Henry William Boutall

Curriculum Vitae

Professional Bodies *Education * Employment * Professional Papers * Career Summary

Qualifications

C.Engineer (Chartered Engineer)

MIEE (Member, Institute of Electrical Engineers)

Fellow, Royal Television Society (A limited number of Fellowships are awarded to RTS members each year for an outstanding contribution to the industry and recipients include Kate Adie, Sir John Birt, Lord Melvyn Bragg, Gerg Dyke, Sir David Frost,Lord Puttnam)

MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire)

GCE "O" Level German 1969

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Level 1, Institute of Linguists 1982

Membership of Professional Bodies

Member,Treasurer and Secretary - Southern Centre Committee, Royal Television Society

Member of Council, Royal Television Society

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Member of the Solent Area Centre Committee, Institute of Electrical Engineers

Education

Elementary & Junior Schools 1931-1940

Wimbledon Junior Technical College 1940-1942- awarded First Class Diploma with 8 distinctions

Borough Polytechnic, London 1945-1946 - awarded Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Radio Engineering with credits in 2 Electrical subjects and endorsement in Mathematics with distinction

BIET Correspondence Courses 1943-1947

City & Guilds Radio Communication - Grade I, First Class

City & Guilds Radio Communication - Grade II, First Class

City & Guilds Technical Electricity - Grade I, First Class

City & Guilds Technical Electricity - Grade II, First Class

Part A of IEE Examination for admission to class of Associate Membership

Evening Classes, 1947-1950

Advanced Mathematics - Regent Street Polytechnic

Communication Networks - SE London Polytechnic

Acoustics - Northampton Polytechnic, London

Open University

Industrial Relations (1970)

BA Hons 1991

Occupational Training

Technical Assistant Training Course - BBC Training School 1944

Colour Television - BBC Training School 1945

IEE PAL Television Course - Nottingham University 1967

Colour Television - Marconi College 1967

Industrial Relations - Henley 1970s

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Annual Symposium on Television and Film, FKTG (German Television Society)

Employment

Laboratory Assistant, Wimbledon Technical College 1942-43

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) 1943-1984

Youth in Training, Tatsfield Receiving Station 1943-45

Technical Assistant Grade II, Lines Department 1945-48

Technical Assistant Grade I, Designs Department 1948-51

Engineer Grade II, Planning & Installation Department 1951-53

Senior Engineer, Grade B1, Planning & Installation Department 1953-55

Independent Television Authority (ITA, later IBA) 1955-1991

Senior Engineer/Deputy Head, Station Design & Construction Dept 1955-1969

Head of Station Operations and Maintenance Department 1969-1983

Head of Station Design and Construction Department 1983-84

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Early retirement in 1984

Professional Papers

"Automatic and Remote Control of Unattended Television Transmitting Stations " (With T,S, Robson) - IEE International Conference 1966

"The Operation and Management of the IBA Transmitter Network" (with R.P.Massingham) - International Broadcasting Convention 1974

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"Automatic and Remote Control of Broadcast Television and Radio Transmitting Stations" (with S G Bevan) - IEE Paper 8307E 1979

Career Summary

Harry excelled at technical and mathematical subjects at school and technical college, winning numerous distinctions and awards.

He joined the BBC as a junior in 1943, and worked his way through both transmission functions, outside-broadcast and studio systems. He was part of the BBC team which televised the Coronation in 1953, and was responsible for commissioning and testing Riverside Studios, Bristol and Birmingham Regional Studios and the Television Theatre at Shepherds Bush, London

In 1955 he took the brave step of joining the fledgling Independent Television Authority where he became a key figure in the development of the Authority's transmitter network and systems across the UK. He played a key role in the development of unmanned, remote-controlled transmitter stations and in the introduction of colour and 625-line television and the establishment on independent radio systems in the 1980s.

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He accepted early retirement in 1984, and subsequently undertook consultancy work with SSVC, the armed forces broadcasting system. He continued to play an active role in the Royal Television Society and IEE, travelled extensively (including China, India, South America, New Zealand). He joined the Ramblers Association and took an Open University degree BA(Hons) and continued to study (e.g.computers, database design).