Peter Booth
BOOTH, Peter Forbes BE FIEAust FIMechE (UK) MACEA MAusIMM (1937-2024)
Peter was born on September 3, 1937, at Mount Barker, Western Australia, the eldest son of orchardist Archibald Eric Forbes Booth and his wife Winsome Marion Booth (nee Bettesworth).
His early years were spent on the family property “Preston Park” near Mount Barker. His primary schooling was in Mount Barker including attending St Jospeh’s Convent.
He enrolled at the University of Western Australia on March 1, 1956 and was resident at St Georges College. He completed a five year degree in Mechanical Engineering on December 31, 1960, graduating on May 29, 1961. On graduation he was awarded a two year Overseas Travelling Fellowship by English Electric Company. He travelled to the United Kingdom on the fellowship as well as being employed at the English Electric Company, at the Netherton Works, as Section Leader, in the Steam Turbine Products Department. He returned to Australia in December 1964.
He was then employed by English Electric Company at Rocklea Works, Queensland as Chief Production Engineer. He moved to Ampol Refineries Limited, Brisbane, as a Project and Development Engineer, being seconded to be Personal Assistant to the Managing Director of Ampol Australia for six months.
In 1969 he joined Mount Newman Mining Company in Perth as Personal Assistant to the Project Manager. He was promoted to Resident Project Manager responsible for general coordination and supervision of capital works engineering. In 1971 he was promoted to Project Manager and by 1972 was Manager Engineering, a position he held until 1979.
In 1980 Peter was the Founder, Principal Engineer and Managing Director of P F Booth and Partners (Aust) Pty Ltd. The company provided engineering and management consulting to the mining, process, manufacturing, industrial, commercial and government sectors.
In 1981, Peter formed Booth Management and Resources Pty Ltd continuing to work in the resources sector.
Peter formed a partnership with the Australian arm of the French company Technip, in 1991, to create Booth Technip Australia Pty Ltd. Peter was appointed the CEO of the merged body.
Peter joined the Institution of Engineers, Australia as a Student Member in 1959 and was a Graduate Member in 1961. He became an Associate Member in 1965 and a Fellow by 1978. He was Chairman of the Western Australian Division of the Institution of Engineers, Australia also being National Vice President in 1984 and 1985.
Whilst in the United Kingdom he completed the requirements to join the Institution of Mechanical Engineers as a Member. He subsequently was made a Fellow of that institution. He was also a Member of the Association of Consulting Engineers, Australia and of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Peter was President of St George’s College from 1974 to 1977 and was President of the University of Western Australia Engineering Foundation in 1985.
Peter died on March 29, 2024, aged 86, at Stoneville.
Chris Fitzhardinge, June 2025
References:
Western Mail, 16.9.1937, p7
Southern Sentinel, 4.11.1948, p1
Southern Sentinel, 6.10.1049, p7
Le Courier Australien, 10.3.1991, p18
P F Booth Resume, Call Number PR14528/BOO/1, State Library of Western Australia
The Georgian Vol 27, No 1, April 2002
