Fred Thomas obituary

My uncle, Fred Thomas, who has died aged 85, was a senior lecturer in civil and structural engineering who undertook groundbreaking research into subjects as diverse as the causes of aeroplane crashes and the structural properties of glass.

Fred was born in Tenby, son of Hector, a carpenter, and his wife, Eva, and went to Greenhill grammar school. As a young boy, he would make wooden toys for his younger cousins in his father's workshop. Fred did not go on to have any children, nor did he ever marry. However, he was incredibly close to his immediate and extended family. He was an integral part of family life for my parents, my brother and me for more than 40 years.