Denis Rooke
Encyclopedia
Sir Denis Eric Rooke, OM
, CBE
, FRS
, FREng
(2 April 1924 - 2 September 2008) was a British industrialist and engineer.
, London
, the younger son of F. G. Rooke. He studied Mechanical Engineering
and Chemical Engineering
at University College London
, then served in REME
until 1949, attaining the rank of Major. He married Brenda Evans in 1949, and they had a daughter, Diana, who survived him. He died 2 September 2008.
, then on Liquefied natural gas
(LNG), pioneering the sea transport of LNG. He was aboard the ship making the first delivery of LNG to the UK in 1959.
He became Deputy Chairman of the Gas Council in 1972, and along with the Chairman, Sir Henry Jones. and Sir Arthur Hetherington
, he was responsible for combining the Gas Council and 12 separate gas boards into the British Gas Corporation
in 1973.
He was awarded the CBE in 1970, and knighted in 1977.
He was Chancellor of Loughborough University
from 1989 to 2003 and a building was named after him.
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, FREng
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
(2 April 1924 - 2 September 2008) was a British industrialist and engineer.
Personal life
Rooke was born in New CrossNew Cross
New Cross is a district and ward of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. It is situated 4 miles south-east of Charing Cross. The ward covered by London post town and the SE 14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwich...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the younger son of F. G. Rooke. He studied Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
and Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, then served in REME
Reme
Reme may refer to:*Rəmə, Azerbaijan*Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers...
until 1949, attaining the rank of Major. He married Brenda Evans in 1949, and they had a daughter, Diana, who survived him. He died 2 September 2008.
Career
From 1949 he worked in the gas industry, first on coal tarCoal tar
Coal tar is a brown or black liquid of extremely high viscosity, which smells of naphthalene and aromatic hydrocarbons. Coal tar is among the by-products when coal iscarbonized to make coke or gasified to make coal gas...
, then on Liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas or LNG is natural gas that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage or transport....
(LNG), pioneering the sea transport of LNG. He was aboard the ship making the first delivery of LNG to the UK in 1959.
He became Deputy Chairman of the Gas Council in 1972, and along with the Chairman, Sir Henry Jones. and Sir Arthur Hetherington
Sir Arthur Hetherington
Arthur Ford Hetherington was the first Chairman of British Gas Corporation.Hetherington was born in Highgate, London, the son of Roger Gaskell Hetherington, and went to Highgate School. He studied Natural Sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge and married Margaret Lacey on 19 July 1937...
, he was responsible for combining the Gas Council and 12 separate gas boards into the British Gas Corporation
British Gas plc
British Gas plc was formerly the monopoly gas supplier and is a private sector in the United Kingdom.- History :In the early 1900s the gas market in the United Kingdom was mainly run by county councils and small private firms...
in 1973.
He was awarded the CBE in 1970, and knighted in 1977.
He was Chancellor of Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
from 1989 to 2003 and a building was named after him.