Biographies

Professor Duncan J. Greenwood 1932 - 2010

Duncan Joseph Greenwood CBE, FRS, passed away peacefully on 13th February 2010
at Warwick General Hospital, aged 77.
Brother of Eric, uncle of Emma and Fenella.
Funeral private.
Enquiries to Ambler Brothers Funeral Directors, 34 Rother Street, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6LP.
01789 264054.
Published in The Times on February 16, 2010

5 March 2010 There are many tributes from friends and colleagues at
http://sitebuilder.warwick.ac.uk/sitebuilder2/api/comment?page=/fac/sci/whri/newsandevents/duncangreenwood

From http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/whri/newsandevents/duncangreenwood/
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Dr Duncan Greenwood.

Dr Duncan Greenwood enjoyed a long and distinguished research career.
He established his lasting interest in soil science at Aberdeen University
where he was awarded a PhD in 1957. He joined the National Vegetable Research Station, Wellesbourne, in 1959
and was appointed Head of the Soil Science Section in 1966.
He completed more than 50 years service at Wellesbourne and retired in October 1992,
becoming an Emeritus Fellow with HRI and Associate Fellow with the University of Warwick from 2004.

Dr Duncan Greenwood was a research scientist of great distinction and determination.
He had extensive and uniquely-relevant experience in the area of plant nutrition and soil science.
Amongst his many innovative contributions was
the development of computer simulation models for interpreting the field response of plants to nutrients and water.
He had the insight to see how such models could influence the practical use of fertilisers in agriculture and horticulture.
In undertaking this research he sought to ensure that the models of fertiliser usage were implemented in commercial practice
and his research contributed to reducing nutrient pollution in rivers and seas.

The path of Dr Greenwood?s research is a shining example of the evolution of a scientific concept
from a narrow base to one of ever widening implications for fertiliser practices,
not just to vegetable crops but also to agricultural crops worldwide.
New experimental techniques, methods of chemical analysis of crops and soils,
and the handling an interpretation of data have accrued under his guidance.
They would, however, have prospered little had it not been for his persistence in seeking goals which he, but few others,
could visualise three decades ago.
His work underpinned the national fertiliser recommendations for field vegetable crops and led to
the development of mathematical models which have evolved as computer decision support systems
such as WELL_N which have allowed growers to use nitrogen more efficiently with minimal loss from the land.

Dr Greenwood played a leading role in the life of several UK learned societies
and authored more than 180 scientific papers which have made major contributions
to the dissemination of the results of his research at all levels.
Indeed, simple methods for communicating the complicated results of his work to growers have figured prominently
in the practical application of his researches to improve the efficiency of crop production
while at the same time minimising pollution of the environment.
Dr Greenwood was a great ambassador for soil science and its importance as a discipline in practical soil and crop management.
He was always in great demand as an outstanding lecturer, and delivered many distinguished lectures.
In spite of this Dr Greenwood was always happy to share his extensive experience with younger researchers and encourage them in their careers.

His personal achievements are great and thanks to his generosity of spirit and dedication he has helped further the advancements of the industry in which he worked for so many years.

Achievements and Awards:
1962    Sir Gilbert Morgan Medal, Society of Chemical Industry
1979    Research Medal, Royal Agricultural Society of England
Since 1985      Visiting Professor of Plant Sciences, Leeds University
1985    FRS (Fellowship of the Royal Society)
Since 1986 Honorary Professor of Agricultural Chemistry, Birmingham University
1990-1992   President of the British Society of Soil Science
1993    CBE
2000    Grower of the Year Awards - Lifetime Achievement Award
2004    Institute of Horticulture ? Presidents Medal Winner
From http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/whri/newsandevents/duncangreenwood/

See also Dr_Duncan_Greenwood_CBE_FRS
Dr Aileen Roberta Smith 1953-2009

From the obituary by Professor M. A. Hall

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Dr Aileen Smith,
Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences in Aberystwyth.
Dr Smith died on Friday 11 December aged 56.

Dr. Smith was a graduate of the University of Glasgow and in 1976 undertook
a Masters at what was then the University of Natal with Professor Hannes van Staden -
which she received with distinction in 1977.

She then moved to the National Vegetable Research Station near Warwick to do a PhD
with Professor Tudor Thomas.

After obtaining her PhD, she was appointed to an AFRC postdoctoral fellowship
in Aberystwyth with Professor M.A. Hall.

In 1983 she was appointed to a Lectureship in the Department of Botany and Microbiology
and in 1994 to a Senior Lectureship.

Professor M. A. Hall's full obituary is at http://www.aber.ac.uk/aberonline/en/archive/2009/12/au21409/
Dr Guy Johnson d.2008
The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Society Newsletter Issue 341 Winter 2008
"It is with great sadness that we record the death on the 14th November 2008 of Canal Society stalwart Guy Johnson.

"A major part of his life was his involvement with our waterways and in particular the southern part of the Stratford Canal
and its restoration. One of his major contributions was his book 'Save the Stratford canal'
published by David and Charles in 1983, which accurately details the events
from abandonment to reopening and beyond.
With his family he had travelled most if not all of the connected waterways of the UK in their three boats,
all of which were named 'Guppy'.

"Guy was an accomplished artist; we were privileged to be treated to a view of his work
at a recent Christmas meeting when he used his paintings as the basis for a waterways quiz.

"Both Pat and Guy joined our Society at an inaugural meeting held in Hockley Heath towards the end of 1956.
In 1963 we find Guy recorded as a committee member, becoming assistant secretary in 1964,
membership Secretary in 1965 and secretary in 1967 a post he held for ten years.
After having a short rest as an ordinary committee member he then took on a five year commitment
as Newsletter editor, only relinquishing the post in 1983 in order to become
our chairman for eleven years until 1994, he then remained on the committee for a further five years.

"In addition to the considerable amount of time and effort Guy was spending on committee work
(in the early years meetings were weekly) he made time for other projects to promote the canal.
A detailed Cruising Guide was produced to the southern section,
the first edition being produced on a Gestetner duplicator, and printed in green ink,
further editions up to a total of five were then produced which were professionally printed and bound.

"He sold the guides to boat hire bases, information centres etc,
the profits from these sales amounting to several hundreds of pounds each year,
were used to support our canal work parties and canal projects.
Not content with producing the guides both he and Pat marketed them often making personal deliveries.

"Another project that Pat and Guy continued for many years was to give talks about the waterways
to other organizations e.g. other waterway groups, Womens Institutes etc,
often giving as many as ten talks in a year, this of course raised the profile of our canal
and raised money for work on the canal.

"A further project was carried out in the 1980's when the National Trust let it be known
they wanted to be rid of their obligation. At this time the town was not supportive of the canal
and we were trying to demonstrate the value of the canal to the town.
Guy and Pat spent a whole week moored in Stratford Basin, they canvassed every boat that moored,
recording details of their cruise, how much was spent in the town on provisions, meals out, entertainment etc.

"The results of this survey were carefully recorded, and of course proved that the town
received considerable benefit, this survey remains the basis for estimating
the value of boaters spending in the town today.

"With the passing of Guy Johnson we have lost one of our most dedicated members
with such a great depth of knowledge of our waterways and of the Stratford upon Avon Canal in particular.

"We thank you Guy for your most magnificent contribution, and we offer our sincere condolences to you Pat in your sad loss.

David Stevens
The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Society Newsletter Issue 341 Winter 2008
http://www.stratfordcanalsociety.org.uk/NewsletterWinter08.doc
Harold A. Roberts d. 2004
Warwickshire Flora Group -
"It was with great sadness that we heard of Harold's death early this year.
His contribution to field recording began with the Computer Flora Survey in the 1950s
and he had contributed much valuable work both in the field and processing survey records in the museum
over all the years until Pam retired in 1999.

"Arable Weeds also formed the core of his professional work
at the National Vegetable Research Station Wellesbourne,
where he made major contributions to the study of weed germination.

SPRING 2004 NEWSLETTER
Warwickshire Flora Group
http://www.btinternet.com/~copson/Warwicks_Flora_Group/Warwickshire_2002.htm
E James (Jimmy) Winter MC MSc b. 1914 d. 2008
James Winter was born in 1914 and educated at Cheltenham Grammar School, Bristol University, and Pembroke College Cambridge.
In 1938 he married Audrey Pearce and moved to Assam as Scientific Advisory Officer to the Indian Tea Association.

In the Indian Army he saw action in the Western Desert, Persia and Italy, where he was awarded the Military Cross and twice mentioned in dispatches.
After the War the Winters returned to India but following Independence life became too hazardous to raise their young fiamily.
They returned to England in 1949, where Mr Winter became Head of Irrigation at the newly created National Vegetable Research Station.
While at NVRS he wrote Water, Soil and the Plant in the Science in Horticulture series published in collaboration with the RHS.
He visited Africa Spain and Turkey to advise on horticultural issues, and was President of the HEA during the 1960s.

Mr Winter retired to Cornwall in 1973, where he remained active in horticulture,
taking a great interest in the development of the nearby Lost Gardens of Heligan and Eden Project,
and advising on the feasibility of growing tea on the Tregothnan Estate.

He died peacefully on 14 February 2008 after a long illness.

From the obituary for "The Horticulturalist"
Nigel Lyons d. 2001

The Newsletter of the British Society for Plant Pathology Autumn 2001
"Friends and colleagues throughout Horticulture Research International,
and across the horticultural industry, were shocked and deeply saddened
at the sudden death of Dr Nigel Lyons in July.

"Nigel was born in 1942 in Surbiton, Surrey, and educated at Dulwich College in London.
He trained initially as a medical technologist at The London Hospital Medical College (1959-1962)
before moving to study parasitology in Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia).

"In 1966 he became Chief Medical Technologist at the University of Zimbabwe
working on the detection and diagnosis of tropical diseases, in particular leprosy,
which became the subject of his DPhil in 1986.

"He set up and ran a monoclonal antibody unit, which formed part of a USDA scheme for leprosy research.
During this time Nigel was also a part-time Major in the Zimbabwean Army and a pilot,
flying his own plane to visit leprosy clinics in remote parts of Zimbabwe.

"He helped make two public health films on the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases
for the Zimbabwe National Army and their Ministry of Health.

"Nigel left Zimbabwe in 1987, due to the deteriorating political and security situation,
and whilst visiting relatives in Wellesbourne carried out some work in John Taylor's lab at HRI
on the serological detection of plant pathogens.

"Nigel's experience in the detection of human pathogens proved very useful and led to his appointment
as a Higher Scientific Officer in the Wellesbourne Plant Pathology Department in 1988.
Between then and 2000, he worked on the immunological detection and diagnosis
of a range of important plant pathogens including cavity spot, pea blight, bacterial wilt
and a range of onion bacterial pathogens.

"Many of the technologies he developed were commercialised as kits
and are widely used in the horticulture industry in the UK and overseas.

"Nigel left HRI in March 2001 to take up a consultancy with Adgen
and to continue state-funded work on bacterial wilt in Portugal, a country for which he had a great affinity.
He remained in contact with colleagues at HRI and will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Tijs Gilles
HRI Wellesbourne
BSPP News Autumn 2001 - Online Edition
http://www.bspp.org.uk/publications/bsppnews/bsppnews40/bsppnews40i.htm