Dedication
of Morley Thomas Meteorological
Archives of Canada
Downsview, 1 November 2016
ECCC Announcement (reprinted with permission)
| Career contribution recognized
with
the creation of the Morley Thomas Meteorology History Archives A new page was added to the history of the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) and ECCC by the man who has organized most of those pages! Spanning more than half a century of important contributions to Canadian meteorology, Morley K. Thomas has cemented his place in the history of MSC. On November 2, 2016 an event was held at Downsview to recognize the career and contributions of Mr Thomas. The event culminated with the naming of the MSC's hard copy history collection organized by Mr. Thomas as the Morley Thomas Meteorology History Archives. The Archives will be loaned to Western University's Archives and Research Collections Centre to enhance its accessibility to the public. Mr. Thomas' career spanned a remarkable 66 years, including over 41 years as a public servant and for a further 24 years as a volunteer archivist and historian. As a climatologist, Mr. Thomas contributed atlases, textbooks, scientific articles, monographs, guides and bibliographies. He was also instrumental in the inception of both the Canadian Climate Centre and the Canadian Climate Program. His work is recognized internationally, and he rose to be President of the Commission of Climatology and Applications of Meteorology in the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). With not even a day off between jobs, Mr. Thomas retired in January 1983, and reported as a volunteer the very next day! His new challenge was organizing over two centuries of material to MSC's historic record. And once that was done and a finding guide for the collection created, Mr. Thomas wrote the history of the organization's first 75 years. As ADM David Grimes remarked, "Your efforts to help us remember yesterday will inform our understanding of who we are today, and help us anticipate who we will be tomorrow." |
Reconnaissance de la contribution
professionnelle avec la création des Archives de l'histoire de
la météorologie Morley Thomas Un nouveau chapitre dans l'histoire du Service météorologique du Canada (SMC) et d'ECCC vient d'être ouvert par l'homme qui a organisé la plupart des pages de ce chapitre! Grâce à plus d'un demi-siècle de contribution importante au domaine de la météorologie au Canada, Morley K. Thomas a taillé sa place dans l'histoire du SMC. Le 2 novembre 2016, un événement a eu lieu à Downsview pour souligner la carrière et la contribution de M. Thomas. Le point culminant de cet événement a été la création du fonds d'Archives de l'histoire de la météorologie Morley Thomas, la collection de documents historiques en copie papier du SMC que M. Thomas a lui-même organisé. Ces archives seront prêtées au centre d'archives et de collections de recherche de l'Université Western afin de les rendre plus accessibles au public. La carrière de M. Thomas s'est étalée sur une durée remarquable de 66 ans. Il a travaillé pendant 41 ans à titre de fonctionnaire et pendant 24 années supplémentaires en tant qu'archiviste et historien bénévole. À titre de climatologue, M. Thomas a contribué à la création d'atlas et à la rédaction de traités, d'articles scientifiques, de monographies, de guides et de bibliographies. Il a également participé à la mise sur pied du Centre climatologique canadien et du Programme canadien de climatologie. Son travail est reconnu à l'échelle internationale et il a été nommé président de la Commission de climatologie et des applications de la météorologie de l'Organisation météorologique mondiale (OMM). M. Thomas a pris sa retraite en janvier 1983 et, sans avoir pris une seule journée de congé, s'est proposé comme bénévole le jour suivant! Son nouveau défi consistait à mettre en ordre des documents historiques du SMC qui représentaient plus de deux siècles de matériel accumulé. Après avoir terminé cette tâche et créé un guide sur la recherche, M. Thomas a rédigé l'histoire des premières 75 années de l'organisation. Comme le soulignait le SMA David Grimes : " Vos efforts pour nous aider à nous souvenir d'hier nous permettront de comprendre qui nous sommes aujourd'hui et d'anticiper qui nous serons demain ". |
Announcement by Steve Thomas, Morley's Son:
| Dear
Family and
Friends, Tuesday, November 1st, 2016 was a special day for our family. Over 60 people gathered at the Canadian Department of Environment and Climate Change office (Environment Canada) in Toronto to celebrate Morley Thomas' outstanding contribution to Canadian meteorology and climate during his 66 years of service. Well known weather and climate communicator David Phillips spoke, as did David Grimes, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Meteorological Service of Canada. During his thoughtful and witty speech David Phillips noted that I was probably unique - the only Canadian to have two parents honoured with archives - the Clara Thomas Archives of York University and the Morley Thomas Meteorological Archives of Canada as they now will be called. Before a plaque was unveiled, Assistant Deputy Minister David Grimes thanked Dad for his accomplishment on behalf of all the people of Canada. Isn't this something! It was a long day for Dad, Strathroy - Toronto - Strathroy, but he thoroughly enjoyed it. As well he might have. He will be able to dine out on it for some time to come. We are very proud of him. Steve Thomas |
Photos (please scroll down)
This event was very well photographed. Photo credits are identified below as D: Denise Thompson; H: Andrew Hunt; E: Eva Mekis; B: Bob Jones
| Ceremony,
Plaque |
Unveiling
and Speeches |
 Hoppa Lau, MC E |
 David Grimes, ADM MSC D |
 David W Phillips H |
 Steve Thomas, Morley Thomas, Mary Attfield, David Phillips D |
 Morley Thomas, Mary Attfield, Hoppa Lau, David Grimes H |
 Morley Thomas, Mary Attfield, David Grimes H |
 l to r: Steve Thomas, Morley Thomas, Mary Attfield, Hoppa Lau, ADM David Grimes Unveiled plaque on tripod on table D |
 l to r: Steve Thomas (partly hidden), Morley Thomas, Mary Attfield, David Grimes. H |
 l to r: Steve Thomas, Morley Thomas, Mary Attfield H |
 Morley Thomas, Steve Thomas (speaking) H |
 Morley Thomas H |
 Plaque and Certificate D |
 Group gathered for event (1) E |
 Group gathered for event (2) E |
| Some
Attendees |
at
the Event |
 Steve Thomas, Morley Thomas, Joan Masterton, Mary Attfield D |
 George Georgopolous, Morley Thomas D |
 l to r: David W Phillips, Morley Thomas, Mary Attfield D On table: framed certificate and plaque |
 Paul Louie & David W Phillips E |
 Dave Broadhurst, (Steve Thomas in background), Walter Dnes. D |
 l to r: Tom Agnew, Eva Mekis, Paul Louie. (Eva's camera, photographer unknown) |
 l to r: Tyler Thomas, Sara Richards, John Lennox, Jane Lennox. D |
 Glen Horenblas & Andrew Hunt D |
 l to r: Bill Kiely, Pat King, Maria Ascenzi, Louise Kindree, Lorraine Kiely. D |
 Margarete Dietrich & Jacqueline Blackburn D |
 l to r: Joan Masterton, Bob Jones, Rosemary Warren. D |
 l to r: Lou Berthelot, Marlene O'Brien, Terry Allsopp, Philip Sajecki. D |
 l to r: Marilyn Lemaire, Susan Falla Johnston, Michael Newark. D |
 Marilyn Lemaire, Susan Wild D |
 l to r: Joseph Deveau, Lindsay Hall-Carvalho, Damiana Casale. D |
|
 l to r: Louise Kindree, Susan Falla Johnston, Anna Deptuch-Stapf. D |
 Denise Milberg & Rosemary Warren D |
 Phillip Sajecki & Anna Deptuch-Stapf D |
 Leslie Malone Goodison & Lucie Vincent D |
 Peter Summers & Paul Louie D |
 Lorraine Kiely & Tom McElroy D |
 l to r: Damiana Casale, Olena Koursa, Katie Burke, Lindsay Hall-Carvalho. D |
 Ewa Milewska & Joan Klaassen D |
 John Lennox (background), David W Phillips & Marlene O'Brien D |
 George Georgopoulos & Bill Kiely D |
 Foreground: Heather Mackey & Murray Mackay D Background: Mary-Helen Kaizer (centre), Pierrette Blanchard (right) |
 l to r: Bob Jones, Barry Goodison, Eva Mekis. D |
 l to r: Fred Conway, Mike Newark, Lou Berthelot. D |
 Rebecca Wagner & Rosemary Warren D |
 Tsoi Yip & Paul Louie D |
 l to r: Maria Latyszewskyj, Denise Milberg, Sheila Osborne. D |
 cake served after dedication ceremony B |
 cutting the cake D |