17.4 The Immediate Post-war Years
As the Laboratories moved into the post-war era there could be little
accommodation for Robert, at least in the long term. Sixty-five in April 1949,
he would have been increasingly concerned with plans for retirement as well
as the future direction of the Laboratories, and there were some final duties to
attend to, particularly following the unexpected death of Clifford Paterson.
Paterson had been knighted in 1946, but he died just a few years later in
1948
58 soon after returning from a trip to Australia. His position as Director
was taken by Oliver Humphries, leader of the Heat Group. But the Board of
GEC were not prepared to hand the reins of scientific direction to one man
alone in succession to Sir Clifford. Humphreys was therefore ‘supported’ by a
Scientific Panel—known within the Laboratories as the ‘Seven Pillars of
Wisdom’—who were to ‘discuss’ policy and programmes with him.
59 There
appears to be no strict record of this body or its membership but it is almost
certain that Robert served on the Panel for the remainder of his time at
Wembley. At the same time, free from wartime duties, Robert was able to
indulge himself in his science once more and from 1947 to 1949 he submitted three final patents (Appendix D). But retirement inevitably came and
it was as a senior ‘management’ man, the principal member of staff concerned
with valve design throughout the war, and author of 24 patents on behalf of
the MO-V and GEC, that Robert finally stepped-down from Wembley on
his 65th birthday, 27 April 1949 and into what was to be a long retirement.
7 St. John’s Road Harrow had been in the Le Rossignol family for at least
50 years. It was home when Robert studied at UCL, and the matrimonial
home for the thirty years he worked at GEC Wembley. Both his boys grew
up there and despite the tragedies of their deaths there must have been some
happy lingering memories. But for their retirement Robert and Emily decided
to move on and they bought a property not far from the retirement home of
Sir William Ramsay in Hazlemere, High Wycombe. On 11 September 1951,
the London Gazette, announced a number of new land registrations.
17 The GEC Laboratories 1939–1949
443
As the Laboratories moved into the post-war era there could be little
accommodation for Robert, at least in the long term. Sixty-five in April 1949,
he would have been increasingly concerned with plans for retirement as well
as the future direction of the Laboratories, and there were some final duties to
attend to, particularly following the unexpected death of Clifford Paterson.
Paterson had been knighted in 1946, but he died just a few years later in
1948
58 soon after returning from a trip to Australia. His position as Director
was taken by Oliver Humphries, leader of the Heat Group. But the Board of
GEC were not prepared to hand the reins of scientific direction to one man
alone in succession to Sir Clifford. Humphreys was therefore ‘supported’ by a
Scientific Panel—known within the Laboratories as the ‘Seven Pillars of
Wisdom’—who were to ‘discuss’ policy and programmes with him.
59 There
appears to be no strict record of this body or its membership but it is almost
certain that Robert served on the Panel for the remainder of his time at
Wembley. At the same time, free from wartime duties, Robert was able to
indulge himself in his science once more and from 1947 to 1949 he submitted three final patents (Appendix D). But retirement inevitably came and
it was as a senior ‘management’ man, the principal member of staff concerned
with valve design throughout the war, and author of 24 patents on behalf of
the MO-V and GEC, that Robert finally stepped-down from Wembley on
his 65th birthday, 27 April 1949 and into what was to be a long retirement.
7 St. John’s Road Harrow had been in the Le Rossignol family for at least
50 years. It was home when Robert studied at UCL, and the matrimonial
home for the thirty years he worked at GEC Wembley. Both his boys grew
up there and despite the tragedies of their deaths there must have been some
happy lingering memories. But for their retirement Robert and Emily decided
to move on and they bought a property not far from the retirement home of
Sir William Ramsay in Hazlemere, High Wycombe. On 11 September 1951,
the London Gazette, announced a number of new land registrations.
17 The GEC Laboratories 1939–1949
443