H. G. Bond

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.

Bureau of Meteorology