Last NameDuncanFirst NameGeorgeMiddle NameIan OgilvieDate of Birth20 July 1930Date of Death10 May 1972Biography
George Duncan was born in London on 20 July 1930, and moved to Melbourne with his family in 1937.
He studied classical philology at the University of Melbourne, but did not complete the course due to a prolonged bout of tuberculosis in 1950. Later, Dr Duncan earned Bachelor degrees in both arts and law at St John's College, Cambridge, before completing a PhD at the University of Bristol.
He taught law part time at the University of Bristol and was a devout Anglican and regular churchgoer.
In March 1972 Dr Duncan returned to Australia to lecture in law at the University of Adelaide while living at Lincoln College.
On 10 May 1972 a group of men confronted Dr Duncan and another man on the southern bank of the River Torrens near the footbridge, a known meeting area for gay men. Both men were thrown into the water but Dr Duncan could not swim and drowned. Dr Duncan was buried in Centennial Park Cemetery following a service at St George's Church, Goodwood.
Biographical Source1. Duncan, J 2017, ‘How the killing of a gay academic changed Australia’. BBC News. 14 November, viewed 23 March 2022,
2. Reeves, T 2006, Duncan, George Ian (1930–1972), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, viewed 23 March 2022,
