Hunter (1912- ) was RGO Director 1973-1975; Chief Assistant 1961-1967; Deputy Director 1967-1971, 1972 July - 1973 November; Acting Director 1972 January - 1972 July. He joined the staff of the Royal Observatory as a spectroscopist in 1937, during the tenure of office of H. S. Jones as Astronomer Royal and, apart from secondment to the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, during the Second World War, remained with the Observatory for nearly 40 years. His forte is recognized to be in scientific administration rather than in astrophysical research, and as the Observatory grew in size and staff after the move to Herstmonceux, this talent was shown to be of paramount importance. In 1961 he was appointed one of the Chief Assistants to R v d R Woolley, and became Wooley's Deputy Director in 1967. In these capacities he oversaw and as far as possible smoothed the path of transfer from Admiralty control to that of the new Science Research Council, from 1965. Wooley resigned his office on 1971 January 1, and since his successor as Directory, E. M. Burbidge, could not take up her appontment until the summer of 1972, Hunter was preforce appointed Acting Director for the intervening months. After the arrival of Margaret Burbidge, he again assumed the mantle of Deputy. Burbridge's period in office was brief, since she found the administrative load imposed on the director of the RGO to preclude her from pursing her research interests, and she resigned in dissatisfaction in late 1973. At this juncture, the establishment required a steadying hand, and Hunters's long experience of the workings of the Observatory made him the inevitable choice to succeed Burbidge, one which was warmly welcomed by his staff.