George Matthew McNaughton

Sir George Matthew McNaughton CB (31 January 1893 – 31 August 1966) was a British civil engineer who specialised in hydraulic engineering. McNaughton was born in Dundee and received a degree in engineering from the University of St Andrews. He interrupted his studies to become an officer in the British Army during the First World War before he was forced to retire due to ill health. After the war he completed his degree and joined an engineering firm where his work included the Silent Valley Reservoir in Northern Ireland. In 1929 he entered government service at the Ministry of Health and eventually became the ministry's chief engineer. His work was recognised by an appointment as a Companion of the Order of the Bath and a knighthood. He retired in 1960 and served as president of the Institution of Civil Engineers for 1961–2.

Early life McNaughton was born in Dundee, Scotland on 31 January 1893. He was educated at Morgan Academy in Dundee before spending four years training under the supervision of J. Hannay Thompson, General Manager and Engineer of the Dundee Harbour Trust. McNaughton began a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering at the University of St Andrews but his course was interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War and he left in 1914 to enlist in the 2/2 Highland Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery. McNaughton returned to St Andrews and received his degree later that year. In 1948 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath. McNaughton transferred to the new Ministry of Health after reforms in 1951, remaining its chief engineer, and at the same time worked for the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.

Other work

McNaughton was associated closely with the Water Research Association from the start of its life, serving as a council member and their chairman, and helped to establish their research station at Medmenham. As a result of this McNaughton was elected an honorary member of British Waterworks Association in 1960. McNaughton was recognised world-wide for his specialism in water and in 1962 presented a paper to the UN's World Health Organization on the financial and economic aspects of water pollution prevention.

There is a record of his burial in Tealing Cemetery, Angus, Scotland.