A. E. V. Richardson

Arnold Edwin Victor Richardson MA, BSc., (12 September 1883 – 5 December 1949) was an Australian scientist noted for dry farming research, who became founding director of Waite Research Institute then director of the organization now known as CSIRO.

Richardson was born in Thebarton, South Australia to George Edwin Richardson (c. 1848 – 25 July 1921) and his wife Louisa, née Mansfield (c. 1849 – 3 May 1911) of 4 George Street, Thebarton. George Edwin, who arrived in South Australia with his parents on the William Hyde in May 1849, was proprietor of Port Road Steam Works in 1881, and inventor of an improved brick-making machine. an improved direct-action stamp battery, and an automatic railway coupling, He was proprietor, 1886–1889 with Kempster, of "Manton Ironworks" on Manton Street, Hindmarsh. He later ran a foundry in Thebarton.

Arnold was educated at the Currie Street public school, then Adelaide Agricultural School, where he was dux for four terms, and was awarded the School's gold medal and a scholarship to Roseworthy Agricultural School, where he earned a first-class Diploma. In 1902 he returned to the Agricultural School to assist Andrew Ferguson, B.Sc. in what proved to be the last year agricultural subjects were offered. He joined the Education Department as a student teacher in order to avail himself of free tuition at the University of Adelaide, where as what the Public Service Review called "one of the most talented students which the University of Adelaide has produced" he achieved his BA in 1907, BSc (Agric) in 1908 and MA in 1909. His thesis on "The milling qualities and chemical properties of flour from high and low grade wheats" won praise from Sydney University assessors. He was joint winner of the John Howard Clark Scholarship for English Literature in 1907. His teaching duties took him to Moonta Mines and Port Adelaide Public Schools, after which he joined the University Training College, where he was appointed assistant lecturer.

In 1908 Richardson accepted the position of Assistant Director of Agriculture, and was involved with the Director, Professor William Angus in research. In 1909 he took up residence at the Parafield Experimental Farm, where he was responsible for the breeding of several new varieties of wheat. He acted as Director of Agriculture for a few months in 1911 between the resignation of Angus and the appointment of Professor William Lowrie.

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