydney.
- Lowrie returned to South Australia in 1911 as Director of Agriculture, following the resignation of Professor William Angus (and acting directorship of A.
- E.
- V.
- Richardson).
- Lowrie resigned in 1914 owing to differences of opinion with the Minister for Agriculture regarding the reorganization of the department.
- After his retirement Lowrie took up farming on 'Battunga', near Echunga, South Australia and specialized in farming and breeding pure-bred Border Leicester sheep.Lowrie died at Echunga on 20 July 1933 and was buried at St George's cemetery, Magill.
- Lowrie had married twice, firstly to Mary Longbottom on 24 June 1891; she died four months later after an ectopic pregnancy.
- On 23 March 1903 Lowrie married Alice Longbottom (Mary's sister) who survived him.
- There were no children.
- Lowrie did excellent work, especially in South Australia; no one else in his time did more to make farming profitable.
- A bust of him, by Marguerite Richardson, is at Roseworthy Agricultural College.
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