George G. Macfarlane

Who was George G. Macfarlane?

George G. Macfarlane was an engineer, scientific administrator and public servant. He made major contributions to research on radar during World War II and received a special appointment as Superintendent, for theoretical work, within the Physics Division of the Telecommunications Research Establishment during the post war years, continuing in this capacity when it was renamed the Royal Radar Establishment. He was appointed Deputy Director of the National Physical Laboratory in 1960, returned to RRE as Director in 1962 and was selected to be the first Controller of Research in the Ministry of Technology in 1967, responsible for the coordination of government laboratories with a total staff of 23,000. In 1970 he was transferred to the Ministry of Defence, which had 20 research and development establishments. He consolidated these to just six, and was knighted in 1971. After retiring from this post in 1975, he continued several major professional activities.