Sir (Basil) John Mason CB. 18 August 1923 — 6 January 2015

Sir John Mason will be remembered for establishing cloud microphysics as a coherent discipline and for building the Meteorological Office into a leading centre of excellence on the international stage. A charismatic man, he possessed scientific vision, enthusiasm and an inspiring style of lecturing and advocacy that enabled him to recruit good scientists and raise the funds needed to achieve these ends, although his manifest self-belief and forthright manner upset some. He was highly influential within international institutions such as the World Meteorological Organization and nationally as president of many scientific bodies and Senior Vice-President and Treasurer of the Royal Society from 1976 to 1986.