Harold Gourley

[4] He also submitted a paper for publication in the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers investigating the flow of water over circular weirs.

[5] During the First World War Gourley served as a commissioned officer in the Corps of Royal Engineers of the British Army.

[9] After the war he continued to be liable to recall to the army as he belonged to the Reserve of Officers until he reached the age limit on 14 November 1936.

[13] On 28 January 1949 he was a main speaker at a discussion on river flow surveys and records at Burlington House which was chaired by Sir Roger Hetherington and covered in The Observatory.

An appeal against the damages was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, but the House of Lords reduced the damages for loss of earnings to £6,695, to take account of the hypothetical income tax and surtax that would have been due on the actual earnings, setting a legal precedent known as the Gourley principle that remains important in English law.