The Society
The Society was set up in April 2006 by the City of Brechin Area Partnership and the Guildry of Brechin to recognise publicly the work of Sir Robert Watson-Watt, a native of Brechin. A committee has been formed to further this aim.
The committee
| Chairman: Dr Robert Martin, GP Rtd Vice-Chairman: Stewart Hill, Cons. Mgr. Rtd Secretary: Brian Mitchell, History Teacher, Rtd Treasurer: Joy Mowatt, Charities’ Director Donald McGilp: Headmaster Rtd Peter Grace: Engineer Rtd Dr Charles Allison: Anaesthetist NHS Tayside Colin Whyte: Clerk to The Guildry of Brechin Roger Hopkins: Architect Rtd Bruce Gellatly: Accountant with strong Brechin connections Pam Stevens: Brechin Company Director Stephen Dempsey: Rector, Brechin High School
Norman Atkinson and Helen Wallace | ||||||||||
Aims of the Society
- To increase the awareness and understanding of the work of Sir Robert Watson-Watt, and to raise a permanent memorial in Brechin to commemorate his life and work.
- To encourage and assist the public, locally, nationally and internationally, to value, appreciate and celebrate Watson-Watt’s development of the system of radar during World War II that played such an important part in the defences of the United Kingdom and modern air traffic control.
- To discuss, plan, consult and develop proposals to create an appropriate permanent memorial to Sir Robert Watson-Watt within the Ancient City and Royal Burgh of Brechin, to commemorate his life and work
- To work with the Schools and Youth to increase the awareness and understanding of Watson-Watt and create a Physics prize in his memory.
- To develop an interactive model of Watson-Watt’s radar system to be exhibited in the Brechin Town House Museum, with help from the museum staff High School and Abertay University.
Watson-Watt is one of the most important people born in Brechin and yet few people are aware of his enormous achievements. The Chain Home radar system and fighter control were crucial to the defence of the UK against the Luftwaffe from 1939 throughout World War II. Further development of the radar system is nowadays used by all air traffic control.