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Issue 101NEWSLETTER OF THE HISTORY PANELDecember 2019THE INSTITUTION OF GAS ENGINEERS & MANAGERSISSN 1475-617XREGISTERED CHARITY No. 287678TheHistoric Gas TimesBarry Wilkinson%u2019s name is probably recalled by most IGEM members through his regular contributions to Gi on historical matters, as a Chairman of the Institution%u2019s History Panel and as the first and long-serving Editor of the %u2018Historic Gas Times%u2019. He entered the industry in the mid-1950s and was among those (drawn from most of the twelve Boards) who were chosen to become students on a Gas Engineering %u2018Sandwich Course%u2019 at Salford or Enfield, promoted by the Gas Council, IGE and the Area Boards. After working full time it wasn%u2019t necessarily very easy to return to full-time education and not all students lasted the full three years. Barry remarked on how Gas Works colleagues could view his six monthly absences from %u201creal work%u201d as a winter holiday. Having qualified, Barry rejoined Negas on the Production side at Leeds, later moving into Industrial Marketing and finally to be Safety Officer.With Ken Golisti and other Negas colleagues, Barry gathered much gas historical information on the North East area and assembled the Museum and Archive at Tingley. Several %u2018learned papers%u2019 were delivered to the Juniors and District Section. Unexpectedly, Barry also had a wide knowledge of antiques, from furniture to brass figures, although some of the latter turned out to have a ceramic jet in their mouths, from which a small gas flame would emerge to light one%u2019s cigar. When the Daily Telegraph mentioned an early bedside tea maker, he responded with the wider historical background and Patent details. They printed the lot, including a fine photograph.Not long after Barry joined the Institution%u2019s History Panel, which was then chaired by Don Wilson, it was decided to publish a quarterly newsletter, which emerged as the Historic Gas Times. Barry %u201cvolunteered%u201d to be Editor and there followed a remarkable run of ninety issues over a period of more than twenty years. He was assisted by his daughter Sally, who took care of page make-up, and so on. HGT has done much to keep alive the interest in Gas History and to raise funds for related causes, thanks to their efforts.Barry resigned as Chairman of the %u2018Panel for the History of the Gas Industry%u2019, now the History Panel, in early 2017 and died in August 2019. He made a great contribution to the study of Gas History, we enjoyed his company and we shall miss him greatly.JBHThe History Panel sends its best wishes to all our readers for Christmas and the New Year.J.B.Wilkinson, 1938-2019