Awarded Life Membership 22 June 1974

Birth: 18 August 1890, Sydney NSW

Death: 4 October 1978, Sydney NSW (88 years)

Sir Harold Alderson was a leading figure in the Australian Empire Games and Olympic Movement from the early 1930s through until his passing in 1978.

From his early days at the Mosman Rowing Club and the New South Wales Rowing Association where he was secretary and Chairman, Sir Harold had a strong interest in the administration, promotion and history of the sport.

It was his interest in rowing that attracted him to the Olympic movement, and with that in the early days of the Empires Games, the Commonwealth Sport Movement.

His leadership roles included President of the NSW Olympic Council from 1926-1970, Vice President (1936-1946) and then President and of the Australian Olympic Federation / Australian British Empire and Commonwealth Games Association from 1946-1973. He also served on the organising committees for the British Empire Games in Sydney in 1938 and British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth in 1962.

He was General Manager of the Australian team at the Berlin 1936 Olympic Games and played a leading role in helping secure the 1956 Olympic Games for Melbourne.

He was appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 1938, in 1956 he was knighted for his service to amateur sport and in 1959 was appointed a knight of grace of the Order of St John.

Sir Harold was awarded Life Membership of the Australian Olympic Federation and was inducted as Member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1997.