Our dear dad, John Horlock, who has died aged 87, was a highly respected man of great intellect, whose main academic interests were in aerodynamics, fluid dynamics and energy. He loved all kinds of music, cricket, football (Spurs) and the radio. He was a kind and generous man who, along with our mum, Sheila, was always there to discreetly support us (and indeed many other people along the way).
Born in Edmonton, north London, John grew up in Winchmore Hill with his much-loved parents, Harold and Olive, and older sister, Beryl. He attended Latymer school, where he first met Sheila Stutely, a talented singer who later became a music teacher and a JP. They married in 1953.
Graduating from St John’s College, Cambridge, in 1949, John then joined Rolls-Royce and worked on aero-engine design. After his doctorate he went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, and in 1958 as a professor to Liverpool University’s engineering department before returning to Cambridge, where he later founded the innovative and influential Whittle Laboratory. In 1967 he became its first director. Between 1974 and 1990 he was vice-chancellor first of Salford University and then of the Open University.
John was an adviser to government and industry for 50 years. This included work with the National Grid, on the safety of nuclear installations and at the Aeronautical Research Council, as well as numerous other important contributions. He became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1976 and was knighted in 1996 for services to science, engineering and education.
As a family we spent several summers in the US with Dad on lecture and research trips. Later, often accompanied by Mum, he travelled widely in pursuit of his work, latterly supporting the establishment of new “open universities” in many countries. And until only a few weeks ago, thanks to email, he continued his academic work with colleagues and friends worldwide.
Our parents enjoyed almost 62 years of happy marriage and a life full of interesting experiences. Dad is survived by us and by his grandchildren: Matt, Alex, Guy, Lorna, Patrick, Joe, Martha and Charlie.
