William Sydney Atkins
Sir William Sydney Albert Atkins CBE (6 February 1902 – 15 August 1989) was the founder of Atkins, a large British engineering consultancy.
Life
Born in London and educated at the Coopers Company School and University College, London, William Atkins trained as draughtsman at E. Graham Wood, a firm of structural engineers.[1][2]
Atkins worked for various firms, including Dorman Long, in junior roles before being appointed Chief Engineer at Smith Walker in 1928.[1] He then acquired London Ferro-Concrete, a subsidiary of Smith Walker making reinforced concrete, from his employers.[1][2]
In 1938 he established WS Atkins as an engineering consultancy, severing his connections with London Ferro-concrete in 1950 when it was bought by a new management team.[1] He established his reputation as an engineering consultant by designing a new steelworks at Port Talbot and on the back of this built his firm into a large consultancy.[1][3]
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1966 New Year Honours[4] and was knighted in 1976.[5]
He became an Honorary Freeman of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey.[1]
He died in Woking in 1989.[1][6]
Family
In 1928 he married Elsie Jessie Barrow and they had two daughters.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Sir William Atkins at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- ^ a b "William Sydney Albert Atkins". Graces Guide. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
- ^ "Celebrating 75 years: Our founder, Sir William Atkins". Aktins. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- ^ "No. 43854". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1966. p. 10.
- ^ "No. 46980". The London Gazette. 3 August 1976. p. 10611.
- ^ William Sydney Atkins. Vol. 6. Metals and Materials: The Journal of the Institute of Metals. 1990. p. 461.
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