Leon Halpern
HALPERN, Leon (Olek), BE MIEAust (1912-1990)
Leon or Olek was born at Lwow, Zolkiew, Poland on January 22, 1912, the oldest son of engineer Eisig Halpern and his wife Bertha Halpern nee Gutt. Lwow is now the Ukrainian city of Lviv.
Initially Leon studied engineering at the University of Lwow. Together with two colleagues they made the decision to travel to Western Australia and obtained University of Western Australia Senate approval, in December 1936, to be admitted to their Batchelor of Engineering Course. Over the next six months the trio intensively studied English two nights a week before embarking from Southampton, England on October 6, 1937, on the “Esperance Bay” to Western Australia.
Leon and his two colleagues arrived in Fremantle on November 5, 1937. Leon enrolled in Engineering in 1938 and was given advanced standing for his study at the University of Lwow.
All of his brothers, Artur (born 9.11.1909), Edward (born 10.7.1913)and Stanislaw (born 20.10.1919) would join him in migrating to Australia. Stanislaw Halpern is listed in the Australian Dictionary of Biography becoming a prominent painter, potter, printmaker and sculptor. Artur who had qualified as an engineer in Czechoslovakia also became a prominent Australian potter. Edward who already was a qualified Chemist, graduated with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from the University of Western Australia in 1948.
In December 1938, Leon joined the WA Public Works Department as a draftsman. In 1939, Leon completed the examination requirements for a Degree in Engineering at the University of Western Australia but continued working as a draftsman until 1943 when he was appointed as an engineer. At this time he was seeking to become an Australian Citizen and this may have complicated his employment arrangements. He was naturalised on March 26, 1943.
Leon continued to work as an engineer in the Public Works Department until 1947 when he established himself in private practice as a structural engineering consultant. By 1949 he was working out the Martalup Building, at 254 St Georges Terrace, Perth.
During the late 1940’s, 1950’s and early 1960’s, Leon’s consultancy completed the structural design of many of Western Australia’s prominent commercial and civic buildings as well as the upgrade and retrofit of older commercial buildings in the Perth CBD.
Projects included the Prudential Assurance Building, Martalup Medical Centre, City Motors and the AMP building renovation together with department stores, city and regional hotels and municipal civic centres.
Ken Baker, who subsequently became Chairman of Halpern Glick Maunsell, joined Leon in 1960 and then started work on London House, an eight storey office block and a significant Perth CBD project at that time.
In 1961, Leon was joined by Graham Glick in establishing the engineering consultancy Halpern Glick. John Lewis joined the consultancy in 1964 and it was renamed Halpern Glick and Lewis. John Lewis left the partnership around 1971. He must have been considering his departure for some years as Halpern Glick Pty Ltd was incorporated on November 3, 1969.
Around 1990 a subsequent merger created Halpern Glick Maunsell and is now known as HGM.
Leon had joined the Institution of Engineers in 1939 as a Junior Member, becoming a full Member in 1958. He was also an inaugural Member of the WA Division Panel of Consulting Engineers and was its Chairman from 1963 to 1965. From 1963 to 1965 he was Chairman of the WA Chapter ACEA.
In 1948 Leon married Joan Cooper. They had children Russel Leon, Adrian Artur and Jane.
Leon died on August 25, 1990, aged 88 years, being survived by his wife Joan (who died aged 95 on 30.7.2017) and his three children.
References:
West Australian, 8.11.1937, p. 12.
West Australian, 31.8.1939, p. 16.
West Australian, 11.4.1949, p. 25.
HGM 50 Years, 1998.
