Leo Cecil Bott
BOTT, Leonidas Cecil (Leo), AMIEAust MIPA CD (1889-1968)
Leo was born on July 14, 1889, in Eastwood, South Australia, the fourth son of merchant Danniel Reddin Bott and his wife Bertha Emily Bott (nee Bridges).
In 1897, the family moved to Perth where Daniel Bott became manager of the Federal Boot Company located in Hay Street.
Leo’s education was initially at Parkside School in Adelaide. On moving to Perth he attended Perth Boys School where he won a Secondary School Scholarship in 1901 and an Elementary School Bursary in 1903. He completed his Junior in 1904 at Perth Boys School and his Leaving Certificate at Christian Brothers Perth in 1906.
In mid-1908, he joined the Commonwealth Posts and Telegraph Department as a Junior Assistant Engineer and by 1912 was promoted to Draughtsman in the Electrical Engineers Branch. In 1913 he passed the qualification examination to be employed as an Assistant Engineer.
One of his early roles as an Assistant Engineer was the supervision of the automation of the Perth Telephone Exchange in 1914, only the second to be automated in Australia. The Western Australian roles that followed were Engineer for Equipment, and Divisional Engineer in Charge of Metropolitan Equipment.
On December 22, 1915 he married Stella May Harrold at St Georges Cathedral Perth. They had a son Cecil Lloyd Harrold born 1916 and a daughter Joan Harrold born 1926.
Leo was promoted to Assistant Superintending Engineer Western Australia in 1927. He moved to Melbourne in January 1936 to take up the role of Assistant Superintending Engineer Victoria.
He was promoted to Superintending Engineer South Australia in July 1937 before moving back to Western Australia as Superintending Engineer Western Australia in 1940.
He was appointed a Commissioner for Declarations in April 1938.
Leo retired from the post of Superintending Engineer Western Australia on July 13, 1954.
He was an excellent sportsman playing 14 cricket matches between 1912 and 1925 representing Western Australia. In 1924 he captained Western Australia in a cricket match against an English eleven. He also became a State Selector.
Leo joined the Institute of (IPA) Public Affairs and became a Member of the South Australia IPA Council. By 1938 he was IPA SA Deputy Chairman and by 1940 IPA SA Chairman. In 1940, Leon was awarded an IPA Medal in recognition of his services to the Institute.
He was awarded the Coronation Medal in 1953.
Leo died on August 21, 1968 at Mount Lawley aged 79. He was survived by his son and daughter. His wife Stella had predeceased him in 1966.
References:
West Australian, 10.12.1901, p. 4.
West Australian, 2.5.1903, p. 6.
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 19.12.1908, p. 1718.
Sunday Times, 16.6.1912, p. 1.
Sunday Times, 2.11.1913, p. 9.
West Australian, 16.1.1916, p. 1.
West Australian, 17.7.1935, p. 17.
West Australian, 24.7.1935, p. 9.
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 13.4.1938, p. 1310.
Adelaide Advertiser, 6.5.1938, p. 9.
West Australian, 11.6.1940, p. 6.
News Adelaide, 19.8.1940, p. 5.
West Australian, 3.6.1953, p. 14.
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 6.5.1954, p. 1335.
West Australian, 2.7.1954, p. 6.
