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Edward "Taffy" Bowen was born on this day, 14 January, in 1911 in
the village of Cockett near Swansea, Wales. After playing a key role
in the development of radar systems in the second world war, Bowen
arrived in Sydney on 1 January 1944 to take up a position with CSIR
(as CSIRO was then known). In May 1946, Bowen was appointed Chief of
the Division of Radiophysics and was critical to the planning and
construction of the Parkes radio telescope, and, later, played a
similar role in the development of the 3.9m optical Anglo-Australian
Telescope. Throughout his life he remained an ardent Welshman and in
Australia rejoiced in the name of "Taffy". He refused the opportunity
of taking Australian citizenship and thus sacrificed the possibility
of Australian honours.
The plaque above is one of a number of blue plaques that the
Swansea Council has produced to commemorate the accomplishments of its
former residents.
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