BACK-LIGHT - 1951 TO 1960
1951-1960
The History of
The Illuminating Engineering
Society Of Australia
Victorian Chapter
1931-2011
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BACK-LIGHT
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ACHIEVEMENTS
The first Australian representatives to officially attend a Commission
Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) Session went to Stockholm in 1951 to
present a report on Architectural Lighting. They were Dr R Giovanelli
(Chief of the CSIRO National Standards Laboratory) and Mr A L
Brentwood of the Department of Labour and National Service,
Melbourne, who was present in Stockholm having earlier presented a
joint paper with Dr Albert Dresler on daylighting at the London Building
Research Congress of 1951.
In March 1952 ten Victorian members were advanced to Fellow status:
Clarrie Barnes, Charles Demaine, Percy Magnus, George Mansell, Frank
Nicholls, Bob Nott, Amos Pearce, Harold Purdie, Tom Whitelaw, and Leo
Wright. Also advanced to Fellow status were Frank Kelly in 1953, Jim
Lowson in 1955, and Dr Albert Dresler and Simon Holman in 1956. The
IES Code of Ethics was published for the first time also.
In 1952 a debate arose over what to call a lumen-per-square foot. There
were those proposed the Foot-candle after the US fashion. Unfortunately
the term ‘lux’ was out of bounds as it had been appropriated by the
metric system. Alternative suggestions included the Edison and the Swan.
A course in Lighting & Illumination Engineering under Dr Albert Dresler
commenced at Melbourne Technical College (later RMIT) in February
1953, which was to run under his guidance until his death in July 1963. Dr
Albert Dresler also represented Australia at the CIE conference in Zurich
in 1955. In addition he published a series of articles in the IES Lighting
Review in 1954 under the heading ‘The Scientific Background’ which
predicted, amongst other things, accurate assessments of the maximum
possible efficacy of incandescent and fluorescent lamps.
The SAA Domestic Lighting Code was introduced in 1954, and on 27
March 1957 the SAA Interior Lighting Code CA-30 was published (cost:
12 shillings and sixpence). It was the first national lighting code in the
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ACHIEVEMENTS
world to include a formal method for limiting the degree of discomfort
glare in the workplace.
The Daylight Factor concept was presented for the first time in 1955, at
the CIE Session in Zurich.
The 2nd National Convention was held in Melbourne in November 1956
with its theme; ‘Commercial Lighting’. Victorian Frank Nicholls was
elected National President that year, whilst Frank Kelly was appointed
Editor of the IES Lighting Review. His wife Jean Kelly became secretary.
Until 1958, meetings had commenced at 7.30pm. Each presentation in
this pre-Powerpoint era was a ‘Paper’ of ninety minutes duration; seventy
minutes for the presentation and twenty minutes for questions and
answers. This led to late nights, and 1958 became the first year that
technical meetings started at 6pm – a tradition that has lasted until
today.
The Technical Associate grade was introduced in 1958, and the S J
Salmon Medal was introduced, for the person deemed to have given the
best technical paper to the Society during a particular year.
In 1959 Clarrie Barnes retired from the National Council; also the first
Meritorious Lighting Award competition was held in Victoria, to replace
the ‘Light in Architecture’ competition that had run from 1940 until 1950.
19 March 1959 was a red-letter day for the society; on that date, Kevin
Poulton, Ain Poldoja and Mike O’Neil-Shaw all joined the IES.
(Royal) Melbourne Technical College became RMIT in 1960, offering three
new lighting courses: Lighting, Illumination Engineering I, and Advanced
Illumination Engineering.
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THE CIE DAYLIGHT GUIDE
Dr Albert Dresler became the second President of the Australian National
Committee on Illumination (ANCI) from 1955 until his untimely death in
July 1963. Dresler’s work at the Department of Labour and National
Service was primarily in the field of daylight and sunlight, whereas his
previous pre-war fields of expertise were in the fields of colour research,
photo cells and photometry.
Following the 12th CIE Session in Stockholm in 1951, ANCI was allocated
responsibility for the CIE Secretariat on Daylight. It had already been
agreed that the CIE Daylight committee would prepare a CIE ‘Guide to
Calculation of Natural Daylight.’ The French committee member, Escherdesrivieres, had therefore offered and been accepted to prepare the draft
Guide, but when it was subsequently received it was immediately rejected
as being far too ‘French’ in its approach. Thus the British delegate then
offered to redraft the Guide. This was brought to the technical committee
and was also rejected by them as being far too ‘British’ in its approach.
An impasse resulted. Various countries did not want their own daylighting methods excluded from such an important document. The CIE Scope
Committee, through Professor L Schneider of Germany, met with the
Daylight committee and it was agreed that Dr Dresler, as TC Chairman,
should prepare an Australian draft of basic principles using daylighting
documents prepared by David Paix from the Commonwealth Experimental Building Station (CEBS) at North Ryde, Sydney, and the recent DLNS
document entitled ‘Natural Daylight Diagrams’ for the next draft version.
But in addition, there would also be a second document that would
contain in brief two page descriptions, every other known daylighting
design method from around the world. There were subsequently 57 different methods described!
But this tonic to the Daylight committee deadlock foundered again when
CIE found that they did not have the funds to publish the new Guide
along with a backlog of other CIE documents.
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THE CIE DAYLIGHT GUIDE
By this time (July 1963) Dr Dresler had sadly died of a heart attack and his
Departmental colleague, the late Jim Lowson, together with David
Hughes, had taken over and begun to pilot the various adjustments
requested for the Daylight Guide at the recent 15th Session in Vienna.
Later it was suggested by ANCI that the Standards Association of
Australia (SAA) might offer to pay for and publish the document. Time
passed by and eventually the Daylight Guide was published by CIE in
1970. The endurance and dedication of Australians in producing this
Daylight Guide was a diamond-studded achievement for CIE by Australia.
(Acknowledgements to Derrick Kendrick’s 2008 paper on the history of
ANCI).
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THE IES ROLE IN CERTIFICATION
Certification of Equipment
In Melbourne in 1951, William Nicholls (SA) outlined a scheme for the
approval of lighting equipment and its certification by the IES. The
National Council decided to approach the SAA to see if it would be
willing to take a prominent part in the introduction of a scheme for
certification and approval of lighting equipment, and resolved
accordingly. A sub-committee was appointed to prepare a plan of action.
At the next National meeting in Sydney in 1952, New South Wales
advised that they favoured the certification of lighting equipment, but
discussions in Council raised doubts as to whether the necessary
specifications could be handled due to other work in hand. Council resolved that the matter of approval of lighting equipment be allowed to
lapse.
SAA Street Lighting Code
At the National Council meeting in Melbourne in 1951, the Victorian
Society had suggested seeking a revision of the SAA Street Lighting
Code. The Council accepted this and advised the SAA accordingly. At the
same time Council authorised a lengthy press release.
The SAA advised that without specific suggestions, they were not
prepared to consider a revision of the existing 1939 code. The National
Council, at the Sydney meeting in 1952, again resolved to obtain the
opinions of all interested parties. This seemed to have little result and in
Adelaide in 1953 Council resolved that no action be taken at present to
urge revision of the SAA Street Lighting code. This discussion, however,
inspired the Society in Western Australia to submit in 1954, 'A Case for
Better Street Lighting' to the Western Australian Minister for Works. At
the meeting in Perth in 1954, Council re-opened the case for a new Street
Lighting Code.
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THE IES ROLE IN CERTIFICATION
After lengthy discussion, particularly on the minimum values of the old
code, Council resolved to reaffirm its opinion that the 1939 Street Lighting code be revised, and to ask the State Societies to form committees
for submission of their ideas to the New South Wales Society. The
intention was to collate the information for presentation to the SAA
drafting committee.
Co-operation with the Standards Association of Australia in all aspects of
street lighting remained one of the most important activities of the
National Council. Although not directly represented on the relevant SAA
committees, at least not during the early years, the Council took a lively
interest in the work of the SAA on street lighting standards and codes,
and the Council's influence was nevertheless nationally significant.
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IES LIGHTING REVIEW
In 1951, Thomas Crouch reported that 'the IES Lighting Review continued
to flourish and under the new system of management instituted in
August, together with an increase in charges was...maintaining its
financial position'. In Sydney in 1952, Council minuted a resolution: 'that
there was no objection to any party other than the Society, reprinting any
article from the IES Lighting Review describing any matter providing
always that there was a superscription to the effect that the views or
opinions expressed in said article were not necessarily those of the
Society. Any such reprints to carry only the words 'with compliments' on
the appropriate form, and no other matter'.
In Perth in 1954, Frank Nicholls outlined new arrangements for the
production of the Review; it involved a team of editors, each one dealing
with a specific aspect. The editorial team had received considerable help
from interstate, largely through personal contact. He asked that the State
Societies inform the editor-in-chief of any lighting projects in their State,
that they provide information on any 'papers' presented to the Society,
and that they submit names of people willing to write on specific topics.
The Council resolved "that each State Society be asked to form a special
'IES Review' Committee for the sole task of maintaining liaison with the
editor of the 'Review' and that these committees be asked to undertake,
inter alia, the specific tasks outlined above'.
In 1951, New South Wales began the publication of 'Sidelights', circulated
gratis to all members. This was soon followed by 'Candela' in South
Australia and the Victorian 'IES News'. Publication of these news-sheets
has continued to this day. In 1975, the Victorian Society unbent, however,
and, in the spirit of the two sister Societies, renamed the 'IES News' to
'Reflections'.
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LIGHT IN ARCHITECTURE
In 1951 the Victorian Society abandoned its award competition in its then
present form; and the Society in New South Wales was also examining
ideas for a new competition. National Council requested the two
Societies to collaborate in working out details and, when definite
schemes emerged, to suggest to the other Societies to arrange similar
award competitions so that eventually an award competition may be held
on a national basis.
In Sydney in 1952, New South Wales expressed the opinion that this
competition was not worthwhile unless greater interest was shown by the
architects and allied industry, and Council regretfully had to resolve that
no further action be taken at the time.
In later years, the annual 'IES Awards for Meritorious Lighting' became
important activities of the Societies. They helped to bring the work of the
Societies before the public and, in particular, to involve the kindred
professions. They were reported often and favourably in the IES Lighting
Review, in trade journals, and in the press. They also served in no small
measure to rally together people for work in each State, thus enhancing a
corporate feeling of association.
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21 YEAR CARDS
In March 1953, 21 Year service cards were (slightly belatedly) given to
surviving 1931 members – the start of an ongoing tradition that lasted
until about 1985, and was resurrected in 2012. 1953 Recipients were;
Roy James Alexander
John Henry Armstrong
Clarence Leonard Barnes
John Roger Bow
William Humberstone Cumming
Stanley Henry Dodd
Trevor Hedberg
Cyril Madee Hoy
Norman R Johnston
Basil Hewlett Keogh
William Mozley Langford
Percy Magnus
Cyril William Norris
Amos Charles Pearce
Stanley John Salmon
William Tolson
Harold White
Thomas Ferguson Whitelaw
Alfred Milner Wilson
Charles Edward Windridge
Leo Douglas Wright
William Edward Millane
Electrical & Radio Federation
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21 YEAR CARDS
Cards awarded later that year to surviving 1932 members were given to;
Edgar Lade Crawley
William Ernest John Grimster
Bertram Montgomery
Ernest Robert Stanhope Ryall
Freidrich Bernard de Steiger
One card was awarded in 1954 to a member from 1933;
David Stenhouse Stirling
One final batch was awarded in 1955 to members who joined in 1934;
Donald Christopher Brown
Alphonsus Francis Bryce
Robert John Nott
A J Tilley
Ronald Peter Whiteside
Australian General Electric
British General Electric
Crown Crystal
Lawrence & Hanson
The custom was then abandoned until 1978.
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VICTORIAN CONVENTIONS
MELBOURNE, NOVEMBER 1956
The theme was 'Commercial Lighting'.
Monday 19th - Evening
'Illuminated Advertising Signs' - David C. Switson AASA
Tuesday 20th - a.m.
'Lighting of Hotels and Cafes' - Donald C. Brown
'Office Lighting' - Stuart D. Lay FRSA FIES (London) MIES (Aust)
Tuesday 20th - Luncheon Address
'De domo nostra' - Ernst L. Freedman FIES (Aust)
Tuesday 20th - p.m.
'Light Sources for Display Lighting' - Geoffrey V. Malon MIES (Aust) Registered Lighting Engineer (London)
'Design of Commercial Lighting Fittings' - W. Allen Smith MIES (Aust)
Registered Lighting Engineer (London).
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