William Bishop, known to former members as Bill, passed away on 2nd September, after having celebrated his 100th birthday earlier this year, on 9 January.
 
Bill was a long time member of the Rotary Club of Randwick, serving as President in 1978/79.  He was a regular attender at our meetings until several years ago.
 
Born in Randwick, he contracted Polio when aged 10 and spent the next 18 months in a full-body plaster cast.  He was fortunate to recover well after intensive rehabilitation.  His resultant enthusiasm for life has since been appreciated by his many friends and family.
 
During WW2, and as part of the war effort, Bill worked in chemical distillation attempting to find a defence against mosquito borne diseases, including a treatment for malaria to save the troops in Asia and the Pacific.  
 
In 1948, Bill became the first safety engineer at the General Motors Holden car manufacturing plant at Pagewood, and he told many tales of the development of the early Holden cars.  In the early 1960’s he moved to Email Electrical and Allied Industries at Zetland as National Head of Occupational Health and Safety.
 
In both positions he developed management and government appreciation of the benefits of accident prevention, helping to establish OH&S as essential work practice.  He became a recognised authority on industrial safety, taught at Sydney Tech and was President of the Australian Health and Safety Institute, the forerunner to the National Safety Council, continuing to work in this area into his 80’s.
 
Bill’s wife Mary predeceased him.  Our condolences go out to his children Christopher, Julie and Anita and to his eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.