David Syme - Legacy

Legacy

Syme wrote several books while owner of The Age: the first, Outlines of an Industrial Science, (London, 1876) is largely a vindication of protection and is also a plea for the extension of the activities of the state. Next appeared Representative Government in England ..., a study of the history of parliament in England. His next book On the Modification of Organisms (Melbourne, 1890), is a criticism of Darwin's theory of natural selection from an evolutionist position. Syme's last volume, The Soul: A Study and an Argument (1903), discusses the nature of life, instinct, memory, mind, and survival after death. Syme also involved himself in philanthropic activities, he paid the expenses of a rifle team to Bisley, Surrey and financed expeditions to New Guinea and Central Australia. In 1904 he gave £3000 to the University of Melbourne to endow the Syme Prize for research in biology, chemistry, geology and natural philosophy. The introduction of linotype machines threw many of Syme's compositers out of work, he ensured that they were provided for. The older men were pensioned off and others were set up in business or placed on the land. Syme was hailed on his death as "one of the greatest men in colonial history," by his friend then Prime Minister Alfred Deakin. It was intended that Syme would be knighted for "services to the Commonwealth- Civil Division" in the 1909 New Years Honours list. However, given that Syme died in 1908, this award was never given, the decision having been taken not to award it posthumously. A knighthood for services to journalism and the Commonwealth was later presented to Sir Geoffrey Syme- David Syme's son. The "Age" remained in family hands after Syme's death. It was headed by Sir Geoffrey Syme from 1908 to 1942 and Oswald Syme from 1942-1964 before eventually being passed to Ranald McDonald David Syme's great-grandson, (Oswald Syme's grandson) who sold the Age to Fairfax in 1983. The Syme family controlled the newspaper outright for 127 years, from 1856-1983.