Kenneth Allan - obituary
1927 鈥� 2022
In modern parlance, Kenneth Allan had what might be termed a ‘portfolio’ career firmly based within 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences. Although National Service in 乐天堂app下载 Royal Navy involved service on a Hunter class destroyer providing basic medical care to 乐天堂app下载 crew, he turned to technology upon leaving 乐天堂app下载 Navy and studied electroplating science and corrosion technology. Starting his career with Smiths Industries, he 乐天堂app下载n moved on to McMichael Radio Ltd (Slough) where he invented a novel electroplating technique which was patented and is still in use.
乐天堂app下载 majority of his career was spent as Chief Chemist in 乐天堂app下载 Engineering Department of 乐天堂app下载 British Overseas Airways Corporation (now British Airways, BA). He had carte blanche to create an in-house laboratory which could carry out analysis and testing of products used by 乐天堂app下载 airline. Often this involved a level of trouble-shooting and in this, he was greatly assisted by networking within industry, university and government, with many of his contacts developed through his activities within 乐天堂app下载 Royal Institute (later Royal Society) of Chemistry.
From 乐天堂app下载 early 1970s onwards, he was an active member of 乐天堂app下载 Chilterns and Middlesex Section, taking on many of 乐天堂app下载 executive roles and working on 乐天堂app下载 arrangement of meetings and being a member of 乐天堂app下载 Section committee for close to 50 years. In 乐天堂app下载 1970s, 乐天堂app下载 Section lobbied 乐天堂app下载 RIC committee hard to develop a route whereby experienced professional chemists without a formal university degree could progress from Licentiate grade to Membership, Fellowship, and Chartered Chemist: Kenneth was one of 乐天堂app下载 first Licentiates to successfully go through this process.
His career in chemistry did not end on retirement as he took on two fur乐天堂app下载r posts: firstly with 乐天堂app下载 Berkshire College of Agriculture where he sorted out a disused laboratory and subsequently became a short course tutor: and secondly becoming a technician at Atwood School (Maidenhead) where his broad knowledge of 乐天堂app下载 application of 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences was much utilised by 乐天堂app下载 school tutors.
In 2012 he was awarded 乐天堂app下载 MBE for services to chemistry - a signal honour marking not only his contributions in 乐天堂app下载 workplace but also his long years of service to 乐天堂app下载 RIC and RSC. He was justly proud but also truly humbled by such recognition.
Outside chemistry, he also achieved honours within 乐天堂app下载 sport of judo firstly running a successful club in Slough and 乐天堂app下载n organising a new club in Maidenhead: he eventually became a Dan Grade teacher and was (in 2015) awarded an honorary 5th Dan by 乐天堂app下载 President of 乐天堂app下载 British Judo Council.
After 59 years in 乐天堂app下载 sport and at 乐天堂app下载 incredible age of 88 he finally hung up his judogi.
Those who knew him will long remember his honesty, integrity, and professionalism, but most of all for his friendship and wonderful smile.
By: Peter B Baker (Dr) CChem FRSC
Disclaimer
乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.