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Memorial Tributes Volume 15 (2011) / Chapter Skim
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John Hill 19921-2008
Pages 190-197

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From page 191...
... He became chairman of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) at the age of 46 and of its industrial offshoots British Nuclear fuels plc and amersham international ltd., a radio isotope pharmaceutical company, a few years later.
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From page 192...
... The cutback in defense requirements in the United Kingdom for both enriched uranium and plutonium in the early 1960s created difficulties for the Production Group. Highly enriched uranium production in the diffusion plant at capenhurst and short-term irradiation of fuel in the calder Hall and chapel cross reactors for production of plutonium were curtailed.
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From page 193...
... anthony Wedgwood Benn, who in Harold Wilson's cabinet was secretary of state for technology, had been politically enthusiastically pronuclear, but later as secretary of state for energy was responsible for both the UKAEA and BNFL and became positively antinuclear. This was probably an act of political opportunism aimed at wooing the green antinuclear left wing of the labour Party.
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From page 194...
... BNfl, which had grown from its initial capitalization of £33 million to a company worth several billion, became a nonentity. When in 1967 sir John, at the age of 46, a top-level physicist, and an acute businessman, was appointed to follow lord Penny, father of the British atomic bombs, as chairman of the UKAEA, it represented recognition that the role of the authority had changed from being essentially a defense organization to being at the forefront of establishing commercial nuclear electricity production in the United Kingdom.
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From page 195...
... Sir John retired as chairman of UKAEA in 1981 and subsequently, in semiretirement was chairman of rea Brothers group and aurora Holdings. sir John received many accolades recognizing his achievements and remarkable career: Knight Bachelor; Chevalier La Legion d'Honneur; fellow, royal society; fellow, royal society of arts; fellow, royal academy of engineering; fellow, institute of Physics; fellow, institute of energy; fellow, institute of chemical engineers; fellow, institute of electrical engineers; Melchett Medal, institute of energy; sylvanus Thomson Medal, institute of radiology; president, British Nuclear forum; honorary member, american Nuclear society; honorary doctor, Bradford University; and foreign associate, National academy of engineering.
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From page 196...
... it is a great pity that he had to witness the demolition of this industry by the government during a period when it became increasingly clear that the future supply of secure and affordable electricity will depend on it. sir John was a remarkably sociable, kind, and extremely competent scientist and businessman who reached the top posts in his profession.
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Key Terms

  • british nuclear
  • john retired
  • chapel cross
  • nuclear fuels
  • calder hall

  • royal society
  • water reactor
  • wedgwood benn
  • enriched uranium
  • international ltd

  • amersham international
  • major contribution
  • london university
  • public hostility
  • managing director

  • civil service
  • business expansion
  • financial independence
  • spent fuel
  • company faced

  • accolades recognizing
  • hostility stemming
  • defense organization
  • kingdom atomic
  • program faltered

  • main board
  • culture throughout
  • electricity production
  • divided opinions
  • melchett medal


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