Sir Frederick Whitaker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Frederick Arthur Whitaker 17 July 1893 |
| Died | 13 June 1968 (aged 74) |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | University of Liverpool |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Civil, |
| Institutions | Institution of Civil Engineers (president) |
Sir Frederick Arthur Whitaker KCB (17 July 1893 – 13 June 1968) was a British civil engineer. Although born in the Colony of Natal, he was educated in Liverpool and received a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Liverpool. Whitaker joined the Civil Engineer in Chief's Department of the Admiralty at the age of 22 and spent much of the rest of his career there. His earlier work included Royal Navy bases in the United Kingdom, Jamaica, Malta and Singapore during the First World War and Interwar period. In 1934 he became Deputy Civil Engineer-In-Chief to the Admiralty, being promoted to Civil Engineer-In-Chief in 1940. Whitaker held that position for 14 years, which included most of the Second World War, and during that time was ultimately responsible for all of the Admiralty's civil engineering projects. He retired from the Admiralty in 1954, becoming a partner for an engineering consultancy.
Whitaker was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1941, and became a Knight Commander in 1945. He was also appointed a Commander in the Legion of Honour by the French government in 1947. He was an active member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, which he had joined in 1919, and held various offices for them. He was elected president of the institution at a Special General Meeting in February 1957, following the death of the previous president, Harold Gourley. Whitaker sat on various committees of organisations related to his area of expertise, including the Dover Harbour Board and Suez Canal Company. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Liverpool in 1960.