My father, Gordon Thompson, who has died aged 94, was heavily involved in the groundbreaking development of printed circuit boards at International Computers Limited (ICL) in West Gorton, Manchester. In 1974 he was headhunted by Amp Inc, a US company, but declined its offer of employment in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Previously he had worked at Orford Ness, a satellite of the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at nearby Martlesham, in Suffolk.
Gordon was born in Orford to Florence (nee Webb) and Charles Thompson. His mother died as he turned two and, after his father remarried, he was brought up by his stepmother, Ivy Holmes, as his father was in the armed forces, first in the Royal Navy and then the RAF, followed by Orford Ness, working on early forms of radio guidance for aircraft. Gordon went to Woodbridge school and developed a passion for sport – particularly cricket, and was a noted fast bowler.
Leaving school as soon as possible, just before his 16th birthday, he went to work at Orford Ness, following in his father’s footsteps – initially in the photographic section and then on the bombing range. After two years, in 1949, he was called up for his national service and served in the Royal Corps of Signals – ultimately in Sudan – which led to his involvement in electronics.
He returned to Orford Ness for a further two years until the North Sea flood of 1953, when sea defences were breached; he helped with the clear-up, then went to RAF Farnborough, Hampshire, a critical hub for aviation research, where he started work in the armaments department.
Gordon attended night school and took his ordinary national certificate, a vocational further education qualification, at Letchworth Technical College.
In 1957 he encountered Naida Bury at RAF Farnborough. They met while playing badminton – a sport that they pursued together for many years.
In the 1960s Gordon worked for English Electric at Luton airport, then later Associated Transistors and Ferranti Computers in West Gorton, which became ICL. When ICL was taken over by Fujitsu in 2002, Gordon retired and continued a life of exploring. He and Naida travelled across Europe and were faithful members of their church community in Cheadle, near Manchester.
Naida died in 2019. Gordon is survived by his sons, Simon and me, and four grandchildren.
