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Re: GRAHAM MEWETT (GRADE 7 - HEADQUARTERS)

Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:56 am
by Allan
Yes..Graham really was one of those "good bosses" back in the halcyon directorate days of 70s and 80s;when management was built on common sense;real ability and common decency...a true benchmark for that which was to come...Rest in peace Graham.....Allan

GRAHAM MEWETT (GRADE 7 - HEADQUARTERS)

Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 6:07 pm
by Steven Cole
Posted on Behalf of: Bob Barron

I heard from Brian Albon today, the very sad news that Graham Mewett passed away in October. Graham was the Grade 7, Head of Frequency and Site Planning Group in Horseferry House when I started work there as a CWT in 1982. I worked initially for Brian within the site planning section but it was Graham who persuaded me around 1984 to transfer to the frequency planning side of the group and hence set the course of the remainder of my career.

As well as a kind and generous individual Graham was a very well regarded engineer within DTELS and throughout Whitehall - highly competent technically and very politically aware. I believe his own background before joining DTELS was in spectrum management within the Directorate of Radio Technology and its various predecessor departments including the Post Office. Graham played a large part in the international negotiations necessary for the transfer of UK emergency services to new frequency bands following the World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC) 1979 where he was part of the official UK delegation. He therefore laid the foundations for the subsequent Home Office frequency change programme.

Attached is a photo of Graham, taken at an FSPG Christmas party (I guess around 1982/83) - in the Old Rose Pub I believe just off Horseferry Road where we went every year. Graham took the planning of these "dos" very seriously (much as he did the frequency planning!) but they were always great fun - this was a wonderful period in HQ history and full of fond memories. Graham was succeeded by Derek Pooley who was also a good boss and kept the happy traditions going.

I know Graham was not in good health even in those days and he may well have retired early (I think he might have left around 85/86 but can't be certain). I don't have any further details of his passing but I know that following his retirement in the mid 1980s he lived in Cambridgeshire.

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