AN INTERESTING QUESTION, WAS STANLEY MULLARD TOLERANT, TOURETTICAL OR TYRRANICAL? - PART 2
Posted by STEVE M on
Remember my earlier blog post on "Was Stanley Mullard a Rough Diamond" ? Well, I was thrilled to be contacted by Harry who worked with and knew both Stanley Mullard & CO Stanley rather well.
Harry has shared a little of his personal history which is both impressive and fascinating. In the turbulent post-war world, Harry decided to take his discharge as a Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANVR) in the UK and avail himself of the opportunity to take the post war rehabilitation training scheme which he secured via The University of London School of External Studies, as well as being offered a traineeship at Mullard's, Mitcham, Research Laboratories..
By 1952 he returned to Australia and after working for the Department of Defence, became Chief Engineer for Pye TV, before moving on to be Chief Engineer for the Mullard Applications Laboratory, Sydney.
Below we see a photo taken in 1969 of Harry (LHS) with Maurice Brown, General Manager Mullard Australia (MIDDLE) and Frank Jones, Managing Director of Mullard Ltd. UK (RHS).
As well as professional interactions, Harry enjoyed social activities with Stanley Mullard and recalls that he probably last sat down to lunch with Stanley Mullard sometime during 1965. Harry recalls that Stanley Mullard always showed great interest in our applied research activities both at Mitcham and at Sydney.
Stanley Mullard often joked about the colonials "down under" but was fascinated by their spirit of enterprise on a shoestring. Equally comfortable in each other's company, Harry remembered asking him if he had any regrets about his early resignation. No, Stanley quipped, "I have made more money out of carnations than valves."
Having known Stanley Mullard quite well, Harry can see how Mullard may have had the odd spat with CO Stanley as they had quite opposite personalities that may have clashed from time to time but in business usefully complemented each other. Harry goes on to say that they were always close mates and stated that he found Mullard to be a gentleman with a genuine interest in all his employees, but at the same time we that he was an “East-Ender” and like all Australians simply called a spade a spade.
I am so very grateful to Harry for sharing his personal reminiscences of Stanley Mullard and of course for allowing me to share them with you via this blog entry - thank you Harry!
