Roger Gaskell Hetherington
Encyclopedia
Sir Roger Gaskell Hetherington CB, OBE (10 February 1876, Sherborne
– 1952) was a British
civil engineer
and civil servant.
, London. His father was assistant Master at Sherborne School
when he was born, but the family soon after returned to Highgate.
He entered Highgate School
in 1889. After school he attended Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he gained a half blue for rifle shooting. In spite of coming from a distinguished academic family Hetherington did not shine academically at this time, in fact he retained, to the end of this life, a copy of the Granta magazine (June 16, 1897) that included the comment "I understand that Mr Hetherington of Trinity, is exceedingly annoyed at having missed the wooden spoon. It is one blot on an otherwise blameless career." This comment resulted from his coming bottom but one in the Mathematical Tripos.
Hetherington served as an officer in the 4th (Cambridge University) Volunteer Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment
but resigned his commission as Captain
on 24 November 1897. Hetherington returned to the British Army
during the First World War when he was appointed temporary Inspector of Works in the Staff of the Royal Engineers
with the honorary rank of Lieutenant
on 14 April 1915.
All his life he suffered from a weak heart and was never passed fit for active service. He relinquished that commission upon the completion of his service on 25 February 1919, retaining his rank. Hetherington married Honoria Ford on the 24th April 1906. She was the youngest daughter of the solicitor Arthur Ranken Ford, who lived close (next door) to Roger's parents in Highgate. They had a daughter and three sons, the second of whom was Sir Arthur Ford Hetherington
(1911–2002) who was Chairman of British Gas plc
. Honoria studied Classics at Girton College, Cambridge
but as Cambridge did not then grant women full degree status she in fact received a degree from Trinity College, Dublin
. Both Roger and Honoria were strong believers in women's education and as well as making sure that Mary had a university education Roger always travelled to Cambridge to vote for women having full degree rights at Cambridge.
Hetherington had become a governor at Highgate School in 1917. He served the school as treasurer and chairman of governors from 1929 to 1944. He had an interest in education and was also chairman of the council of Wycombe Abbey School. Hetherington's career as a civil servant began in 1930 when he became the Chief Engineering Inspector at the Ministry of Health, a post he would hold until 1944. He became an official adviser on water and the Director of Surveys for the ministry in 1941 in which capacity he served until 1952.
Hetherington had been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1918, a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1932 and was made Knight Bachelor
in 1945. On 24 June 1947, at a special general meeting of the Institution of Civil Engineers
, he was elected their president for the November 1947 to November 1948 session. Hetherington was only elected because the death of the president-elect Sir Frederick Cook following his election in May. This was the second successive year that the ICE's president-elect had died before entering office. Hetherington died in 1952. His eldest son Roger Le Geyt Hetherington (1908–1990) was president of the ICE for 1972-3.
Sherborne
Sherborne is a market town in northwest Dorset, England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The A30 road, which connects London to Penzance, runs through the town. The population of the town is 9,350 . 27.1% of the population is aged 65 or...
– 1952) was a British
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...
and civil servant.
Life
Roger Gaskell Hetherington was born in Sherborne, Dorset on the 10th February 1876, the eldest son of William Lonsdale Hetherington and his wife Mary Gaskell, daughter of John Dakin Gaskell, a barrister of HighgateHighgate
Highgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
, London. His father was assistant Master at Sherborne School
Sherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
when he was born, but the family soon after returned to Highgate.
He entered Highgate School
Highgate School
-Notable members of staff and governing body:* John Ireton, brother of Henry Ireton, Cromwellian General* 1st Earl of Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice, owner of Kenwood, noted for judgment finding contracts for slavery unenforceable in English law* T. S...
in 1889. After school he attended Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he gained a half blue for rifle shooting. In spite of coming from a distinguished academic family Hetherington did not shine academically at this time, in fact he retained, to the end of this life, a copy of the Granta magazine (June 16, 1897) that included the comment "I understand that Mr Hetherington of Trinity, is exceedingly annoyed at having missed the wooden spoon. It is one blot on an otherwise blameless career." This comment resulted from his coming bottom but one in the Mathematical Tripos.
Hetherington served as an officer in the 4th (Cambridge University) Volunteer Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment
Suffolk Regiment
The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment as the 1st East Anglian Regiment in 1959...
but resigned his commission as Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
on 24 November 1897. Hetherington returned to the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the First World War when he was appointed temporary Inspector of Works in the Staff of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
with the honorary rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on 14 April 1915.
All his life he suffered from a weak heart and was never passed fit for active service. He relinquished that commission upon the completion of his service on 25 February 1919, retaining his rank. Hetherington married Honoria Ford on the 24th April 1906. She was the youngest daughter of the solicitor Arthur Ranken Ford, who lived close (next door) to Roger's parents in Highgate. They had a daughter and three sons, the second of whom was Sir Arthur Ford Hetherington
Sir Arthur Hetherington
Arthur Ford Hetherington was the first Chairman of British Gas Corporation.Hetherington was born in Highgate, London, the son of Roger Gaskell Hetherington, and went to Highgate School. He studied Natural Sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge and married Margaret Lacey on 19 July 1937...
(1911–2002) who was Chairman of British Gas plc
British Gas plc
British Gas plc was formerly the monopoly gas supplier and is a private sector in the United Kingdom.- History :In the early 1900s the gas market in the United Kingdom was mainly run by county councils and small private firms...
. Honoria studied Classics at Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...
but as Cambridge did not then grant women full degree status she in fact received a degree from Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. Both Roger and Honoria were strong believers in women's education and as well as making sure that Mary had a university education Roger always travelled to Cambridge to vote for women having full degree rights at Cambridge.
Hetherington had become a governor at Highgate School in 1917. He served the school as treasurer and chairman of governors from 1929 to 1944. He had an interest in education and was also chairman of the council of Wycombe Abbey School. Hetherington's career as a civil servant began in 1930 when he became the Chief Engineering Inspector at the Ministry of Health, a post he would hold until 1944. He became an official adviser on water and the Director of Surveys for the ministry in 1941 in which capacity he served until 1952.
Hetherington had been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1918, a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1932 and was made 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 1945. On 24 June 1947, at a special general meeting 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...
, he was elected their president for the November 1947 to November 1948 session. Hetherington was only elected because the death of the president-elect Sir Frederick Cook following his election in May. This was the second successive year that the ICE's president-elect had died before entering office. Hetherington died in 1952. His eldest son Roger Le Geyt Hetherington (1908–1990) was president of the ICE for 1972-3.