Career
He was a leading historian, librarian and public figure in Western Australian and also served as a Chancellor of the University of Western Australia. In 1951, The West Australian newspaper designated him as the Principal librarian and secretary of the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery of Western Australia
Battye Street in the Canberra suburb of Bruce is named in his honour. Battye came to Western Australia from Victoria in 1894 to take up the position which he held until his death in 1954.
Although not directly within his professional role, he developed a strong interest in Western Australian history and began collecting material from early in the century.
The J South Battye Library is named in his honour. "Battye" is a local term for the library and also his History of Western Australia volume published at the time of the Western Australia centenary celebrations in 1929.
