Chapter 1: My Early Days in the Bureau (continued)

Many years later Ackeroyd returned to Perth as Divisional Meteorologist. I remember Ackeroyd, like most of the other senior staff, always dressed very formally with wing collars.

In a back room near the switchboard sat old Baker who was in charge of the messenger boys.

Later I was upstairs in a room with Barkley (Assistant Director—Research) and Hogan (1896–1970). I learnt a great deal from Jack Hogan. He was superb. A very tidy mind from the scientific point of view and every other way. He was well read. He knew the regulations. He knew what was done and why. He had a logical mind. Barkley was a very good boss, but more about him later.

In the next room were the Draftsmen, Leo Day and old Mick Kerr. Around the corner past the staircase opposite the Chief Clerk's room was the room where Timcke, Treloar and Tregenza worked. Pilot balloons were filled with hydrogen in that room (Timcke's office) because outside the window was the spiral metal staircase leading to the platform on the roof from which the upper wind observations were made. Two or three hydrogen cylinders were kept in that room.

Supplies of balloons and theodolites were limited. If theodolites became faulty they were put to one side. No effort was made to have them repaired.

Bureau of Meteorology