Page 28 - The Constructor 2017

The Company

Peter Tomsett
Peter was born in 1940 and passed away, aged 76, on 14
November 2016 after a very courageous and dignified battle
against cancer. He leaves behind his wife, Jenny, daughter Claire,
sons Paul and William and grandchildren Lucas and Florence.
Jenny writes: “During his life, he worked hard and played hard. He
was a partner in a very successful civil engineering company and
retired at the age of 59.
He was a keen and competitive sportsman, having skied, played
football, squash, tennis, hockey and latterly, golf. He was always
keen to put something back into the sports he played and would
work hard on committees. He was Chairman then President of our
hockey club and Seniors’ Captain at the golf club.
He had a real zest for life, had many endearing qualities and he touched many lives in so many ways.
To some he will be remembered not only as a very close friend but also as a bit of a prankster. Many
of them would be at the receiving end of one of his practical jokes! He was also known for being a
great listener and many a time he would be there for friends who needed a special friend to talk to.
It was a great testament to him that some 270 people attended the service to celebrate his life.
His greatest love was that for his family and regularly the whole family would holiday together in
Portugal. He was never happier than when we were all together, and he will be sadly missed by all
those who were lucky to have been part of his life.”
Gerard McPeake

Gerard’s widow, Anna, writes: “Gerard was married to his first wife,
Mary for 33 years, having 6 children, (5 boys and 1 girl), 14
grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. Then, after Mary died,
Gerard and I were married and we too had 33 years of a very special
married life.
Gerard enlisted in the Royal Air Force in 1943, when he was 18, and
was assigned to Bomber Command, which, after demobilisation,
afforded him the beginning of a great career. In 1951, he gained a
BSc in civil engineering and as time went on he held a series of project
management roles in projects such as hydro-electric tunnels. Lairg
Dam and power stations, laboratory plants, open cast coal extraction,
high-rise housing, hospitals and many other large-scale engineering projects.
From 1964 he moved into Director position – he was Managing Director with FRAM, which became
Fairclough and then Amec. His last great joy before he retired at 65 was with the Amec - PSA new
airport on Ascension Island.
Professionally, he was a past Chairman of the Scottish Branch and a member of the national council
of the CIOB, of which he became a Fellow in January 1968. Alongside this Gerard also managed such
leisure activities as sailing (he raced yachts), Cathedral Architecture, spectating at rugby football,
curling and, in later years, extensive holiday travels. He was also an avid reader.

28 | Autumn 2017 | The Journal of the Worshipful Company of Constructors