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The Posford Story A history of the Firm from 1944 to 2002

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Page 1: The Posford Story

The Posford Story

A

history of the Firm from

1944 to 2002

Page 2: The Posford Story

MAUNSELL, POSFORD & PAVRY - POSFORD, PAVRY & PARTNERS – POSFORD DUVIVIER - POSFORD HASKONING, Consulting Engineers

1 Updated January 2005

Foreword On 1st September 2001 the eight former companies of the Royal Haskoning Group integrated into one, becoming Royal Haskoning. The new company comprises eight market-led divisions, with cross-divisional corporate and support groups. This brought to an end the era of independent operation of the company co-founded by John Posford in 1944. This history gives a brief chronological account of the firm from a few years before its formation up until 1st February 2002 when Haskoning UK Holdings Ltd became the board of directors. It also includes short histories of Lewis and Duvivier (founded in 1887) and of TF Burns and Partners (founded in 1946). Overview Guy Maunsell and John Posford both trained as articled engineers to Sir Alexander Gibb. During the Second World War they were involved in numerous projects for both the Royal Navy and the Army in the form of inshore forts and floating docks. In 1944 they formed Guy Maunsell and Partner in Victoria Street, London. Richard Pavry joined the firm in 1948 and became a partner in 1949 when the firm was renamed Maunsell, Posford and Pavry. The firm split into two in late 1955, leading to the establishment of Maunsell and Partners and of Posford, Pavry and Partners, whose Senior Partner was John Posford. The lease of the offices in Abbey House, Victoria Street was terminated and the firm moved its head office to Peterborough in 1973 (moving into Rightwell House in 1974), with the London office moving to Albany House, Petty France, not very far from Victoria Street. Following a period of expansion in the late 1970’s, particularly in overseas work, the firm was awarded the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement in 1979 and marked the event with a party on the lawn in front of Rightwell House in the summer of that year. In 1983 WH Radford & Son of Nottingham was incorporated into the firm and a year later Posford, Pavry and Partners celebrated its 40th anniversary. John Posford retired in 1985 and was succeeded as Senior Partner and Managing Director by Alastair Stirling who had joined the firm in 1957. In 1987 Posford, Pavry and Partners merged with Lewis and Duvivier to form Posford Duvivier. Posford House was opened in Bretton by HRH The Duke of Gloucester GCVO in 1989, a year which also saw the establishment of Posford Duvivier Environment. In 1992 TF Burns and Partners merged with Posford Duvivier and further discussions and negotiations held throughout 1994 culminated in the shareholding of Posford Duvivier being acquired by Royal Haskoning at the end of that year. Following the merger, however, Posford Duvivier continued to trade in the UK more or less independently. In the summer of 1997 Dick Holland succeeded Alastair Stirling as Managing Director. Towards the end of 2000, the eight companies of the Royal Haskoning Group began the integration process, the new structure came into being internally on 1st April 2001 and was launched publicly on 1st September 2001, when Posford Duvivier became Posford Haskoning, a company of Royal Haskoning. On 1st February 2002, the board of Posford Haskoning was ended and each market led divisional director became responsible for the division with staff principally in the Netherlands, UK & France, thus the position of Managing Director in the UK disappeared. From its formation in 1944 until full integration into Royal Haskoning in 2001, the firm was associated with many thousands of projects, ranging from the very small to the very large, such as Canary Wharf Underground Station. These projects, overseen by the Partners and Directors, were carried out by many individuals, too numerous to mention, but who were, in fact, “the firm”. Alastair Stirling/David Bone July 2002 Footnote: In January 2005 the legal entity, Posford Haskoning Ltd, became Haskoning UK Ltd.

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A Chronological History (with reference to the larger projects) 1941 – 42 Guy Maunsell and John Posford, working with Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners, were

involved in the design and execution of Naval Forts for the Naval Works Department. These were large concrete structures weighing 4,000 tons with a hull base (barge shaped) from which rose two towers surmounted by anti aircraft guns with living accommodation in the towers. They were constructed in dry docks and floated out to position and sunk with the crews on board and ready for action.

1942 - 43 The Army Forts were their next project, these were steel towers in similar water depths to

the Naval Forts (6-8 fathoms). These had steel box bases (cruciform on plan) with the inclined steel tubular legs rising from them to support the steel accommodation modules (three storeys) above which were the guns. These were also built in dry docks but were floated out supported by two independent pontoons with winches to lower the towers down onto the seabed, again with the crews on board. These pontoons were reused for the many forts put in position.

Both these towers/forts were placed on the unprepared seabed but the seabed had been surveyed to ensure slopes were within acceptable tolerances. They were mostly sited off the East Coast and in the Thames and Mersey Estuaries. The forts were used as radio stations and gun positions against aircraft and MTBs/E boats. They lasted well and some are still standing, indeed one was used by Radio Caroline in the 1960s.

1944 The firm G A Maunsell and Partner was established on 6th April as a consulting engineer in Victoria Street with Guy Maunsell and John Posford as the partners. At this time (1943 –46) they were designing and supervising a series of concrete floating docks that were needed by the forces both in Europe and the Far East. These consisted of varying sizes of pre cast concrete docks (6” walls) for vessels of 400, 600, 800 and

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1,000 tons capable of being towed to where they were required. As late as the 1970’s the firm was being asked for details of these docks and in particular in what conditions it would be safe to tow them. The firm has records of these docks as far away as Sri Lanka (where some were built) and Singapore. (Staff involved included Guy Maunsell, John Posford, John Swansbourne, Arthur Allen and Gerry Elstub)

1948 – 52 In post war Britain the new firm, with the support of Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners,

undertook the design and supervision of two large oil refineries for Shell. They were at Stanlow on the Manchester Ship Canal and at Shellhaven on the Thames. These would have been £100million+ jobs at today’s prices with monthly certificates running at £3million. The contractors were Arthur Monk for Stanlow and John Mowlem for Shellhaven. A design office was established at Ince Hall near Stanlow and later in Chester.

1949 Richard Pavry, who had joined the firm in 1948 after war service in the Royal Engineers

and previously with Dorman Long, was taken into the partnership on 6th April and the firm’s name was subsequently changed to Maunsell, Posford and Pavry. In October of that year the firm moved to Abbey House, at 2, Victoria Street where it stayed until 1973.

1951 Douglas Lax joined the firm as Chief Engineer, he was appointed a Consultant in January

1961, retired in 1973 and died on 12th June 1978. 1951 – 80 As a result of the Shell refineries the firm was appointed to design and supervise a

refinery in Baghdad at Dora. This was followed by a number of road bridge designs across the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers for the Iraq Government (Department of Roads and Bridges). An office was opened in 1953 in Baghdad to service these projects. Peter Rowley was RE on Dora Refinery and he subsequently managed the Baghdad office. The following bridges were built: 1955 – Hindiya and Samawa (John Swansbourne as RE); 1958-60?; Qurnah and Abbasiyat; early 1970’s; Tikrit (the home of Saddam Hussein); 1972-79 Al Muthana on the northern edge of Baghdad.

1952 - 56 Two projects were undertaken for Associated Ethyl Co. Ltd. - one to extract bromine from

sea water at Amlwch on Anglesea and the other to make ethyl lead at Ellesmere Port on the Manchester Ship canal.

1953 The Gambia Wharf design at Bathurst 1953 – 65 The firm started its long association with Ford Motor Company, initially with Briggs Motor

Bodies projects at Dagenham leading on to the press shop extension, die store, new press shop and offices, road improvements, new assembly building, foundry extension, Body-in-White building, engine plant, KD building and Hi Bay to name a few. (This work was under the control of Richard Pavry and subsequently Jock Guthrie.)

1955 Unfortunately there was disagreement amongst the partners and the firm split into two on

25th October 1955. Posford, Pavry and Partners, and Maunsell and Partners were then established (PP&P on 1st October 1956). Each part took various projects, staff and clients with them. (Guy Maunsell subsequently died in 1958)

1955 – 62 National Coal Board Sea Boring Towers. These two mobile drilling towers were designed

to be movable from one position to another in the Firth of Forth and off the Durham coast to drill into the sea bed for coal in water depths up to 10 fathoms. The designs were innovative and based to a large extent on the Army Fort experience in the War. They were designed to withstand the sea and wind conditions encountered offshore. They successfully drilled many holes for the Coal Board. Some years later one was positioned by Trinity House off the Suffolk/Essex coast onto which was mounted the Inner Dowsing lighthouse.

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Other work for the NCB included the research laboratory and offices at Bretby, the

surface works for Rising Sun Colliery and the Lynemouth to Woodhorn coal railway. 1955 - 90 Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company appointed the firm to repair the docks after the

1952/3 floods and to develop the port. Gordon Parker, a local grain merchant, bought the derelict dock to export barley to Europe. This work continued until the late 1990s when new owners acquired the company. The work started in 1956 with the repair of the lead-in jetties to the tidal basin followed in 1958 by the construction of the East Quay in the basin. Subsequent work included: the Oil Jetty (with a timber trestle approach), Ro Ro facilities, Landguard Container Terminal (the first in UK), Dooley Terminal and the Trinity Container Terminal, in all some 2.75 kms of deep water quays, 5 Ro Ro berths together with much land infrastructure work. This work established the firm as a leading designer of container terminals and Ro Ro facilities. An office was established at Felixstowe from about 1965 to 1972.

1956 Cement and fertiliser factories in Shiraz, Iran. 1960 Ford Motor Co work continued with the firm’s appointment to develop a green field site

(actually two farms) at Halewood near Speke, Liverpool. This plant included: assembly building; press shop; transmission plant and body-in-white building to produce a complete car.

1961 The firm was appointed consulting engineer to the newly established Milford Haven

Conservancy Board. The brief was to oversee the many deep water oil berth developments in the haven, to engineer the deepening of this harbour (the largest rock dredging contract in Europe) and to design both onshore and offshore navigation marks.

1961 John Swansbourne and Peter Rowley were taken into the partnership. 1960- 85 The firm, in association with Preece, Cardew and Rider (a leading power station

consulting engineer), commenced civil design work for power stations for the Ministry of Power and Water, Kuwait. An office was established in Kuwait and a series of projects ensued including: Shuaiba North Power station, Doha East Power station, the MPW workshops and other work.

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1960 – 72 The Ministry of Transport appointed the firm to design a series of road bridges and at the

same time the firm designed bridges for British Rail. These included: two trunk road bridge widenings in Cornwall and Devon; the M3 Chertsey Bridge (123 m) over the Thames; St Neot’s Bridge over the River Ouse; three bridges on the Alconbury bypass; the A604 Huntingdon bridge over road and rail; and for BR the Huyton rail over M57 bridge (3,000 ton slide).

1962 – 65 In association with John Howard the firm undertook various projects in Ghana including:

Tema Power station and the Koforidua to Port Apimso Railway survey and alignment. 1964 -90 The office in Kuwait was established. 1965 -90 Ford Motor Company work continued with a new engine plant at Bridgend in Wales, a

green field site, the extension of the Daventry Parts Depot, projects at Leamington, Southampton, Langley and Swansea and the new engine plant, assembly building and body-in-white building in Valencia, Spain. Other Ford work included: the car assembly plant in Lisbon, Portugal, Bordeaux and an engine plant extension in Chihuahua, Mexico.

1966 Jock Guthrie was taken into the partnership. 1970 The firm opened an office in Australia (Sydney) in association with Sinclair and Knight.

This office undertook port work and road/bridge work in Australia as well as work in Malaysia. Major projects included the Newcastle Dry Dock and Campbelltown Bridge. The practise (Posford Pavry Sinclair Knight) was transferred to Sinclair and Knight in 1979.

1970-73 Alastair Stirling (1970), Zygmunt Szembek (1971) and John Chattaway (1973) were taken

into the partnership and Richard Pavry retired (1972). 1973 The firm moved its headquarters from Westminster to Peterborough but retained a

Westminster office in Petty France. 1973 - date The firm began a long association with OFAB, a joint venture in Guinea of aluminium

manufacturers, to maintain and develop the bauxite export facility at Kamsar. Projects included a new jetty, rail work, dredging and various repair works.

1973 - 76 With the architect Sir Frederick Gibberd, the firm designed the London Central Mosque

near Regent’s Park - a very prestigious project with high quality pre cast work and finishes.

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1974 – 2001 The firm was appointed to carry out a 20-year master plan study for the Sabah Ports

Authority in East Malaysia. After this the firm steadily implemented the plan undertaking: the Sapangar Bay Liquids Terminal, Tawau Port Extension, Kota Kinabalu Port Extension, port works at Labuan, Sipitang and Lahad Datu and the KK Ro Ro facility. An office was established in Kota Kinabalu in 1976 and remained open until 1999.

1975 – 82 In 1975 the firm was appointed to design the huge naval base at Mersa el Meresa in

Libya for the Military Works Department of the Libyan Government and in 1977 a further major naval base design at Sirte. Although some site work was carried out, these projects were not completed. Both projects were on undeveloped desert coastal sites which required extensive studies before design could commence. These harbours involved long breakwaters, much dredging, naval jetties and berths together with onshore facilities and services. Other work in Libya included facilities for Occidental Oil at their Zueitina Terminal, fishing port design and some structural engineering work. An office was established in Tripoli (partly shared with John Taylor and Partners), this closed in 1983. Fortunately the firm had taken out ECGD insurance cover against non payment of fees for the Sirte project. Col Gadaffi’s behaviour towards the West resulted in the need to invoke this insurance policy. These two projects provided a strong fee income as a result of which the firm was able to expand.

1975-85 The Property Services Agency appointed the firm to undertake extensive services

modernisations at the Tate Gallery, National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, Science Museum and Natural History Museum.

1976 - 90 A fifteen year association with the Port of Sheerness commenced during which the firm

assisted with the development of this port including: jetties, a forest products berth, two Ro Ro ferry berths, reclamation, shoreside infrastructure, dredging, liquids jetty and other works.

1977 The decision was taken to establish the firm in part as an unlimited company but to

continue the unlimited partnership in parallel. It was also decided to establish a specialist coastal engineering section under Ian Stickland. An expanding work load in Peterborough at this time, with a consequent increase in staff numbers, led to the firm renting additional office space in nearby Bretton Court.

1977 – 79 Undertook the repair and rebuilding of the London Northern Outfall Sewer and its three

bridges, a complicated and challenging project. 1978 Appointed to design and supervise the new pre-stressed concrete sleeper factory in

Baghdad. 1979 The firm was awarded the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement in acknowledgement

of the considerable overseas work won by the firm and the associated foreign exchange earnings.

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1979 – 90 Undertook various bridge designs including: Shaw Bridge (rail over M57 motorway) and Fosdyke Bridge on A17 with special energy absorbing feature to ameliorate ship collisions.

1978 – 79 Appointed for the new B & I passenger terminal and Ro Ro berth at Pembroke Dock,

Milford Haven for the UK - Ireland traffic. 1980 - 86 To support the work in SE Asia an office was established in Singapore. 1980 – 90 The firm was appointed by the Property Services Agency (PSA) to design the

refurbishment and redevelopment of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. The listed Georgian cast and wrought iron glass houses were refurbished and rebuilt in the same style and detail in close association with the Royal Fine Arts Commission. Projects included the Palm House (architect Turner, 1848), the Temperate House (architect Decimus Burton, 1860-78) and various other buildings. Other glasshouse projects followed including Syon House and Bicton House.

1980 – 95 During this period the firm undertook many commercial developments including the

Whitbread Centre, London and the Commissary at Alconbury USAF base. 1981 Appointed by British Gas to undertake the Morecambe Bay Design Prediction Study to

determine the environmental conditions in the bay in order to design the structures for sub sea gas extraction.

1982 – 87 Undertook the Whitstable Coast Protection Scheme for the City of Canterbury, involving

groynes and shingle replenishment. 1982 A British Consultants Bureau delegation, led by its president HRH The Duke of

Gloucester, visited the Peterborough offices on 23 July.

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1983 The firm of W H Radford of Nottingham joined Posford, Pavry and Partners bringing

much municipal experience, a particular skill in sewerage treatment plants and a small staff. The office in Nottingham was maintained until 1987.

1984 The design of Trinity Container Terminal for the Port of Felixstowe marks the first use of

CAD by the firm on a complete project. 1984 – 87 The design and supervision of a power station in the Yemen and for a short time an office

in Lyon, France. 1985 John Posford retired as Senior (and a founding) Partner of the firm at the age of 70.

Alastair Stirling became Senior Partner. 1985 Appointed to undertake for Anglian Water the Great Yarmouth Flood Defences involving

river wall raising, quay and bank raising through the town. 1985 – 88 The limited partnership was maintained but new work was undertaken by the company

unless there was a clear advantage in it being done in the partnership. In this period senior staff were given the opportunity to acquire shares in the company. By 1994 there were 48 shareholders. The partnership was finally closed in 1993.

1985 Refurbishment of the fifth floor Sports department and the conversion of basement

storage areas to the Egyptian Room sales areas at Harrod’s in Knightsbridge. 1986 Established an office in Caernarfon. 1986 Design of deep water cargo wharf at Arun on Sumatra, Indonesia. 1986 On the 8th November a reunion of those members of the firm who had worked in Abbey

House took place in the Goring Hotel, Victoria, SW1. Many retired staff attended this successful event.

1987-95 The Coastal Section was appointed by the NRA Unit of Anglian Water to study the Upper

Colne Estuary Tidal Flood Defences. After a public inquiry this resulted in the design and supervision of the Colne Tidal Barrier. The project was difficult in that it was necessary to maintain the river for shipping throughout the construction and because the barrier had to achieve a low profile so as to avoid visual intrusion in this sensitive location. This was one of the new generation of major flood protection works in England.

1987 The name of the firm changed on 1st June to Posford Duvivier when the merger with

Lewis and Duvivier, a well respected coastal engineering consulting practise, occurred. This merger increased the firm’s coastal engineering expertise to support the already strong port and harbour engineering reputation. This merger brought offices in Hong

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Kong, Haywards Heath and Dean’s Yard, Westminster. Lewis and Duvivier had been consulting engineers to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution since their establishment in 1887 (as W T Douglass). The firm continues working for the RNLI to this day. The Petty France office was merged into Dean’s Yard the following year.

1987-97 Shortly after the merger, Posford Duvivier opened an office in Cardiff to develop and

support work in South Wales. 1987 The firm won the National Rivers Authority Anglian Region term consultancy. This

resulted in an increase in coastal and rivers work and the Peterborough staff grew from 6 to 18 staff in 6 months.

1988-90 Designed and supervised the new alternator plant in Wales for Bosch Gmbh. 1988 – 91 Appointed for the new green field container port at Thamesport on the Isle of Grain. This

facility was the first automated container terminal in UK. Various projects followed the first appointment to extend this terminal.

1988 – 93 A number of projects were undertaken at Parkeston Quay including a Ro Ro berth and an

oil terminal. 1989 The firm established an office at Leith, Edinburgh and commenced a joint venture with

Forth Ports Authority. In 1995 the office became wholly owned by PD. The office undertakes a wide variety of marine work and has specialised in high mast engineering.

1989 Posford House, built next to Rightwell House in Peterborough, was officially opened on

27 October by HRH The Duke of Gloucester GCVO. Staff from Bretton Court were relocated to Posford House.

1989 Towards the end of the year Posford Duvivier Environment (PDE) was established. It was

set up by employing environmental scientists in contrast to other consultants who redeployed water and hydraulic engineers into environmental departments. Initially work was associated with sea and flood defences and then commenced port and harbour work. PDE became a leader in the land-sea interface.

1989-91 The refurbishment and modernisation of the auction rooms and storage areas for

Christies Ltd, the auction house. 1989 to date The firm commenced a series of port projects in Ireland including: deep water jetty

extension at Ringaskiddy, Dun Laoghaire ferry terminal (a Ro Ro facility), Ringaskiddy ferry terminal, upgrading of the Dublin ferryport terminal, HSS linkspans at Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire, second extension to deepwater berth at Ringaskiddy, Cairnryan port development, Rosslare harbour development and many other projects.

1989 to date The role of Lewis and Duvivier as Dredging Advisor to Crown Estate Commissioners

which had begun in 1960 was expanded to that of Offshore Managing Agent by Marine Estates Offshore in 1989. This led to the use of GIS in results analysis of the Electronic Monitoring System developed by Posford Duvivier in the early 1990’s and fitted to all

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vessels dredging Crown Estate licences. That system is still in use today. Since 1994, Posford Duvivier have been successful in obtaining extensions to their 3 yearly term contracts for both Technical and Commercial commissions, the most recent being in 2001.

1990 – 95 The complete remodelling, extension and modernisation of The Bank of England Printing

Works at Loughton, Essex. The structure was an industrial listed building with an early copper covered concrete shell roof, presenting unusual design problems. The entire project involved an extremely high level of security precautions.

1990-96 Refurbishment and new works at various RAF stations for the Property Services Agency

at Alconbury, Mildenhall, Lakenheath, Brampton, Upwood and others. 1990 - 97 The firm commenced the Mablethorpe to Skegness Sea Defences for the Environment

Agency, a coast protection project which was the largest beach nourishment job in UK. 1991 PDE appointed to undertake one of the first Estuary Management Studies covering the

waters of Plymouth and the Tamar Basin. 1991 –93 Appointed by Hong Kong Govt to carry out the Lantau Peninsular and the Western

Harbour Study. These studies provided sufficient container terminals for 20 years and the development of the Western Harbour to cater for the forecasted marine traffic over the next 20 years. The study proposed new navigation channels, a major new breakwater to provide additional land and protected anchorages and a new VTMS together with other recommendations.

1991 to date The design of many port works, principally container facilities, in West Malaysia

commenced including: Malta Freeport, Johor Port Phase IV, Westport Klang, and Tanjong Pelepas Phases I and II.

1991 – 98 Appointed by London Underground Ltd to undertake the civil design for Canary Wharf

underground station on the Jubilee Line with the architect Sir Norman Foster. This station is the largest on the new line.

1992 TF Burns and Partners (established by Thomas Frederick Burns in 1947) merged with

Posford Duvivier. TFB specialised in drydocks, dock and lock gates and ship repair facilities world-wide and this work continued as the Posford Burns Division of PD. This merger further strengthened the firm’s maritime engineering skills and brought offices in Newcastle and Hove. At this time TF Burns were undertaking the development of Tuas

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Shipyard for Keppel Engineering, a major project including two dry docks, fitting out berths and landside infrastructure. Work continued until 1998.

1992 – 93 Appointed by Hong Kong Govt to undertake the Tseung Kwan O Area 137 Feasibility

Study, reviewing and evaluating hazardous materials handling, potential land and port area demand, port requirements, cargo handling operations and marine and land use operational risks.

1992 –93 Design of Pulau Laut and Balikpapan Coal Terminals on Kalimantan, Indonesia followed

by channel deepening and berth extension projects for Balikpapan. 1992 -95 The firm was appointed to design the civil works for a waste to power project in south

east London – SELCHP. 1992 –93 PDE undertakes the Managed Retreat Research Project for DoE, NRA, NCC, and the

Countryside Commission which led to an innovative conference at London Zoo. 1992 The partnership was closed on April 30th. 1993 to date PDE appointed to carry out Harwich Approach Channel Deepening Environmental

Assessment for Harwich Harbour Authority together with the development of a monitoring strategy.

1993 - 99 The Haywards Heath office won the Eastbourne Coast Protection Scheme, a major south

coast protection job. This was followed by a number of significant coast protection projects for maritime district councils.

1993 to date Appointed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to undertake the

rehabilitation of the Port of Varna in Bulgaria, this was followed by the rehabilitation of the port of Aktau, Kazakhstan in 1997 and of Turkmenbashi port Turkmenistan in 1999.

1994 – 99 In 1994 a tragic collapse of a passenger access bridge on a Ro Ro facility occurred at

Ramsgate. The firm was called in immediately to investigate and to undertake repairs and other developments. The firm had become a specialist in Ro Ro berths, projects completed included Hull Ro Ro, the Tyne Car Terminal (3 Ro Ro berths). In the Ro Ro field the firm pioneered use of long stroke hydraulic cylinders as an alternative to winches which had been the norm. Following on this, the firm together with Rexroth designed a device to brake/catch a 500 tonne load in microseconds/within 300mm should a hydraulic cylinder fail/break on a linkspan.

1994 – 97 Work at Felixstowe continued with the appointment to design and supervise the Trinity III

Container Terminal. 1994 – 97 PDE undertook a number of Environmental Impact Studies for major port developments

including Port of Varna in Bulgaria, Teesport Ro Ro and Bulk Facility, Gwadar Deep Water Port, Pakistan and for the Port and Industrial Area of Hidd, Bahrain. In 1996 PDE was appointed to prepare the guidance document on the Disposal of Waterway Dredgings to land for CIRIA.

1994 – 2005 Appointed by the Bahrain Government to undertake the design and supervision of a new

industrial and container port at Hidd. 1994 Ford work continued with the engine testing facilities at Dunton. 1995 After more than a year of discussion and negotiation Posford Duvivier was acquired by

Royal Haskoning, a Dutch based international consulting engineer. The firm continued to trade as Posford Duvivier in the UK.

1995 Established an office in Cork, Ireland in association with Malachy Walsh and Partners to

undertake coastal work – at one time this office was undertaking 40% of the Republic’s coastal work.

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1995 The firm won the southwest term consultancy contract for the Environment Agency and opened the Exeter office for this work.

1995 – 96 PDE appointed as part of a team to undertake the EC Black Sea Regional Environmental

Programme and Coastal Zone Management Project for PHARE and TACIS. 1995 – 97 Appointed by Hong Kong Govt to carry out the MARAD Study into marine use of all the

HK navigable waters including marine traffic risk assessment. A difficult project taking into account the amount of vessels of all sizes using these waters.

1996 – 98 The design and supervision of the Aden Container Terminal and design of Paiton coal

export jetty, Java, Indonesia. 1997 Richard (Dick) Holland became Managing Director. 1997 – 99 The firm undertook the preparation for CIRIA of a guide for the design and procurement

of linkspans and walkways for Ro Ro terminals. The design of an industrial port at Taweelah in Abu Dhabi in association with Bechtel.

1997 - 2000 Appointed by the Rover Group to design a new press shop at Solihull, a car assembly

building at Longbridge and an engine test facility at Gaydon. 1997 - 2001 Undertook the dry dock, ancillary buildings and dredging for the Al Zora Shipyard, Ajman

in the UAE. 1997 - 2002 On behalf of the Peterborough Environment City Trust the firm undertook various studies,

investigations and designs of bridges, cycle tracks, access roads, landscaping schemes and the like of various aspects of the Peterborough Millennium Green Wheel. These duties also included tender preparation, contract administration and site supervision.

1998 PDE undertook an environmental appraisal of potential foreshore sites for coastal

defence and habitat creation to prepare the Foreshore Recharge Strategy 1998-2002 for the Eastern Region of the Environment Agency.

1999 Established an office in Abu Dhabi. 1999 – 2000 Appointed by Hong Kong Govt to undertake the South East Kowloon Development Study

into the redevelopment of the whole Kai Tak airport site in a team with Ove Arup. 1998 – 2001 The design and supervision of Jeddah Northern Container Terminal in Saudi Arabia. 2000 – 2002 PDE appointed to lead a consortium to produce seven Coastal Habitat Management

Plans (ChaMPs) for coastal areas in England where significant habitat change is expected. This appointment was the first ChaMP in UK by the EC, LIFE funded.

2000 Posford Rail Limited (51% owned by Posford Duvivier) was set up to acquire work in the

expanding UK rail market. 2001 Three new offices were opened – one in Elgin, Scotland in a partnering agreement with

Moray Regional Council for all their fluvial and flood defence work; one in Dublin to support the maritime projects there and one in Bahrain to undertake environmental projects. Also the office building in Haywards Heath was purchased and refurbished. The Hove office was closed and the staff moved into the Haywards Heath office.

2001 – date The Foreign and Commonwealth Office appointed PDE to study the physical, economic,

social and environmental feasibility of establishing permanent resettlement on Salomon and Peros Banhos atolls in the Chagos archipelago. These were evacuated in 1972 to establish the Diego Garcia defence facility in the Indian Ocean. The third stage, to study resource availability – water, fisheries and environmental impact – commenced in 2002.

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2001 The entire Royal Haskoning Group (across Holland, Belgium, France and UK) was reorganised into eight technical divisions on 1st April. The UK firm changed its name to Posford Haskoning on 1st September as part of the public launch of Royal Haskoning.

2002 Royal Haskoning Event held in Rotterdam on 19th January. Posford Rail Limited closed its

business to new work on 31st March. Abu Dhabi office closed and Caernarfon office sold to staff at end of July, subsequently trading as Posford Datrys. Rochdale office established.

2005 Posford Haskoning Ltd became Haskoning UK Ltd on 1 January.

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Appendix A: Partners – Directors Partner 1944-55 Guy A Maunsell (firm split in 1955, died 1958) Partners and Directors 1944-85 John Albert Posford (Senior Partner 1955-1985, died 8.6.1996) 1949-72 Richard Pavry (died 22.5.1980) 1961-85 John Francis Causton Swansbourne 1961-85 Peter Weston Rowley 1961-73 Douglas Lax appointed Consultant (previously Chief Engineer)(died 12.6.1978) 1966-86 Jock Lawson Guthrie (died 13.11.1991) 1970-97 Alastair H C Stirling (Senior Partner 1985-1993 and MD 1985-1997) 1971-89 Zygmunt Jan Szembek 1973-86 John Chattaway (died 1.10.1994) 1978-79 John Acton 1978-88 Geoffrey Bernard Riley (died 27.09.2002) 1978-95 Charles Egerton Ortner (retired 1996) 1978-95 John Edward Barker 1978-2002 Richard William Holland (MD 1997-2002) 1983-88 Brian T Oliver (from WH Radford & Sons) 1983-95 Terence D Hare (retired 1998) 1988-93 H Royce Taylor 1986-91 Ian W Stickland (died 17.10.1996) 1986-95 Ronald West (retired 1998, died 25.07.2004) 1986-2001 J Michael Siddall 1990-95 John F French (retired 1997) Posford Duvivier Directors (in addition to those above) From Lewis and Duvivier 1987-89 Michael G Barratt MBE 1987-89 Andy R Allan (died 1999) 1987-95 Brian E Waters (retired 2000) 1987-95 Roger M Dembrey (retired 2002) 1988-92 Trevor R Giddings From T F Burns and Partners 1992-95 G Peter Meanley (retired 1997) 1992-95 David S Byrom (retired 2000) Posford Duvivier (Posford Haskoning from Sept. 2001) Directors 1995-1997 J (Hans) F de Haan, AHC Stirling, Ronald Moor, RW Holland, Joop T Ruijgrok, JM Siddall 1997-2002 JF de Haan (retired 2000), Jan Tolenaar (from 2000), RW Holland, A (Ton) Burgers

(resigned 2001), JT Ruijgrok, JM Siddall (retired 2001), Leo Visser (from 2001), AHC Stirling (non executive).

2002 The board of Posford Haskoning Ltd was disbanded on 1st February and was replaced by the board of its parent company Haskoning UK Holdings Ltd.

Haskoning UK Holdings Ltd 2002 Jan Bout, Leo Visser, Alastair Stirling, Dick Thomas, Henry Rowe.

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Appendix B: A Brief History of Lewis and Duvivier 1887 The firm was founded by Mr W T Douglass who was the son of the eminent Victorian

lighthouse engineer, Sir James Douglass. Mr Douglass was appointed Engineer and Architect to the RNLI in 1887 when he took over from the RNLI’s Honorary Architect Charles H Cooke.

1892/3 WTD established offices at 17 and then 15 Victoria Street. 1900 Douglass and Arnott at 15 Victoria Street. 1904 PC Douglass, WTD’s son joined as a pupil. 1910 AW Lewis joined as Chief Assistant 1914 Douglass, Lewis and Douglass established (A partnership agreement was drawn up in

1913 between WTD, his son PC Douglass and AW Lewis, and it became effective Jan 1914). In fact WTD died in a boating accident off Start Point in Aug 1913.

1914/5 Percy Douglass joined Royal Flying Corps and was shot down and killed over Crete in1917. AW Lewis continued as sole partner.

1918 The firm became Lewis and Lewis when SC Lewis joined his father 1932 Jack Duvivier joined as Senior Assistant 1935 Jack Duvivier became a partner. 1942 SC Lewis retired. The firm became Lewis and Duvivier. (SCL died in 1943.) 1943 AW Lewis died and Jack Duvivier continued as sole partner. (JD died in 1984). 1950 FL Terrett joined the firm. 1951 JA Lewis became a partner and the firm moved to 122 Victoria Street. 1959 Moved to 14 Howick Place, Victoria. FL Terrett became a partner 1970 Office moved to 4 Dean’s Yard, Westminster. 1974/5 J Duvivier retired and JA Lewis became Senior Partner. 1978 Additional office opened in Haywards Heath 1980 FL Terrett became Senior Partner. 1987 In their centenary year Lewis & Duvivier joined Posford, Pavry and Partners to form

Posford Duvivier. Other partners include: 1950 FL Harwood, 1956 GW Rooke and KC Wilson, 1962 HG Trimble, 1966 MG Barrett MBE, 1970 ML Wolfe-Barry, 1976 AR Allan, ?1982 JDC Osorio, 1983 BE Waters and PD Ransom, 1986 RM Dembrey. The firm specialised in marine projects and coast protection engineering and has acted for the RNLI continuously since 1887. Some typical projects are set out below: 1936 – 74 Grading and drainage of clay cliffs and new sea defences at Herne Bay 1946 – 66 Protection of Aldeburgh town frontage by low level barrier, high level flood wall and

groynes. 1947 – 75 Construction of sea walls and concrete groynes, beach nourishment and jetty repairs at

Aberystwyth. 1949 – 76 Repair of Cromer town sea defences including underpinning, new walls and groynes and

cliff stabilisation. 1950 – 75 Stabilisation of Selsey Bill to protect an eroding and largely unprotected residential and

agricultural frontage. 1952 – 75 Cliff drainage and grading, reconstruction and extension of sea defences at Frinton and

Walton. 1954 – 60 Reconstruction of two sea wall breaches and reconstruction of sea

defences at Fleetwood. 1954 – 74 New flood walls and reinforcement of wall and groynes and a rubble

causeway to close channel at Barmouth. 1958 – 72 Reconstruction of sea walls and cliff stabilisation at Tenby.

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1960 – 75 River Ravensbourne Flood Prevention Scheme in SE London. 1960 – 87 Dredging Advisor to Crown Estate Commissioners. 1961 – 75 New Fish Quay, Endeavour Wharf, Dock End quays, New Quay viaduct and repair of

entrance piers at Whitby. 1965 – 75 Sea defences including wall reconstruction at Lyme Regis. 1967 – 70 Pumping station and towed steel pipe outfall sewer at Eastbourne. 1969 – 73 Underground pumping station and 8 sq m undersea tunnel for sea water intake to Boulby

potash mine. 1970 – 76 Investigations, design and construction supervision of the new commercial marina for the

Brighton Marina Co. 1971 - 76 Portobello pumping station and 2m diameter undersea tunnel terminating 2km offshore at

discharge ports on sea bed at Peacehaven. 1972 – 80 Seawall replacement and refurbishment at Sandown (IoW). 1975 – 77 Reinforcing and underpinning of old Barrier Wall, Hendon seafront for

Port of Sunderland.

1976 – 83 Coast protection, harbour breakwaters and harbour walls at Sidmouth and Axmouth for East Devon Council.

1976 – 86 Coast protection at Bexhill for Rother DC. 1979 – 82 Long sea outfall and pumping station at Bridlington. 1983 – 87 Redevelopment of Pwllheli Harbour to create a major leisure facility for yachts and

boating. 1984 – 86 Sea outfalls at Beirut, 2km long and 1.8m and 2.0m diameter.

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Appendix C: Brief History of TF Burns and Partners. 1946 Mr TF Burns commenced in practise at 201 Victoria Street with two assistants doing

designs for a structural steelwork firm. He was appointed with Richard Sheppard architect to design new offices for Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson, the well known Tyneside shipbuilders. TFB undertook other structural designs in the south of England. Swan Hunter appointed TFB to further work in their shipyards.

1947 TFB joined with Mr EA Parsons to establish an office in Ellison Place, Newcastle. 1949 TF Burns and Partners established, with offices in Warwick House, Grantham Road,

Newcastle, 201 Victoria Street, Westminster and 41/43 Portland Road, Hove, Sussex. 1949 A new dry dock (709ft x 95ft) for Smiths Dock Co Ltd – No 8 Drydock. 1950- A new dry dock (715ftx 110ft) for Swan Hunter - No 4 Drydock.

A new dry dock (850ft x 145ft) for Vickers Armstrong - No 2 Drydock. A new dry dock (785ft x 133ft) for Centromor Polish Shipyards in Gdynia The Firth of Clyde Drydock at Greenock with Babtie Shaw and Morton.

1958-1973 Shipyard reconstruction for Swan Hunter at their Neptune and Wallsend yards. Following

the acquisition of the Palmers yard, large scale development and conversion was carried out at Hebburn. On the Tees, the Haverton Hill yard was reconstructed to build large bulk carriers and extensive works undertaken on the south bank.

1964-1977 Projects for Stavros Niarchos’, Hellenic Shipyard, Scaramanga, Greece including repair

and building dock for 200,000dwt vessels, a drydock (420m x 75m) for vessels up to 500,000dwt.

1970-1985 The design and supervision of the new Tuas shipyard in Singapore for Keppel Shipyard

Ltd. This included two drydocks for 150,000 and 300,000dwt tankers respectively with repair quays, workshops, offices and yard infrastructure. Also the reconstruction work at the Sembawang Yard and this led to the design and supervision of a new 100,000dwt dry dock and ancillary works for the Colombo Dockyard Co Ltd in Sri Lanka.

1980s Association with A & P Appledore Ltd led to other major works overseas in Greece,

Venezuela, South Korea, Mexico, Egypt and Canada. Substantial design work was carried out for Daewoo Engineering Ltd at the Okpo yard.

1980 The design of three propped flat dock gates (100, 80 and 66m long) for the Dubai Dry

Dock Co, UAE. 1985 The refurbishment of the former Naval Dockyard in Gibraltar for the Gibraltar Shiprepair

Co Ltd.

Other innovative gate designs were undertaken including: at Okpo a 131m wide easily handled floating caisson gate, a modular construction cantilever flap gate, 75m wide for Scaramanga No 2 building dock, Greece, an unusual ‘L’ shaped intermediate gate at Veracruz, Mexico. A number of box gates were designed for Grangemouth, Singapore and Colombo and floating and sliding caisson gates for special tidal conditions at Cammell Laird, Yarrow and Vosper Thorneycroft in UK and Mexico. Other marine works included, deep water berths, harbour installations, a Ro Ro ferry terminal at Swansea and a two berth oil terminal for 60,00dwt and LPG tankers in Greece.

1992-1999 Tuas III, the third phase of this expansion including a further drydock (350m x 66m),

550m of repair and fit out quays, and ancillary facilities. 1992 onwards we need info ?Jurong etc to go in PD history

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Partners: 1947-66 TF Burns (died 1972) 1948-58 EA Parsons 1957-80 AS Storrar 1968-84 WD Coapes 1957-92 GP Martin 1965-92 IM Varley 1976-92 KD Irvine (retired 1996) 1976-95 GP Meanley* (retired 1997) 1982-95 DS Byrom* (retired 2000) 1987-92 DR Greenhalgh 1988-92 Geoffrey H Austen (retired 2001) 1988-92 Adrian W Hoyle 1988-92 Tim Fay * Directors of Posford Duvivier from 1992-1995.

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1992

2001

W.T.Douglass

1887

Douglass Lewis &

Douglass 1914

Lewis & Lewis 1918

Lewis & Duvivier

1942 T.F.Burns & Partners

1947

G.A.Maunsell & Partners

1944

Maunsell Posford &

Pavry 1949

Maunsell & Partner

1956

Posford Pavry & Partners

1956

W.H.Radford & Son 1983

Haskoning

1881

Posford Duvivier

1987

Posford Duvivier

acquired by Royal

Haskoning 1994

Royal Haskoning

1981

De Weger IWACO

GEM Ketel

Svasek Zandvoort ENVICO Bioclear

1955