Percival Evert Russell "Van" Vanthoff OBE (12 January 1894 – 30 July 1967) was a senior Australian public servant. He was Director-General of the Postmaster-General's Department from May until December 1958.
Van Vanthoff | |
---|---|
Director-General of the Postmaster-General's Department | |
In office 21 May 1958 – 31 December 1958 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Percival Evert Russell Vanthoff 12 January 1894 Cobram, Victoria |
Died | 30 July 1967 Richmond, Melbourne, Victoria | (aged 73)
Nationality | Australian |
Spouse | Ruby Ella Shanks (m. 1924) |
Occupation | Public servant |
Life and career
editVan Vanthoff was born in Cobram, Victoria on 12 January 1894 to parents Isaac and Mary Jane Vanthoff.[1]
In World War I, Vanthoff served in the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force.[1]
He was appointed Director-General of Posts and Telegraphs, heading the Postmaster-General's Department, in May 1958.[2] In the role, he oversaw development of an automatic teleprinter switching system for telegraphs, and worked to provide a six-tube coaxial cable between Sydney and Melbourne.[1] Vanthoff retired in December 1958.[1]
Vanthoff died on 30 July 1967 in Richmond, Melbourne.[1]
Awards
editIn January 1955 Vanthoff was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Blaazer, D.P. (2002). "Percival Evert Russell Vanthoff (1894–1967)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 16. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Archived from the original on 25 November 2014.
- ^ CA 9: Postmaster-General's Department, Central Administration, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 25 November 2014
- ^ "Search Australian Honours: VANTHOFF, Percival Evert Russell", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 25 November 2014