Vale Professor Brian Davies

We regret to announce the passing of Professor Brian Davies, the Foundation Cato Chair of Psychiatry at The University of Melbourne. The Cato Chair was established in 1964 by psychiatrist Dr Una Porter and her brother Edward Cato in memory of their late father, philanthropist Frederick John Cato. Brian held the Cato Chair from its inception until his retirement in 1990.

Brian had an enormous influence on establishing the research and teaching culture at the Department. He had a reputation as being a generous and humble man. He was very supportive of psychiatrists who were interested in research, and helped to usher in a generation of research psychiatrists during his tenure. Among his many publications, Brian wrote “An Introduction to Clinical Psychiatry”, published by the Melbourne University Press, which will be familiar to many psychiatrists as a foundational textbook. Brian is survived by his son and daughter.

Professor Christopher Davey, Head of Department of Psychiatry

November 2020