12 May 2017
It is with regret that SCI announces the death of member Peter Jackson. Peter was born on 26 April 1929. He attended school in Cambridge, where he was a keen member of the Air Training Corps and eventually Flight-Sergeant. After National Service as a photographer in the RAF, he joined the group of 20 students in the inaugural full-time Special Chemistry course at Battersea Polytechnic (now University of Surrey) in 1949.
After graduating, Peter joined the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers as a chemist in their Research Department, continuing part-time at Battersea where in 1960 he was awarded a Masters degree for his thesis on cementitious materials. Peter was a co-patentee of improvements to cement-based decorative materials.
After progressing through the APCM laboratory ranks, Peter became Midlands Area Chief Chemist for Blue Circle Cement, responsible for the process operations for the Company’s seven works in the area. In 1971, after he became Chief Chemist of Aberthaw Cement and then Rugby Cement. After retirement in 1989, Peter established his own successful Construction Materials Consultancy, Sampling and Scientific Services.
This consultancy work speedily developed into a cement-manufacturing advisory role, involving travel to most European countries, Canada, and the USA. Peter also acted as technical representative for the Cement Manufacturers Federation on British and European Standards Committees and was active in the work of the American Society for Testing Materials and Cembureau (for whom he produced a revised edition of their publication on “Cement Standards of the World”). Peter prepared two chapters for the updated revision of F M Lea’s book on “The Chemistry of Cement and Concrete” and contributed to International symposia and technical meetings of the Society of Chemical Industry and other groups.
A project of which he was particularly proud involved production of a book, Cement Manufacture by UK Companies 1914 to 1994, in which he collected information inherited from his parents, who had also worked in the industry, with his own more recent experiences.
Peter was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of Chemistry in 1953 and the same year became a Member of the Society of Chemical Industry, where he was a keen supporter and Committee Member of the Road and Building Materials (later Construction Materials) Group. In 1971, Peter was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry and, in 2013, received congratulations from the President of the now Royal Society of Chemistry on the Diamond Anniversary of his membership.
Throughout his life, Peter continued his interest and association with RAF matters and held positions of Treasurer, Wing Appeal Organiser, Secretary, and President of the local branch of the Royal Air Forces Association.
Peter died on 25 December 2016 leaving his wife, Joan, and children and grandchildren Dawn, Derek, James, Penny, Adam, Philip, to whom we extend our sincere condolences.
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