Sir David Brunt KBE FRS, known as the Father of Meteorology, has been commemorated in Blaenau Gwent this week. A blue plaque and a mural has been unveiled today in Llanhilleth, Abertillery.
The Brunt family moved to Llanhilleth in 1896. Originally agricultural workers from Staylittle in Montgomeryshire, they relocated to take advantage of employment opportunities in the valley’s coal mines. David was the youngest of nine children.
His early education was in Welsh, so moving to Llanhilleth at the age of 10 and being taught in English must have been a significant challenge. However, he overcame this, securing first place in his entrance exams and earning a scholarship to the Intermediate School in Abertillery. He continued his education locally before going on to university. An outstanding mathematician, David was educated at University College of Wales, Aberystwyth and later at Trinity College Cambridge.
He enlisted in the Royal Engineers’ meteorological section, where he revolutionised weather forecasting by moving it from observation-based methods to one grounded in mathematical principles. He later became meteorologist to the Air Force. And through this work, he is regarded as the father of modern weather forecasting.
He contributed to the wider understanding and use of the Brunt–Väisälä frequency that calculates buoyancy and this work was crucial for understanding atmospheric stability, oceanography, astrophysics, engineering and geophysics.
David was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1939 and was awarded their Royal Medal in 1944. He later served as Physical Secretary of the Royal Society between 1948–57.
He also served as president of the Royal Meteorological Society from 1942 to 1944 and received both their Buchan prize and their 1947 Symons Gold Medal for distinguished work in the field of meteorological science.
He was also president of the Physical Society from 1945 to 1947 and the Brunt Ice Shelf in the Antarctic was named in his honour, recognising his role in initiating the Royal Society Expedition there in 1955.
David was made a Knight Bachelor in 1949 and appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1959.
The plaque at 7 High Street—the Brunt family’s first home in Llanhilleth—was unveiled by his great-niece, Rosalyn Carley. Rosalyn said, “Great Uncle David came to Llanhilleth when he was 10 years old and his brilliance in Mathematics was soon apparent. He went on to gain a first-class honors degree in Mathematics from Aberystwyth University, using this knowledge to establish a career in Meteorology about which he was very passionate. He put weather forecasting onto a scientific footing for the first time and as a result he was justifiably being called “the Father of Meteorology. I feel very pleased, on behalf of my sister and I, to be unveiling this blue plaque in Sir David Brunt’s honor.”
The mural, created by Andy O’Rourke of Malarky Arts, is located in a prominent position on Commercial Road in Llanhilleth. It explores David’s military service, scientific work, and his support for Antarctic exploration. Great great-niece, Elinor Tomlin added, “My sister and I are immensely proud of our Great Uncle, Sir David Brunt for his many scientific achievements, three of which appear in this amazing Mural: the Brunt-Väsälä equation, his connection with the RAF in the war and the Brunt Ice Shelf.”
Cllr John Morgan, Cabinet Member for Economy and Place said, “Today’s events celebrate the outstanding achievements of a mathematical genius who came from our community. Sir David’s achievements may have been hidden from many of us until today but we hope that through our efforts, he will be widely appreciated and serve as an inspiration to our younger generations.”
BBC Weatherman Derek Brockway, “We all know about Robert Fitzroy, the man who founded the Met Office in 1854, but Sir David Brunt—who spent part of his childhood right here in Llanhilleth—also helped shape modern weather forecasting! He went on to become one of the world’s leading atmospheric scientists. In fact, his work was so important in putting forecasting onto a proper scientific footing that he became known as 'the father of meteorology.'
As a fellow meteorologist, I can safely say that every time we run a modern computer model or analyse the stability of the atmosphere, we are standing on the shoulders of this Llanhilleth giant.
The unveiling of this blue plaque will secure his legacy and ensure that generations to come know exactly how much a local boy changed how the entire world sees the weather.”
Artist Andy O’Rourke of Malarky Arts said, “When I first received the commission, I became fascinated by Sir David’s achievements. Through the mural, I wanted to celebrate his legacy in a visual way that brings his story to life and makes it accessible to people of all ages.”
