PreviousNext
Page 1339
Previous/Next Page
Federation and MeteorologyBureau of Meteorology
----------
Table of Contents

Weather News

Introduction

History

Personal Notes
Mr. B. W. Newman, Deputy Director, Sydney
Mr. G. W. Mackey—Deputy Director, Perth
Mr. J. Johnston—Deputy Director, Hobart
Mr. A. J. Shields—Deputy Director, Brisbane
Mr. B. J. Retallack—Supervising Meteorologist, Training
Mr. J. Hogan—Deputy Director, Adelaide
Mr. F. Bell—Officer-in-Charge, Darwin
Mr. P. Ryan—Officer-in-Charge, Darwin
Bureau Profile #1
Dr. Kevin Spillane: The Quality of Tenacity
Taking the World View [John Zillman]
Fred Bell, the Pilot's Friend
Mildura's Harry Storer
Computers—New ADC [Ross Maine]
H. G. Bond
The Sky is the Limit [Bettye Macnicol / Jenny Hopwood]
Hobart Weather Birds [Judy Morris / Felicity James]
Professional Officers' Association Award to Henry [Phillpot]
New Assistant Director Facilities is Keith Henderson
Tasmania's New Regional Director [Ted Phillips]
New Head for ANMRC [Doug Gauntlett]
Tony Powell New Regional Director Victoria
Lynn Mitchell Takes Over the Reins in SA RO Fillerup!
Pat Sullivan New Regional Director, NSW
Bettye Dixon Heads Canberra Liaison Section
Dr Michael Manton Chief of BMRC
Graeme Furler, Regional Director South Australia
Ian Mason, Regional Director ACT
Regional Director Queensland [Rex Falls]
Don Linforth, STPM
Bob Brook, Asst Director (Observations)
Jim Arthur, Regional Director, Northern Territory
Neil Streten Appointed Deputy Director (Services)
Bill Downey, Assistant Director (Executive)
Antarctic Medal Winners
Agrometeorology's Leading Lady [Gloria Bedson]
Ken Wilson—Focus on the 'Big Picture'
Sue Barrell's 'Balancing Act'
Dr Geoff Love Appointed Deputy Director (Services)
Serendipity at 33,000ft: A Win for Metrology—Bruce Forgan's WMO Vaisala Award
Pressure's On for New NCC Head [Mary Voice]
Bob Leighton Wins AMOS Honor for Climate Studies

Retirements

Obituaries

Observers and Volunteers

Media

Computers


Index
Search
Help

Contact us

H. G. Bond

No. 190 June 1972, Item 2292

Harold George Bond retired on his 60th birthday on May 5, just 33 years (almost to the day) after joining the Bureau. For the last 7 ½ years he was Regional Director for Tasmania.

The elder son of George Grant Bond, Divisional Meteorologist for Queensland from 1908 to 1934, Harold grew up in a meteorological environment. But it was not until shortly after his father's death in 1938 that he decided to become a Met. man. he can clearly recall the early days of the Brisbane Weather Bureau, which used to close from noon Saturday till 0845 on Monday morning. When it was his father's duty weekend, Harold, as a small boy, invariably accompanied him to the Bureau on Sunday morning, in the Model T Ford. The 0900 obs. would be taken, the autographic charts changed, a few weather reports plotted and that was it. Work was usually finished in time to attend morning service at St. John's Cathedral before going home.

If there was cyclonic weather about, there was also work to be done at home on Saturday evening, special reports being gathered by 'phone, in the old Australian word code. Perhaps warnings would have to be issued—hoist the red pennants.

Harold was educated. at Brisbane Grammar School where he won many prizes. including the coveted Lilley Silver Medal, and finally an Exhibition (only 20 for the whole State) to the University of Queensland. Graduating B.Sc (Hons. Chemistry) in 1933, when the depression was at its worst, he was glad to obtain the post of Maths. and Science master at Slade School, Warwick, at the princely salary of £150 p.a. Two years later he became Senior Maths. master (£175 p.a.) at Canberra Grammar School and just missed teaching Gough Whitlam how to juggle figures. One of his pupils is now Headmaster of C.G.S.

Joining a Met. training course, at very short notice, in May 1939, with Allen Bath (the class playboy), Ross Vollprecht and Johnno as fellow students, Harold next found himself teamed with the legendary Arthur White at Mascot. The rest of the staff comprised two observers. Ted Beattie and Bob McElwee, and office hours were 0600 to 1730. However there was an 0400 start on Fridays to provide an early forecast for the K.L.M. Lockheed so that it could make Cloncurry that day, en route to Darwin.


People in Bright Sparcs - Bond, Harold George

Previous Page Bureau of Meteorology Next Page


© Online Edition Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre and Bureau of Meteorology 2001
Published by Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, using the Web Academic Resource Publisher
http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/fam/1339.html