Gibson, William Hope Harnett (1892 - 1967)

Summary

William Gibson, BSc ME MIEAust MIMechE, was a well respected mechanical engineer who, for 37 years, nearly the whole of his professional life, was on the staff of the University of Sydney. He started as a demonstrator in mechanical engineering in 1915, became a lecturer and senior lecturer, and from 1947 was Reader in Mechanical Engineering. He was also chairman of Gibson Battle and Co. Ltd, engineers and machinery merchants.

Gibson also gave extensive service to the engineering profession and the Institution of Engineers Australia as a member of Council for 28 years, as Chairman of the library committee for 27 years, and as Chairman of the Board of Examiners for 17 years.

Details

Chronology

1913

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Sydney

1915

Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE), University of Sydney

1915 - 1921

Career position - Demonstrator in Mechanical Engineering, University of Sydney

1916

Military service - Applied to enlist, unfit for medical reasons

1917 - 1919

Career position - Researcher, The Engine Development Co Ltd, Chiswick, London [Research and testing of the Still Engine]

1917 - 1920

Award - Walter and Eliza Hall Engineering Fellowship, University of Sydney

1919

Career event - Foundation Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1920

Career event - Associate Member (AMIMechE), Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London

1921 -

Career position - Honorary curator, Engineering School Museum, University of Sydney

1921 - 1945

Career position - Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering, University of Sydney

1930

Education - Master of Engineering (ME), University of Sydney

1934

Career position - Chairman, Sydney Division, Institution of Engineers Australia

1934

Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1935

Career event - G A Taylor Memorial Lectures in Aeronautics, University of Sydney [with H J Swain]

1938

Career event - Member (MIMechE), Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London

1945 - 1947

Career position - Senior Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering, University of Sydney

1947 - 1957

Career position - Reader in Mechanical Engineering, University of Sydney

1952

Career event - Presidential Tour, Institution of Engineers Australia [deputising for L R East]

1953

Career event - Presidential Tour, Institution of Engineers Australia

1953

Award - Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal

1953 - 1954

Career position - President, Institution of Engineers Australia

Related entries

Published resources

Journal Articles

• 'Presidential Visit Overseas (1952) [L R East. W H H Gibson deputising]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 24 (12) (1952), 231. Details
• 'Presidential Visits (1953) - W H H Gibson', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 25 (10-11) (1953), 217-8. Details
• 'The president of The Institution for 1953 [ W. H. H. Gibson]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 25 (3) (1953), 43. Details
• 'Obituary : William Hope Harnett Gibson - Past President', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 39 (1967), N44. Details
• Barraclough, Sir Henry; Gibson, W. H. H., 'The new Dalby Straining Machine with characteristic applications', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 10 (3) (1938), 107-118. Details
• Chapman, W. D.; Jenkinson, H. G.; Crawford, J. M.; Carter, H. G.; Just, J. S.; Mackerras, A. P.; Gibson, W. H. H.; Leith, A. C.; Pringle, T. P.; Costello, E. C.; Finch, L. H.; Simpson, J. A.; McLean, D., 'The future of the engineering profession (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 7 (6) (1935), 202-206. Details
• Gibson, W. H. H., 'A neon-tube stroboscope for ignition timing', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 5 (7) (1933), 239. Details
• Gibson, W. H. H., 'Photo-elastic methods of research in stress-distribution', Report of the twenty-fourth meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science, Canberra meeting, January, 1939 (1939), 193. Details
• Gibson, W. H. H., 'Presidential address [1954] - Engineering research in the Australian universities', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 26 (3) (1954), 35-37. Details
• Gibson, William Hope Harnett, 'Model experiments in stress distribution - Chairman's Address [Sydney Division]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 7 (10) (1935), 345-354. Details
• Gibson, William Hope Harnett; Gilet, Pierre Mathieu, 'Transmission of torque by keys and keyways - Part II', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 10 (12), 427-432. Details
• Gibson, William Hope Harnett; Gilet, Pierre Mathieu, 'Transmission of torque by keys and keyways - Part I', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 10 (11) (1938), 393-404. Details
• Isaacs, D. V.; Gibson, W. H. H., 'The distribution of stresses in fillet welds (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 9 (6) (1937), 229-232. Details
• Isaacs, D. V.; Koerner, C. F.; Gibson, W. H. H., 'The distribution of stresses in fillet welds (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 9 (11) (1937), 443-444. Details
• Leech, T. D. J.; Gibson, W. H. H., 'Technical investigations by means of models with special reference to fluid mechanics' problems (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 8 (7) (1935), 258. Details

Resources

• CA 2001, Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office, 'NAA: MT1486/1, GIBSON/WILLIAM HOPE H', MT1486/1 Applications to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force, National Archives of Australia, RecordSearch, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=9548097. Details
• 'Gibson, William Hope Harnett (1892-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1475432. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Gibson, William Hope Harnett', in Physics in Australia to 1945, R.W. Home, with the assistance of Paula J. Needham, Australian Science Archives Project, June 1995, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/physics/P001661p.htm. Details