Nicholas Outterside was born in Durham (England) in 1908. 

There he matriculated with honours and was trained as a teacher at Oxford. He came to Sydney with his parents to join his elder brother in September 1925. He gained a Teachers Scholarship and while awaiting an appointment as a teacher, in February 1926 he took a temporary job in the X-ray department of St George Hospital Kogarah but in the event remained there for twenty-five years. His first period at St George was from 1925 to 1939. During that time he attended evening courses at Sydney University and joined the pathology Technicians Association in 1928. Both medical and Hospital Administrators appreciated his special ability and understanding towards his patients, coupled with his mechanical expertise.

Suffering from overexposure to X-rays, Outterside resigned from the hospital and entered business for a short time, later joining the staff of Stanford X-Ray Company as a representative. During World War II he acted as a relief radiographer in both city and country - for example, in Lewisham and Lithgow. He joined Parramatta District Hospital, rose to become Chief Radiographer and held that position until he retired in October 1973.

In 1930 he reasoned that with the steady introduction of X-ray equipment throughout the nation there was a definite need to form a professional association for radiographers. This became his main goal and from 1940 he was very active consolidating the Technical Section of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Radiologists (A.N.Z.A.R.) in preparation for the inevitable separation of radiologists and radiographers.

In 1936 Outterside attended and passed the course sponsored by the Sydney University Extension Board. He joined the Australian and New Zealand Association of Radiology (Technical Section) at its inauguration in 1935, and was its Vice-President from 1941 to 1945. 

In 1946 he was a member of the subcommittee investigating the means by which the Australasian Institute of Radiography could be established; he became President of the unincorporated body in 1948 and was elected to that position when the Australasian Institute of Radiography was incorporated in 1950. He received the certificate of incorporation of the Institute from the Governor of New South Wales, Sir John Northcott, on 8th February 1950.

He was the first to sign both the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the new body and lived to be the last surviving signatory. He was appointed a Foundation Fellow of the Institute in 1954, was a recipient of the WatVic award, and in September 1971 received the Past President's badge. 

The WatVic Award later became the Nicholas Outterside Award and was first presented in 1982 to David Hartley of Western Australia. This award is presented to members of the Australian Institute of Radiography, "who have significantly contributed to the institute over many years" and takes the form of a citation, medallion and lapel pin.

Nicholas Outterside initiated many of the benefits AIR members now enjoy. One of nature's gentlemen, softly spoken, he had the ability to find the common denominator between opposing views, his wise council was rarely ignored.

Mrs Maura Outterside summed up her husband's contribution to radiography with typical modesty when she said, "I suppose you could say that, in radiography, Nick is a legend".

A humble man, he looked for no credit but left to Australian Radiographers, an Institute of international repute. He died on 10th February 1980.

The Nicholas Outterside Trust was established in 1981, in his memory to fund research and education for the advancement of radiography and for the benefit of the public.

For a full list of awardees, please refer to the following link.

References.

The Radiographer, October (p 118) 1973.
The Radiographer. Vol 27 No 2 June 1980 (p 38).
The Radiographer. Vol 28 No 3 December 1981 (p 132).
Australian Radiology A History. J Ryan, K Sutton, M Baigent (p 506).

Other Related Articles published in the Radiographer include the following:

Nicholas Outterside - Retirement
Nicholas Outterside - Obituary
Nicholas Outterside - Memmorial Trust