Obituary - Colin Benjamin FIMMM
Well regarded within research and technical support of the UK’s plastics industry where he was known for championing education and creating opportunities for others. An appreciation of, and tribute to, a long serving Manchester Polymer Group colleague and friend.
Colin Benjamin FIMMM
1930 - 2023
Colin Benjamin was born in Maesteg, South Wales on July, 1930 to Hugh and Rosina Benjamin where he was the third of three boys and where Hugh worked as a coal miner.
Colin attended Blaencaerau Primary School and then, because of the support of the Head Teacher, D.C. Watkins, was encouraged to apply for a place at Bridgend Technical College. Colin was on the tennis and athletics team at school and represented the county in both and was a good enough 'all-rounder' to earn his school's 'Victor Ludorum' medal (awarded to the outstanding athlete).
A bright and confident young man (arrogant his future wife said when she first met him) Colin won a scholarship to Imperial College, London to study chemistry but family finances were such that he decided to take a job at the National Coal Board, working as a chemist in the laboratories and studying chemistry at night school. Colin married Margaret in 1955 and the two of them lived with her mother, Bessie, in Nantyfyllon.
Once Colin had qualified, he was employed by Shell which meant a fair bit of travel in the early days. Colin was based for a while in Shell Mex House on the Strand in London. The 'mess' was the Savoy Hotel dining room. Colin was taken aback one day to be pulled aside about his dress. Colin's error was to wear a sports jacket to the office (as he had seen others do). What he hadn't realised was that this was only acceptable 'in town' on Fridays and only if you were heading off to the country for the weekend.
Colin moved to Manchester, UK to start work at the Shell Carrington site in 1956, Margaret joining him once she'd secured a teaching post in Altrincham.
As well as being dedicated to his job, Colin was dedicated to his family and spent as little time away as possible; he did spend extended time in the USA, Romania and South Africa. When at home, Colin refused to answer the phone because he thought he spent far too much of his time on the phone at work. Later in his career he was commuting weekly to Amsterdam. Colin made the trip so regularly that he knew the customs staff by name with them waving him through, rarely checking his passport. One day a new member of staff did check his passport and discovered it to be out-of-date by over 6 months!
Colin was an encourager, spending winter Saturday mornings in Manchester's cold and rain watching son Robert play rugby for Sale Grammar School with the dedicated band of parents trekking around the Cheshire and Lancashire area. In the summer it was athletics matches. Not being one for an easy life, Colin enjoyed watching more rugby at Sale, starting in the heyday of Fran Cotton and Steve Smith and continuing to support Sale Football Club (now Sale Sharks) into his 80s until the change to evening fixtures meant that it was too cold for him.
Colin was well regarded in his professional life which took him into research and technical support in the plastics industry. Among his memorabilia is a letter from the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, thanking him for his contribution to an industry initiative. Colin joined the Manchester Section of the Plastics Institute (Pl), now the Manchester Polymer Group in the 1960's and was Chair over two mergers. This included when Pl joined with the Institution of the Rubber Industry in 1975 to become the Plastics and Rubber Institute (PRI).
Colin was awarded the Fellowship of the PRI in 1977 and was also appointed Chair around 1983 and supportive of their initiatives, although Colin did not suffer fools gladly and could be quite vocal in stating his views.
Both Colin and Margaret were great supporters of the annual dinner and dance and helped out on the tombola, also with their daughter Joy. Sadly, Margaret died in 2007. On retirement, he became even more active in the IOM3 Manchester Polymer Group (MPG) and was awarded Honorary Life Membership in 2017. Through these connections, Colin served on the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology Court of Governors. Colin was an active Rotarian and he and Margaret enjoyed an extended and active social life associated with the Rotary and the MPG. A constant theme of Colin's voluntary work was the importance of education, creating opportunities and supporting youngsters to make the most of them. Colin had done things, like many of his generation, the hard way.
In 2015, Colin moved to be beside his daughter, son in law and their family and continued to contribute to village life.
A life well lived. Rest in Peace Colin, you deserve it.
Stuart Patrick FIMMM