On his
appointment in 1886, he found that, with just one assistant, he was
entirely responsible for all the mathematics and physics teaching in
the University, adding up to18 hours per week plus 6 hours evening FE
classes.
In order for his students to do practical work, he apprenticed himself
to a firm of instrument makers to make apparatus for his classes - and
his interest in instrumentation was to prove important in later years.
But it was not all hard work - he
was an excellent tennis player and joined in the social life of
Adelaide. He met Charles Todd, who held the posts of South
Australian Government Astronomer, Postmaster-General and
Superintendent of Telegraphs. Todd had been responsible for
constructing the telegraph line from Adelaide to Darwin and had named
the staging post 'Alice Springs' after his wife.
Bragg got to know Todd's family and in 1889 he married Gwendoline
Todd, with whom he had 3 children, William Lawrence, Robert and Gwendolen