Norman Rowntree
Encyclopedia
Sir Norman Andrew Forster Rowntree (11 March 1912 – 1991) was a British
civil engineer
.
Rowntree was born in London in 1912 and held a Bachelor of Science
degree in engineering. He worked as an engineering consultant for Alcott & Lomax, who would be acquired by Babtie in 2000. During his consulting career he was involved with the construction of water pumping stations. Rowntree was appointed director of the Water Resources Board (WRB), a national water planning body established in 1964. The WRB was dominated by civil engineers and focussed its efforts on implementing structural solutions to water resource problems. Rowntree was a keen proponent of that school of thought saying in 1962 that "the solution of water supply problems … will require the construction and operation of large works and highly‐developed technical control". Under Rowntree's leadership the WRB was able to undertake what was the largest scheme of water planning yet seen in England and Wales.
Rowntree was made a Knight Bachelor
in Queen Elizabeth II's birthday honours on 13 June 1970. Rowntree gave the Institution of Electrical Engineers
1972 Graham Clark Lecture on "Conservation and use of water resources" and the same year wrote an article for the Proceedings of the Royal Society B entitled "Water Resources Management in England and Wales". By 1974 he had become a Professor
and, on 2 December that year, was awarded an honorary
Doctor of Science
degree by City University London.
Rowntree was elected president of the Institution of Civil Engineers
(ICE) for the November 1975-76 session. He used his inaugural presidential address to emphasise that "the duty remains with engineers and other experts to minimise the range of intangible issues… the inaccuracy of words and the opportunities of distortion are enormous. In the present age of unreason this is a real danger and may be responsible for many of our present ills". He was a chartered engineer and a fellow of the institution. In 1976 Rowntree was employed by the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and, on 8 December, gave the 63rd Thomas Hawksley
lecture to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
on on the history of water engineering. In August 1986 he wrote an article in the Proceedings of the ICE comparing water resources planning in the United Kingdom with that of New Jersey
in the USA.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
.
Rowntree was born in London in 1912 and held a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in engineering. He worked as an engineering consultant for Alcott & Lomax, who would be acquired by Babtie in 2000. During his consulting career he was involved with the construction of water pumping stations. Rowntree was appointed director of the Water Resources Board (WRB), a national water planning body established in 1964. The WRB was dominated by civil engineers and focussed its efforts on implementing structural solutions to water resource problems. Rowntree was a keen proponent of that school of thought saying in 1962 that "the solution of water supply problems … will require the construction and operation of large works and highly‐developed technical control". Under Rowntree's leadership the WRB was able to undertake what was the largest scheme of water planning yet seen in England and Wales.
Rowntree was made a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in Queen Elizabeth II's birthday honours on 13 June 1970. Rowntree gave the Institution of Electrical Engineers
Institution of Electrical Engineers
The Institution of Electrical Engineers was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and Information Technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. The I.E.E...
1972 Graham Clark Lecture on "Conservation and use of water resources" and the same year wrote an article for the Proceedings of the Royal Society B entitled "Water Resources Management in England and Wales". By 1974 he had become a Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and, on 2 December that year, was awarded an honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
degree by City University London.
Rowntree was elected president of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
(ICE) for the November 1975-76 session. He used his inaugural presidential address to emphasise that "the duty remains with engineers and other experts to minimise the range of intangible issues… the inaccuracy of words and the opportunities of distortion are enormous. In the present age of unreason this is a real danger and may be responsible for many of our present ills". He was a chartered engineer and a fellow of the institution. In 1976 Rowntree was employed by the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and, on 8 December, gave the 63rd Thomas Hawksley
Thomas Hawksley
Thomas Hawksley was an English civil engineer of the 19th century, particularly associated with water and gas engineering projects.The son of John Hawksley and Mary Whittle, and born in Arnold, near Nottingham on , Hawksley was largely self-taught from the age of 15 onwards, having at that point...
lecture to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the British engineering society based in central London, representing mechanical engineering. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers...
on on the history of water engineering. In August 1986 he wrote an article in the Proceedings of the ICE comparing water resources planning in the United Kingdom with that of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in the USA.