In 2012 Gwenyth Jones donated funds to create a prize to celebrate undergraduate student engagement with the Nicholson Collection. The Max Le Petit and Gwenyth Jones Nicholson Collection Prize (named after Max Le Petit) is awarded bi-annually for an essay or written work submitted as part of a student’s undergraduate coursework on any aspect of the Nicholson Collection. The submitted work must have been completed within the preceding two years from the deadline for nominations.
The prize is named in memory of Gwenyth Jones's fiancé Maxwell Le Petit who died suddenly in 1947, aged 24. Max completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Sydney and was a teaching fellow in the Department of Classics. Gwenyth had met Max Le Petit while she was serving in the Air Force. While Max had initially enlisted, he was discharged before entering service due to his history with pneumonia. The couple were engaged in 1945. In 1946, Professor Trendall appointed Max as Assistant Curator of the Nicholson Museum, charged with academic tutoring, and the re-organisation of the Egyptian collection in preparation for the second edition of the Nicholson Museum Handbook (1948). Max was a beloved colleague, teacher and friend who was described by Professor MacDonald as "possessing great humanity". In his memory, Professor Trendall, with contributions received from staff and students, purchased a white-ground funerary lekythos by the Athenian 'Thanatos Painter' for the Nicholson Collection.
Nominations are currently closed for the Max Le Petit and Gwenyth Jones Nicholson Collection Prize. The next prize round will encompass the period 2022–23.
Nominations will open in late 2023 to all students that have engaged with the Nicholson Collection as part of their undergraduate degree. This includes traditional disciplines such as archaeology and ancient history, as well as non-traditional disciplines from all faculties including Arts, Architecture, Business, Education and Social Work, Engineering, Law, Medicine and Health, Music and Science.
Students eligible to apply may submit their work directly to the prize coordinator via email to Candace Richards candace.richards@sydney.edu.au before the submission deadline.
Tutors and Lecturers may nominate a student’s work directly to the prize coordinator via email.
All nominations must include:
The successful work will be chosen by a selection committee comprised of:
The decision of the selection committee is final. If no nominations or no suitable nominations are submitted then the prize may not be awarded in that year.
2022
2019
2017
Not awarded
2015
Featured image (top of the page): Max Le Petit examines a model of an Athenian trireme, superimposed Athenian white-ground lekythos by the 'Thanatos Painter' purchased in memory of Max.