Joseph Lade Pawsey, 1908-1962

Joseph Lade Pawsey, one of the pioneers and outstanding exponents of radio astronomy, died in Sydney on 30 November 1962. His father, Joseph Andrews, was a farmer whose main interest was in politics—he was a foundation member of the Victorian Country Party. His mother, Margaret Lade, was at one time President of the women’s section of the party and was a prominent social worker. There was no history of previous scientific interest in Pawsey’s ancestors; on the paternal side his grandfather was an English business man, and on the maternal side his grandfather was a farmer from Kent who married Ann McConchie Lade from Dumfries. When Pawsey’s parents married they lived on a wheat farm at Willaura, Victoria, and Joseph, their only child, was born in the neighbouring town of Ararat on 14 May 1908. Until he was 8 1/2 years old Joe lived with his parents at Willaura. Although he did not attend school there seems no doubt that he exhibited an unusually inquiring mind which his parents made every effort to develop. In November 1916 the family moved a short distance to Stavely and here Joe attended the small State School. His schooling was interrupted two years later when the family moved again to Coleraine where there was only a half-time school. In 1919 there was yet another move to Naroghid, Victoria, and Joe attended the nearest Higher Elementary School at Camperdown eight miles away to which he travelled by pony every day for the first year. In spite of this somewhat chequered school career Pawsey won a State Junior Scholarship to Wesley College, Melbourne, in November 1922.