Peter Joseph Jackson

Born on 26 April 1929, both of Peter Jackson's parents worked in the cement industry and thus it was not surprising that he followed them into the same industry. He attended school in Cambridge, where he was a keen member of the Air Training Corps and eventually became a 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. Over the years this group of students held an annual reunion until 2010 when only three members could attend.

After graduating Peter joined the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers as a chemist in their Research Department at Stone, Kent, continuing part-time at Battersea where in 1960 he was awarded a Mastership degree for his thesis on cementitious materials. Peter was a co-patentee of improvements to cement based decorative materials.

After working 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 the reorganisation of cement-making he became in succession Chief Chemist of Aberthaw Cement and then Rugby Cement. After retiring 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. 

As part of his consultancy activities, Peter assessed cement plants in Poland and Romania and oversaw the conversion of the ICI cement plant at Tunstead from the old wet-process system to a more energy-efficient pre-calciner kiln. A project of which he was particularly proud involved production of a book on "Cement Manufacture by UK Companies 1914 to 1994", in which he collected together information inherited from his mother and father with his own more recent experiences.

Peter Jackson was elected an Associate of the then Royal Institute of Chemistry in 1953 and in 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 ultimately President of the local branch of the RAF Association. His other major charitable activity was for the recognition and improvement of conditions for those suffering from Mental Handicap. 

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.