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K. W. E. GRAVETT, MSc(Eng),
F.I.E.E., F.S.A.
Kenneth Gravett, our past President, died on 21 November 1999, aged
69.
Kenneth was born on 27 April 1930 in the house that was to be
his home for the whole of his life. An early interest in electrical
engineering, science and architecture was nurtured by his parents and he
received a first class honours degree from King's College, London in 1952
and his MSc. at B. T. H. at Rugby in electrical engineering.
After several years at the Post Office Research Station at
Dollis Hill, where he specialised in undersea cables, he took up a post of
Lecturer at Battersea College of Advanced Technology (later part of Surrey
University) and from this time emerged the main theme of his life's work
and interest - the gathering and spreading of knowledge as widely as
possible, by personal contact, lecturing and writing. In this he was aided
by a phenomenal memory, a kindly, helpful manner, and a fund of humorous
stories. After several other lecturing posts in colleges in Brighton and
London, he became an Inspector for Education with the Inner London
Education Authority and retired as Head of Higher and Further Education.
After retirement came twelve years of happy and fruitful
life: travelling round the English countryside and historic towns and
villages: looking at buildings and advising owners on their history and
construction: helping and encouraging other societies and researchers in
their work. He was particularly well-known in Kent for his ten-year
Presidency of our Society during which he greatly expanded the programme
of events for members. His devotion to the cause of the County's historic
buildings was a constant one and led to his setting up of the Kent
Historic Buildings Index (part of his work for the Historic Buildings
Committee of which he was Chairman for many years); the organization of
the annual Building Recorders' conference over 36 years; and his busy
schedule of lecturing to local societies on the subject. His book Timber
and Brick Building in Kent was published in 1971. He was very active
in liaison work in connection with the planning of the Channel Tunnel Rail
Link and as
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