FOREWORD
G.C.A. Austin in 1907.
G.C.A. Austin in 1940.
G. C. A. Austin entered municipal service at the age of sixteen, when the death of his father, a non-conformist minister, made it necessary for him to begin to earn his living. He started in the Weights and Measures office at 10/- a week, and although his position quickly improved, he had to wait until he was twenty-one to take the qualifying examination of the Board of Trade. A year later, he was appointed Deputy to old Mr. Radford, and assumed responsibility for the Department.
In September 1907, on the death of his Chief, he was appointed Clerk of the Markets and Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures, a post which he held until his retirement in 1944. He was very keenly interested in the history of Markets and did considerable research in that field. After he retired he frequently lectured on the subject and on the history of Weights and Measures. He was proud of the antiquity of his office as "Clerk of the Markets", a title derived from the ancient Clericus mercati hospitii regis (Clerk of the markets of the Household of the King).
In later years, music, which had been ah absorbing interest all his life, became paramount. He was a member of the Nottingham Harmonic Societv from 1902 until his death, 57 years later. The Society, on many occasions, acknowledged its indebtedness for his devoted and distinguished service. In commemoration of its Centenary, he wroteHarmonic Century, the history of the Society from its beginning.
An unfinished fragment of autobiography, the recollection of his first year of service, was found among his papers after his death. His wife has added a conclusion from his notes, and prints it as a memorial.