Pete Rey’s great grandfather, Gordon Miller Bourne Dobson CBE FRS, made a contribution to atmospheric science that cannot be overstated. In the early 20th century, Gordon developed the 'Dobson Spectrophometer' that could measure stratospheric ozone from the ground, utilising a unique photographic process. He went on to establish a worldwide network of ozone monitoring stations between 1928 and 1958, which led to the discovery of the hole of the ozone layer and continue to operate in modernised forms baring his name. The 'Dobson unit', an exact measure of the amount of ozone overhead, is named in his honour and still used by NASA and the scientific community to this day.

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In recognition of his historic work, Gordon was awarded the CBE, from King George VI, made a Fellow at Merton College Oxford and awarded the prestigious Rumford Medal, bestowed by Britain’s Royal Society, only awarded to 104 scientists worldwide since its inception in 1800. A mark of his prominence in his day, Gordon’s portrait is still kept at the National Portrait Gallery, taken by Walter Stoneman who was commissioned for many key figures of his time, including King George VI, Winston Churchill and Queen Victoria.

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