Henry Ambrose Hunt

Henry Ambrose Hunt (7 February 1866 – 7 February 1946) was a British meteorologist noted for his contribution to meteorology in his adopted home of Australia. He was Director of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology between 1908 and 1931.

Early life Hunt was born in London to Edwin Hunt, a marine engineer, and his wife Annie (née Padley). As a child, he spent three years in St Petersburg with his father who was managing the Baltic Ironworks and designing battleship engines for the Russian Czar. On his return to England he won a scholarship in mathematics to Dartford Grammar School in Kent.

Career Hunt began working with the government astronomer Henry Chamberlain Russell at the Observatory, becoming a meteorological assistant in January 1886, and promoted to second meteorological assistant in 1890. In this role he was responsible for the daily weather report, and also worked with Russell's project studying anti-cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere. As head meteorologist, his expert advice was also consulted on the climate of the proposed new seat of government in Canberra.

Personal life and public persona As a public figure in charge of an often fallible, yet necessary proto-science, the "somewhat reserved and mild-mannered" Hunt was often lampooned by the Australian press, particularly the satirical Melbourne Punch, who regularly featured him humorously, if affectionately, in the "People We Know" series. The magazine described him as "a pleasant, meek, well-fed gentleman, who seems quite out of place in control of such an untameable gang as the Australian weather elements... it would be hard to say what his percentage of correct predictions is, but this is certain, that it would be a high one".

Outside of his public profile Hunt was a reserved and private person, with a passion for chess, and was an expert handyman and amateur inventor. His innovations included a 'rotating rain clock' and a pressure-cube anemometer to record wind pressure, velocity and direction simultaneously.

He died of myocarditis at his home in Elwood, Victoria on his 80th birthday and was buried in Brighton cemetery. On 11 December 1899 at St Paul's Church of England, Redfern, Sydney, he had married Wilhelmina Eve Linden, who predeceased him. Two of their three daughters survived him.