Kenneth John Eatwell, a member of the Institute for 48 years, and one of the original subscribers to the formation of the Institute of Hospital Engineers in the 1960s, has died, aged 90. His career started in Swindon, where he was an apprentice fitter-turner with the Great Western Railway Company.
After this initial training, he became a designer draughtsman for the same company. His career subsequently developed in the public sector, initially as a chief mechanical and electrical assistant for a local borough council, followed by an appointment as a junior assistant engineer in the Regional Architects department of the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. He held further positions at Regional level, and was the Regional Engineer for the South West Thames Regional Hospital Board, where he took a keen interest in training – mentoring and generally supporting young apprentices and regional trainee engineers. His support in this respect was greatly appreciated by a number of engineers who started their careers in the early 1960s. Ken Eatwell was very much involved with the Salvation Army, and was bandmaster at Slough for many years, being a competent cornet player.
