Noel Bayliss

Sir Noel Stanley Bayliss was born in Brisbane and educated at Melbourne University, Oxford, and Berkeley, California. He was appointed Professor of Chemistry and Head of Department at UWA, 1938 to 1971.

During World War II, he was Chief Warden for Civil Defence in Western Australia. When war appeared imminent in the middle of 1939, the WA government organised an Air Raid Precaution campaign. Because of a hangover from the First World War they placed an emphasis on anti-gas measures, and looked for someone with knowledge of chemistry to take a leading role. Bayliss was appointed to the honorary position until 1943. By then, it had become apparent that gas attacks were not going to play a part in the war and the emphasis shifted to high explosives and fire.

Cessation of hostilities in 1945 brought new responsibilities. The University expanded rapidly in the period 1946-48 due to the influx of ex-service men and women under the Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme, with expansion of facilities and extra staff members.

Noel Bayliss was Acting Vice-Chancellor in 1948 and from 1952 to 1953. He was a member of the UWA Senate from 1945 to 1949 and from 1951 to 1959.

Photograph from UWA Archies 1988P
Cole, ARH Australian Academy of Science 1996