Keywords
Citation
Walker, J. (2005), "William MacLeod Ross: an Obituary", Circuit World, Vol. 31 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/cw.2005.21731aaf.003
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
William MacLeod Ross: an Obituary
William MacLeod Ross: an Obituary
Keywords: ICT, Printed circuit boards, Printed circuits
It is with great regret that I have to record the death of Bill Ross, a Founder Member and a Fellow of the Institute of Circuit Technology, on 10 May of this year after a protracted illness.
Bill was born in Aberdeen in January 1930. He was educated at the Academy there and came down to London in 1948 to attend London University to further his education from which he graduated gaining a BSc (Hons) Degree.
His first job was to take charge of the Pasteurisation Laboratory of United Dairies Ltd. In 1953, he went on to the Fairey Aviation Company to become Works Metallurgist rising eventually to be their Chief Chemist.
In 1963, Bill moved to the Vatric Control Equipment Company to continue his career. Later he joined the Plessey Company in Ilford initially as their Chief Chemist progressing to be QA Executive responsible for all the various divisions within the Plessey Group.
In the mid-1960s, he became a member of several British Standards Institute Committees involved in the Electronics Industry including that of Printed Circuitry, representing the Plessey Company, and did much valuable work setting up BS 9000 quality systems.
About this time Bill edited a book entitled “Modern Circuit Technology” published by Electrochemical Publications and he subsequently wrote many papers on the subject for the technical press.
Besides being a Fellow of the ICT he was also a Fellow of the Institute of Quality Assurance and of the Institute of Metal Finishing.
The year 1978 marked Bill's direct involvement in the Printed Circuit Industry when he formed Precision Circuits (Anglia) Ltd which later became Rocirc Ltd at Bishops Stortford.
In the 1990s Bill edited a two volume work on Printed Circuits entitled “A Comprehensive Guide to the Design & Manufacture of Printed Board Assemblies” which has now become the internationally recognised definitive work on the subject.
Bill leaves his wife, Shirley, to whom we express our sincere condolences.
John Walker