We have received a request from Roger Croston to post the following on the blog, and are happy to do so. Trevor Williams was the first director of the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (now Bioversity International), and another significant figure in the early days of the PGR conservation movement.
After searching for many years I am now back in contact with Trevor
Williams — best known to many as “JT”.
He is now back in England at his Stockport address for those who have
it. I would also be more than happy to forward messages to him on
anyone’s behalf. Please give me your postal address and ‘phone numbers
so that he can reply. JT is currently not on email. He is most keen to
hear from friends and colleagues. (He had been in intensive care in
hospital with breathing difficulties but he is now home and is gradually
improving, I am pleased to say).
Email: rogerc “at” croston-engineering “dot” co “dot” uk
It seems that Brian Ford-Lloyd had spoken with him yesterday, and he’d mentioned my recent New Year’s honour. Well, about 7.15 pm last evening I had a phone call from Trevor, and we spoke for about 15 mins. He told me about his protracted health difficulties, but he’s feeling much better now. It was great to catch up with him. I think the last time I saw Trevor was in Beijing in the mid-1990s. I was having a beer with a colleague in the hotel where we were staying, and I saw someone walk through the lobby and into the restaurant. Well, I went to investigate, and it was JT. Needless to say, rather more beer was consumed over the next few hours as we caught up after not seeing each other for quite a number of years.
It’s a bit more complicated than Trevor Williams being the first Director of IBPGR.
The title of the boss of IBPGR was always Executive Secretary (of the Board or, as the Russians had it the `Soviet’). The title of Director was not on: there could be only one Director in FAO, where IBPGR was located. I think (could be wrong) that this designation persisted until IBPGR became IPGRI or at least until ties were cut with FAO around 1988. The first Executive Secretary of IBPGR seems to have been Pichel of FAO (1974-79) – most IBPGR staff were FAO staff at that time. Trevor then took over in 1979 and also then became Chief of the FAO Genetic Resource operations.
There was also a Trevor Sykes around at the time, who may also have played a role. Any more information welcomed.