| AdminHistory | Arthur Blok, born London, son of Dr. Maurice H. Blok and Helena Pool, 1882; educated at the Owen's School; BSc in electrical engineering, University College, London; DSc; MIEE; became personal assistant to Prof. Ambrose Fleming, the inventor of the radio tube; made some of the equipment and operated the instrument which flashed radio signals, for the first time in history, from Cornwall to America, 1901; worked at the British Patent Office, 1902-1916; married Buena Sarah Pool, 1907; transferred to the Ministry of Munitions and the Board of Trade (Optical Munitions and Potash Production) during World War I; returned to the Patent Office, 1920, becoming Principal Examiner by the time of his retirement in 1942; appointed by the Zionist Executive as a member of the Governing Board of the Haifa Technion, 1920, becoming its first principal while on extended leave from the the British Patent Office, 1924-1925; transferred to the Ministry of Supply (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research) in the field of atomic energy, 1942-1947; OBE for outstanding scientific services during World War II, 1946; retired, 1948, but continued to be a consultant of the Department of Atomic Energy until 1954; honorary fellow, Haifa Technion, 1954, honorary Ph.D, 1972; became a Zionist during World War I; active in many Zionist organisations in England; member of the Executive Committee, British Technion Society, and attended the annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Technion in Haifa regularly; President, 1st Lodge of England, B'nai B'rith, 1929; member of the Council of Jews' College, 1932; built up a major collection of mollusc shells and of books on this topic, which he donated to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem just before his death; became an active member of the Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 1924, honorary member, 1972; joined the Malacological Society of London, 1930; died 1974. Publications include: 'The Elementary Principles of Illumination and Artificial Lighting' (1914); writings on electrical engineering, lighting and zoology. Buena Sarah Blok, born c1882, daughter of a woollen drapery merchant; BSc, University College London, gold medal in chemistry, 1900; probably the second woman to have a paper published by the Royal Society; one of the first two women co-opted onto the Spanish and Portuguese Board of Guardians, 1908; lectured on scientific, literary, and Jewish topics. Publications include 'Note on a Suggested New Source of Aluminium'; 'The Vapour Pressure in Equilibrium with Substances Holding Varying Amounts of Moisture' (1906). |