Peter Foreman, Former Honorary Treasurer, June 1937 to March 2026
Here we commemorate Peter Foreman, who peacefully passed away on 31st March 2026. Just two hours before he drew his last breath, he and son Chris were sharing recollections. He is remembered as a larger-than-life character, always forthright, almost always happy, and with an infectious laugh.
Until a few years’ ago, Peter was a long-standing and very active member of the Society. He was Honorary Treasurer for more than 20 years (all predating our online banking), handing over that baton in 2013, and was active on Council before and after.
In the 70s and 80s, Peter quartermastered many of the engineering symposia held for society members, usually in the EEV barn. Peter was a great help too with the schools’ competitions, and was always on hand to organise the Presidential dinner while it was hosted at Channels. A particularly enjoyable aspect of this was of course the wine tasting; although he graciously handed over the organising to those more adept with modern spreadsheets, chief wine tasting remained his preserve until the dinner venue change in the mid noughties.
In more recent years, until the Covid lockdown, he was a regular attendee of the evening talks. In 2014, aged 77, he added programming a Raspberry Pi and making it control hardware to his CV.
Having obtained an honours degree and post doctorate, barring a short spell abroad, Peter's career, straight from QMC, was at EEV from 1961 until retirement in 2002. His work there was varied, including camera tube development and large valves, where he was section manager. His methodology was to be respected, and all knew just where they stood while he was at the helm of his section (including maybe a few with ruffled feathers).
In 1991, Peter married Kathleen, who also worked at EEV; a merge of two families. They had more than 30 years together, ending when she was taken by cancer in 2023. Thereafter he was known for independence, riding his bike and, more recently, his trike into town to buy provisions.
In addition to being a great asset to the Society after retirement, Peter spent his time writing letters, hundreds of them, to his succession of MPs, suggesting improvements to… pretty much everything! These were always thought through; some were even published in The Times, others The Essex Chronicle, both of whom were copied in where appropriate (or not…).
In December 2025, recognising his increasing infirmity, Peter sought rehab in a residential care home, where he sadly had to remain, with increasing frustration, despite regular visits from his and Kathleen’s offspring and their families, including Peter’s great grandchild.
Two enduring phrases the subsequent generations will remember from his firm but fair upbringing with a high moral compass:
Rules are there for the guidance of wise and obedience of fools.
Treat others how you’d like to be treated yourself.
— Roger Pittock, May 2026
Footnote: I was honoured to write the above having kindly been invited by Tim, Peter’s son, to attend the celebration of his life. Until then, I had not appreciated just how much Peter’s life and mine had in parallel, despite my being 20 years his junior. I also obtained O and A levels in a Kent Grammar School. I also went on to get a degree at QMC, and my tutor was Dr Rodney Thumwood, the very chap who opened the door to Peter doing a post-doc, and the very same chap who introduced me to my first section manager at EEV, where I also spent my whole full-time career until retirement, where I also met my wife-to-be.