John Carpenter (OB 1940-1943)

John was born in 1927 and initially grew up in Ilford until the war disrupted life. He came to Brentwood School in 1940 after his parents took over the Mountnessing post office. He took his general school certificates and then left school in 1943 to begin what was to become a celebrated career in electrical engineering. He first joined Crompton Parkinsons, a small electrical laboratory in Mountnessing, where he was put in charge of testing and met his wife Rita. From there he took a BSc and MSc in Engineering at West Ham College subsequently in 1953 being appointed a lecturer at Imperial College where in 1959 his work in calculating electrical fields won him a Premium from the Institute of Electrical Engineering (IEE).

In 1961 John moved to Trinidad where he became the inaugural professor in Electrical Engineering at the University of the West Indies. After three years he returned to Imperial College as a senior lecturer where his work gained him another Premium from the IEE. In 1978 he left Imperial College with a Science Doctorate and the IEE's Institution Premium. A lectureship at Gwent College, Honorary Fellowship at The University of Bristol and further IEE Premiums followed culminating in 1995 in the Institute's top accolade - the Achievement Medal.

John, who died on 13th January 2023 and Rita, who died in 2017, are survived by their four children David, Anne, Mary and Peter, 5 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.