Career
Engineering, Chartered Engineer (United Kingdom), F.I.Mech.E., F.I.E.E., M.Inst.F., (1913–1999) was an English mechanical and electrical engineer Born in Lympley Stoke, Bath, Somerset and educated at the Great Yarmouth High School. He joined the Central Electricity Generating Board and was heavily involved in the 275 kV and 400 kV Supergrid in the department of the Transmission Project Group.
At the inception of the first 2000 MW power station West Burton in 1969 Arthur was then in charge of the Central Electricity Generating Board Midlands Region based in Moseley Birmingham.
He was made chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board in 1977 preceded by Sir Stanley Brown and proceeded by Glyn England in 1977. In June 1976 he was awarded the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire as Chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board. After retirement he served as a director with the Community of Street Andrew Trust at Lincolns Inn, London.
After privatisation of the industry in 1991 commentators made the link to the lack of British energy policy to the days of the Central Electricity Generating Board ‘Oh for the glory days of Sir Arthur Hawkins and the Central Electricity Generating Board. But compared with the abject chaos into which British energy policy has descended since privatisation, the absolute rule of the Central Electricity Generating Board seems a paragon of virtue.’.
