Bill Batty
BATTY, Alton McAllan (Bill) BSc(hons) DipChemEng FRIC FIChemE FRACI FAIM AO (1913 - 1984)
Bill was born in Melbourne on April 27, 1913, the only son of clerk Ernest Alton Batty and his wife Alice Victoria Batty nee McAllan.
Bill’s secondary education began at Melbourne High School where he sat his Intermediate Certificate in 1927.
The family moved to Western Australia in 1928 when Bill’s father was appointed Chief Clerk in the Commonwealth Public Service Inspectors Office. Bill then enrolled at Perth Modern School completing his Leaving Certificate in 1929.
Bill commenced a science degree at the University of Western Australia (UWA) in 1930, completing a Bachelor of Science in 1932. He then undertook two years of Honours study at UWA, studying technical chemistry including engineering study. He graduated with second class Honours in 1935.
In late 1934 he was engaged as a chemist by Cumming Smith and Mount Lyell Farmers Fertiliser Limited (CSBP)*.
In June 1937, Bill was nominated by the UWA Vice Chancellor for a free passage to Europe, one of three granted. He obtained two years leave from CSBP and completed a Diploma of Chemical Engineering at University College, University of London. He was awarded a Leverhulme Scholarship.
He returned to Australia on the P&O ship “Cormorin”, arriving in Fremantle on August 22, 1939. He resumed duties with CSBP in Western Australia, being appointed Senior Chemist, a position he held until 1942. He moved to Melbourne in 1942 to take up the position of Chemist CSBP.
On December 18, 1943, Bill married Phillis Minnie Weaver in Melbourne. They had one son John Herbert Batty and a daughter.
Bill returned to Western Australia in 1945 to become Chemist in Charge at CSBP Bassendean. In 1950 he was promoted to Technical Superintendent CSBP and then in 1953 became Head of CSBP in Western Australia and a Director of CSBP. In 1961, he became a Director of Cumming Smith and Company.
By 1964 Bill had been appointed Managing Director of CSBP and later became Chairman CSBP. A major project completed during this time was the CSBP Nitrogen Plant at Kwinana.
He was also Chairman of Cresco Fertilisers, Albany Superphosphate and Esperance Fertilisers.
Bill retired from CSBP in 1975.
From 1977 to 1982 he was Chairman of the Metropolitan Water Supply Sewerage and Drainage Board. He was also a member of the CSIRO Western Australia Committee between 1968 and 1974.
Bill was a member of the UWA Senate 1962 to 1975.
He was WA President of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) between 1956 and 1957. He was made a Fellow of RACI and was awarded the inaugural RACI Batty Medal in 1978, named in his honour. He also joined the Royal Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and Ireland in 1935 and became a Fellow of its successor body, the Royal Institute of Chemistry. He was made a Fellow of the United Kingdom based Institution of Chemical Engineers.
He played a key role in founding the Industrial Foundation for Accident Prevention and was its second President for a term from 1973 to 1976.
On June 14, 1977 he was awarded an Order of Australia (Officer) for distinguished services to Industry.
Bill died at Peppermint Grove on 31 May 25, 1984 aged 71 years and was survived by his wife, his daughter and his son.
- Cumming Smith and Mount Lyell Farmers Fertiliser Limited changed its name to CSBP & Farmers Limited following the sale by Mount Lyell of its one third interest in the Company to The British Petroleum Company of Australia Limited in 1964. For simplicity CSBP is used as the acronym for the company throughout this article.
Compiled by Chris Fitzhardinge November 16,2024
References:
Noel Searle, Notable Australians, Paul Hamlyn Pty Ltd, Dee Why West, 1978
West Australian, 8.1.1930, p8
West Australian, 1.4.1933, p16
West Australian, 26.4.1935, p20
West Australian 24.10.1935, p16
West Australian, 31.8.1937, p13
Beverley Times, 11.9.1964, p5
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 10.6.1971, p3443
